A Major Concept

     One major concept I have learned this year is how to break down the most confusing pieces of literature so that they make sense. If I had read Hamlet in a different class I would have tried to understand it at first, relied completely on sparksnotes, given up out of hopelessness and disregarded that section of learning as a whole. However, we were taught to read it as a class, toss around ideas and analyze chunk after chunk of dialogue until we could come to a general agreement about the meaning of the passage. We watched a variety of movies made reflecting the play so that we could see how others had seen Shakespeare's work, had group meetings to discuss intents and character motives, and through careful dissection I was able to understand one of the most hated pieces of literature in schools. Unlike my parents or their friends who at the mention of Hamlet roll their eyes, laugh and say "yeah all I remember is I hated it and didn't read it at all" I on the other hand, can recite Hamlet's soliloquy, interpret dialog, remember act summaries, and understand the key themes and motives reflected in Shakespeare's play. Now, I can say I have made it through one of the greatest trials of high school English and found it only a fraction of what it once was in my eyes.