English 102 continues the focus on research, analysis, and critical thinking that began in English 101, but now applies these skills toward the study of literature. After reading the introduction in your textbook, Reading Imaginative Literature, and watching the video, "How and Why We Read Literature," you can hopefully see the value in the reading and discussion of literature in college and beyond.

1) In the first part of your post, please discuss one or more of the following questions with your classmates and instructor:

· What does it mean to read actively? Describe some of the things that you do when you are actively engaging with a text, versus reading passively.

· Have you enjoyed literature in the past? What are some of your favorite books/stories/poems?

· What was the biggest difficulty or weakness you faced in English 101? How do you plan to improve on this in English 102?

2) Then, for the next part of your initial post, review the excerpt of Thomas Jefferson’s letter on pages 45-46 (“On the Dangers of Reading Fiction”). Note the passages where Jefferson writes of reading novels, “When this poison infects the mind, it […] revolts it against wholesome reading”; “The result is a bloated imagination, sickly judgment, and disgust towards all the real businesses of life” (45). Then, consider these questions:

· Jefferson voices several common objections to fiction. Are these concerns still expressed today? Why or why not?

· To what extent are Jefferson’s arguments similar to modern objections to the television, the Internet, etc.?

· What is the (personal and/or professional) value of reading, analyzing, and appreciating literature?

Remember: All textual references (quotes, paraphrases) should be cited in MLA format (in-text citations and Works Cited).