First year St Andrews English and Comp Lit student here 🙋🏻♂️ SO relatable when you said: "Hated this with a passion," for Gulliver's Travels. Did my first coursework essay on it, was a terrible experience and I would never ever read it again.
I studied Mrs.Dalloway at IB and it was a similar situation with how you felt about Withering Heights. When I first read it I really didn't like it and didn't really connect with it but once we started analyzing it in class I grew to love it. All of the water imagery, which relates to Virginia Woolf's desire to die in water (which I think she ended up doing), was so interesting. Also the theme that women who are older have no value and how Dalloway navigates that, if I remember correctly Woolf uses the image of a burning candle to resemble how Dalloway feels like her time is up and how the her light inside of her is almost burnt out. I really enjoyed the whole stream of consciousness (postmodern?) style as well. I think that Woolf in general really pushed the boundaries of what writing was at the time and challenged societal norms. She especially did this with Septimius through showing how he was suffering from PTSD and wasn't being taken seriously, which was significant at the time because men were meant to be strong and be able to handle war, when in reality many men came back from the war broken and with mental health issues. Idk if this makes sense, sorry for rambling on about it, I just really love it! Definitely a dark chocolate for me aha!
Taylor Colbeth I definitely get what you mean. Some books need a second read to get deeper into their meanings. I really love uncovering seemingly hidden gems when rereading. Deffo will give it another go and thanks so much for commenting 🥰
I loved this video and please create more literature content! Favourite parts were putting Hadfield straight in 'burn it' and how true it is that reading Oroonoko is like an eternity. However your analysis of Madame Bovary, Hard Times, Great Expectations and Anna Karenina TRIGGERED me... My ranking Dark Chocolate: Madame Bovary ("Madame Bovary, c'est moi" ), Anna Karenina, Hard Times (read the part at the end of Book 2 where Louisa confronts her father), Pleasure, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mrs Dalloway, The Waste Land, Lyrical Ballads, Songs of Innocence and Experience, Frankenstein (I loved deeply nearly every text we studied). Tier 2: Private Memoir and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, No Way Back, House of Ulloa, The Lonely Londoners, A Passage to India. Tier 3: The Rape of the Lock. Tier 4: Northanger Abbey, A Journey to the Western Isles, Trumpet. Burn it: Nigh No Place, Oroonoko, Gulliver's Travels, Tam O'Shanter.
Samuel Hignett okay so we acc can’t argue about dickens bc I will never like him period 😂😂😂😂 let’s just agree to disagree there and excuse meeee I liked anna karenina
Hi! I'm starting at st. andrews this fall and your channel has been so helpful! I'm going to study english, and was wondering how specific they are about editions/translations of books? i have a lot of the books you mentioned but in different editions and was wondering if it would be worth it to bring them or if i would just have to rebuy them in a different edition lol.
hey! so the only modules that require exact editions are the ones in comparative literature bc they require specific translations. for the english modules you are absolutely fine bringing copies you already own x
"All the endorphins, they're just juicin when it comes into my system" is absolutely a quote I'll slip into a group text someday 😂thank you as always for the great video!
Hi Kiki, I have been a enthusiastic viewer of your channel for quite a while now. Whilst I do wince at your meme plug-ins, the ingenuity and authenticity of your voice regarding St. Andrews, both academic and outside of studying, has been most inspirational. Keep up the good work! What is your thought on enrolling in Comp lit and English lit simultaneously? I am about to begin (hopefully) my study of Comp lit and philosophy this autumn, and the notion of wading through tomes such as Anna Karenina in a week or so is frightening enough, the addition of some medieval lengthy Welsh verses won’t necessarily seem all that rosy would it. Also do you think taking four courses per semester(160 credits per year?) is manageable in the first year, with the compromise of the clubbing time? We have a pandemic going on, after all...
Marcel Wo hi love! So I personally think 160 credits is a lot unless you’re not planning on having a social life (but that’s just me ha). I think doing both comp lit and English is a great combination and I know a lot of people who really enjoyed the plays in second semester comp lit. As for the reading space - comp lit is a bit more spaced out (6 books in the semester vs 10 in English) so take that how you may. Hope that was helpful, lmk if you have any more questions x
Loved this video!! How do the books you read in English and Comp Lit compare? Do you read similar books? What are the major differences between those two subjects?
hiya! i'd say the comp lit modules are quite different because they approach literature with more of a translation-based approach (as in, one of the major components is the quality of the translation and why translation is so important when reading literature in translation). then of course in english we only read books that were originally written in english (although we may have some scots appearing now and again because this is a scottish uni). i enjoyed both modules wholeheartedly, but i'd say comp lit is more focused on its 6 texts, whereas english has 11 books (1 a week). hope that helps x
Now this is gonna be along list but the books that i hate and like and just cant understand are below. These are my opinions so dont go all karen on me. 1)I hate "Gulliver's travels" with passion. I had to read it twice. Once in 5th grade for english and then in 9th again for my english test. Even my teacher hated it. She said that its the "trashiest novel ever written and cant comprehend why it is praised",me neither. The only part that i do remember and rather enjoyed was how Swift showed us the comparasion between the politicians in the novel and the reality now. That was something debatable. 2) I hate "Oliver twist" by Charles Dickens. I still believe that its the worst book he has ever written. I just couldn't read it. I had to force mysepf to finish that because we had a rule to read one book alloted by the school every year starting from 4th grade. They all are classics which I love but i had to force myself to finish books i couldnt stand. 3) "Anna karenina" by Leo tolstoy. I still don't know what to think of the woman. I hate infidelity so I had to kee my mind open. But if someone asked me what do i think of Anna as an individual I sure will stutter. I just dont understand what to think and speak. It confused me so much and made me question what I believe in life. 4) Now on to the books that I like "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte will always be my babe. I remember reading Jane part where she stood up to her aunt and called out her bullshit as a child and being impressed. I never stood up for myself but her character was damn good to not impersonate. I really like how she did everything she liked and told everyone what she thought without sugar on top. Her romance with Rochester was good too.
Gulliver's Travels should be read in political science, it is a satirical view of governmental structures.....the Lilliputians is a commentary on the English Royalty - small insignificant, self-important.....you mention the strange customs, it is commentary on the ridiculous traditions of various government institutions. Read a supplemental book by Leo Cropsey, Political Thought in Literature and I think you will more enjoy the book......now, please go pull this book out of the fire!
Much appreciated 😂 I’ll definitely check that out and get back to you. I just don’t want to be doing literary analysis and close reading a passage about doorknob measurements ha x
@@justkiki3091 I whole-heartedly agree....Political Theory in Literature IN AUGUST is the last thing to read....for something a little lighter, read Catch-22 (the main character is doing all he can to survive WWII and he is in the hospital in the opening chapter with a "liver" disease......kinda sets the stage. The other literary reference is when the main character (Yossarian) chases after his friends gf through the streets of Rome - envision Dantes trip through Hell.....and.....it is a very funny book
First year St Andrews English and Comp Lit student here 🙋🏻♂️ SO relatable when you said: "Hated this with a passion," for Gulliver's Travels. Did my first coursework essay on it, was a terrible experience and I would never ever read it again.
I studied Mrs.Dalloway at IB and it was a similar situation with how you felt about Withering Heights. When I first read it I really didn't like it and didn't really connect with it but once we started analyzing it in class I grew to love it. All of the water imagery, which relates to Virginia Woolf's desire to die in water (which I think she ended up doing), was so interesting. Also the theme that women who are older have no value and how Dalloway navigates that, if I remember correctly Woolf uses the image of a burning candle to resemble how Dalloway feels like her time is up and how the her light inside of her is almost burnt out. I really enjoyed the whole stream of consciousness (postmodern?) style as well. I think that Woolf in general really pushed the boundaries of what writing was at the time and challenged societal norms. She especially did this with Septimius through showing how he was suffering from PTSD and wasn't being taken seriously, which was significant at the time because men were meant to be strong and be able to handle war, when in reality many men came back from the war broken and with mental health issues. Idk if this makes sense, sorry for rambling on about it, I just really love it! Definitely a dark chocolate for me aha!
Taylor Colbeth I definitely get what you mean. Some books need a second read to get deeper into their meanings. I really love uncovering seemingly hidden gems when rereading. Deffo will give it another go and thanks so much for commenting 🥰
I loved this video and please create more literature content! Favourite parts were putting Hadfield straight in 'burn it' and how true it is that reading Oroonoko is like an eternity. However your analysis of Madame Bovary, Hard Times, Great Expectations and Anna Karenina TRIGGERED me...
My ranking
Dark Chocolate: Madame Bovary ("Madame Bovary, c'est moi" ), Anna Karenina, Hard Times (read the part at the end of Book 2 where Louisa confronts her father), Pleasure, Wuthering Heights, Great Expectations, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Mrs Dalloway, The Waste Land, Lyrical Ballads, Songs of Innocence and Experience, Frankenstein (I loved deeply nearly every text we studied).
Tier 2: Private Memoir and Confessions of a Justified Sinner, No Way Back, House of Ulloa, The Lonely Londoners, A Passage to India.
Tier 3: The Rape of the Lock.
Tier 4: Northanger Abbey, A Journey to the Western Isles, Trumpet.
Burn it: Nigh No Place, Oroonoko, Gulliver's Travels, Tam O'Shanter.
Samuel Hignett okay so we acc can’t argue about dickens bc I will never like him period 😂😂😂😂 let’s just agree to disagree there and excuse meeee I liked anna karenina
@@justkiki3091 putting Anna Karenina in anything but dark chocolate is TRIGGERING to me 😂
Hi! I'm starting at st. andrews this fall and your channel has been so helpful! I'm going to study english, and was wondering how specific they are about editions/translations of books? i have a lot of the books you mentioned but in different editions and was wondering if it would be worth it to bring them or if i would just have to rebuy them in a different edition lol.
hey! so the only modules that require exact editions are the ones in comparative literature bc they require specific translations. for the english modules you are absolutely fine bringing copies you already own x
"All the endorphins, they're just juicin when it comes into my system" is absolutely a quote I'll slip into a group text someday 😂thank you as always for the great video!
If you haven't already you should definitely read In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. Amazing classic and my favourite of all time.
Hi Kiki, I have been a enthusiastic viewer of your channel for quite a while now. Whilst I do wince at your meme plug-ins, the ingenuity and authenticity of your voice regarding St. Andrews, both academic and outside of studying, has been most inspirational. Keep up the good work!
What is your thought on enrolling in Comp lit and English lit simultaneously? I am about to begin (hopefully) my study of Comp lit and philosophy this autumn, and the notion of wading through tomes such as Anna Karenina in a week or so is frightening enough, the addition of some medieval lengthy Welsh verses won’t necessarily seem all that rosy would it.
Also do you think taking four courses per semester(160 credits per year?) is manageable in the first year, with the compromise of the clubbing time? We have a pandemic going on, after all...
Marcel Wo hi love! So I personally think 160 credits is a lot unless you’re not planning on having a social life (but that’s just me ha). I think doing both comp lit and English is a great combination and I know a lot of people who really enjoyed the plays in second semester comp lit. As for the reading space - comp lit is a bit more spaced out (6 books in the semester vs 10 in English) so take that how you may. Hope that was helpful, lmk if you have any more questions x
Loved this video!! How do the books you read in English and Comp Lit compare? Do you read similar books? What are the major differences between those two subjects?
hiya! i'd say the comp lit modules are quite different because they approach literature with more of a translation-based approach (as in, one of the major components is the quality of the translation and why translation is so important when reading literature in translation). then of course in english we only read books that were originally written in english (although we may have some scots appearing now and again because this is a scottish uni). i enjoyed both modules wholeheartedly, but i'd say comp lit is more focused on its 6 texts, whereas english has 11 books (1 a week). hope that helps x
THE ENERGY!!!!!!!
Now this is gonna be along list but the books that i hate and like and just cant understand are below. These are my opinions so dont go all karen on me.
1)I hate "Gulliver's travels" with passion. I had to read it twice. Once in 5th grade for english and then in 9th again for my english test. Even my teacher hated it. She said that its the "trashiest novel ever written and cant comprehend why it is praised",me neither. The only part that i do remember and rather enjoyed was how Swift showed us the comparasion between the politicians in the novel and the reality now. That was something debatable.
2) I hate "Oliver twist" by Charles Dickens. I still believe that its the worst book he has ever written. I just couldn't read it. I had to force mysepf to finish that because we had a rule to read one book alloted by the school every year starting from 4th grade. They all are classics which I love but i had to force myself to finish books i couldnt stand.
3) "Anna karenina" by Leo tolstoy. I still don't know what to think of the woman. I hate infidelity so I had to kee my mind open. But if someone asked me what do i think of Anna as an individual I sure will stutter. I just dont understand what to think and speak. It confused me so much and made me question what I believe in life.
4) Now on to the books that I like "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte will always be my babe. I remember reading Jane part where she stood up to her aunt and called out her bullshit as a child and being impressed. I never stood up for myself but her character was damn good to not impersonate. I really like how she did everything she liked and told everyone what she thought without sugar on top. Her romance with Rochester was good too.
Thanks. 🌷🌷🌷
Hey Kiki!! Are you gonna change the name of the channel now that tom left?
hi love! i am! just working out what i'm changing it to in the next few weeks x
Gulliver's Travels should be read in political science, it is a satirical view of governmental structures.....the Lilliputians is a commentary on the English Royalty - small insignificant, self-important.....you mention the strange customs, it is commentary on the ridiculous traditions of various government institutions. Read a supplemental book by Leo Cropsey, Political Thought in Literature and I think you will more enjoy the book......now, please go pull this book out of the fire!
Check that....Leo Strauss and Joseph Cropsey were the authors
Much appreciated 😂 I’ll definitely check that out and get back to you. I just don’t want to be doing literary analysis and close reading a passage about doorknob measurements ha x
@@justkiki3091 I whole-heartedly agree....Political Theory in Literature IN AUGUST is the last thing to read....for something a little lighter, read Catch-22 (the main character is doing all he can to survive WWII and he is in the hospital in the opening chapter with a "liver" disease......kinda sets the stage. The other literary reference is when the main character (Yossarian) chases after his friends gf through the streets of Rome - envision Dantes trip through Hell.....and.....it is a very funny book