Reading response for “Murasaki Shikibu’s Diary.”
Once you have read the Diary closely, write 300-400 words that address the following questions:
1) Identify what reading you are using (even though we are all using the same reading, it is always good to begin here).
2) Who is the narrative voice in this text? From whose perspective is the work written?
3) What is the historical context out of which this reading emerges? Here, you will likely want to examine both the analysis of the reading provided in the handout (situated before the excerpt of the work itself), as well as the historical information regarding the Heian period to be found in your textbook.
4) How does this reading explore the hierarchical and highly gendered nature of social life at the Heian court?
5) What attitude does the text present towards the prospect of Buddhist salvation?
To answer the fourth and fifth questions, you will want to read the text carefully, paying attention to the sentiments and questions it expresses as well as the historical context it is responding to. You can find information on the cultural and political dynamics of the Heian period in your textbook as well as in the handout.
**IMPORTANT: Your reading response should be in your own words. Do not cut and paste directly from web or any other sources. Do not copy directly from the text without quotation marks and citations for page numbers. Students who are found to be doing any of these things will be treated according to the university code of conduct.***
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What is Active Reading?
Reading for university should not be a passive process of turning pages, marking a few lines, and hoping that the information will sink in. Planning to return and re-read the course material before an exam or the writing of a paper is an admirable goal, yet you won’t always have time to do so. Thus, it’s crucial to get the most out of your reading the first time through. Reading actively means that you engage mentally with the text and keep some sort of physical record of that engagement, usually in the form of notes. Active reading requires alertness and a willingness to think as you read. Below are some suggestions for developing a more active approach to your reading. You may find that you need to adjust these techniques to your own preferences or according to the subject matter.
a. Always read with a pen in your hand or the computer ready for use. Develop a system of note-taking that helps you distinguish between overarching ideas and an author’s logical explanations or development of those ideas. Keep a record of how a concept is built up or elaborated in a particular text. Also, your notes should distinguish between the overarching ideas and the details, facts, data and examples that support or illustrate those ideas. Experiment with capitalization, italics or bold type, and use symbols like arrows or bullet points.
b. Keep a record of your own critical responses to the reading. How does this text connect with other texts you’ve read for this course? What gaps in your understanding of the subject does it seem to fill? What questions remain in your mind?
c. Avoid worrying about whether your responses are appropriate or well expressed. Think of them as just the first stage in a process of critical thinking that will eventually yield the more developed ideas you will use in your essay. For example, noting that you’re confused about the author’s presentation of idea A vs. idea B may eventually lead to a perception that there is indeed some ambiguity in the text. This ambiguity can then be further explored and may eventually form the basis of a thesis for your paper.
d. Ask the author some questions in your mind, or argue with him/her, noting down what you’ve “said”. The more you’ve engaged with this material in writing, the easier it will be to write on these topics in class. Your essays will also be strengthened because you will already have been doing much of the thinking required for effective writing.
