How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Intro. - Ch. 5

In just the first few chapters of How to Read Literature Like a Professor, I was drawn in by the simplicity of the language. The sentences aren't long and convoluted, just simple and short. I half expected How to Read Lit to be full of SAT-like words that would fry my brain, considering that this book is written by an English professor and addresses literary topics that a student usually isn't fond of, but the passages easily made sense to me and actually entertained me. I like how Thomas Foster titles his chapters with clever names that give somewhat of a "preview" to what each chapter discusses. The examples that Foster provides for each discussed topic are relatable and aid in my understanding of that particular topic. At times, Foster adds humorous commentary inside parentheses; other times, he asks the reader questions or poses questions that the reader might ask. This aspect makes the reading enjoyable because it's as if the author is talking with me. In this way, How to Read Literature Like a Professor becomes more personal for me, with its casual tone and entertaining approach to the literary topics.