Reading Resolutions

    I won't lie, I took 12 Literature to rack up another AP class on my record. I've never found myself drawn to complex literature or the critical thinking that arrives when dissecting the parts of a character and what leads to their actions and words. However, this semester has changed my reading and writing habits, leading me to, surprisingly, formulate different goals for the next semester in this class. Whenever asked what my goals were for an English class, I never hesitated to say that I wanted to work on improving my writing and how to analyze various types of texts better. But for the first time, I want to set a goal to read a complex piece of literature each month. Finding time to read has never been hard, but trying to read genres outside of fantasy and romance has always proven to be difficult. I do believe it has been easier this year and I am constantly surrounded by peers who engage with these forms of writing as well as engaging pieces of work. 

    I have really enjoyed reading short stories in class and a few of my favorites involve Saving Sourdi, And of Clay Are We Created, A Rose for Emily, and many others. I loved reading about the different relationships between characters and how complex our human nature can be when comparing life and death.

    One of my goals for this semester is to pick back up on No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai. I first began reading this book to have something to read in class but stopped soon after I got bored. I believe that I wasn't truly reading the book out of personal interest, but just to have something to do in class. This time, I want to spend more time in this book and analyze the main character as well as his views on his life and others. With this book and many more this semester, I hope to regain my love for complex reading and be able to use their lessons and teachings in my writing and my life.