Although this blog has caused stress at times, I found this project quite enjoyable. It is sad to say that if I had not been assigned a project that made me read a book by a Canadian author, I probably would not have. And sadder still, I would have not experienced all that I did in reading The Handmaid's Tale.
There are few books that have made me think as much as this one did. Margaret Atwood does a magnificent job of presenting huge themes and societal issues in a fictional setting. I believe this way of presenting these issues is extremely effective. I would get entirely consumed by the story I was reading, but when I put the book down my brain could not stop processing what I had just read.
Reading The Handmaid's Tale is an odd sensation, it is by no means a difficult book. The way in which Margaret Atwood writes can be a tad challenging at first, but by the time the book is well underway one is used to her style. Nonetheless
I think having the journal entries to process what I was reading really helped me think things through, and in the end it helped me write my apologia. I think in the future I may try to write as I'm reading. It is a great way to better organise my thoughts, and keep them stored for future reference.
I wish we had had a little bit more time, or been more dedicated, because there wasn't a lot of feedback between our groups (although I did appreciate, and utilise the feedback I got). But all in all, I think the blog set-up for an ISU project is a wonderful medium, and opens the doors to multiple media outlets.
1 comment:
It's interesting that you would consider using the process of writing as an activity while reading. I certainly recommend it. If one truly, thoughtfully, and in the spirit of real intellectual inquiry responds to the text [this is where Reader Response Theory IS very useful], it helps to activate more subtle critical ideas.
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