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John Julius Reel's avatar

I always suspected that opponents of close reading didn't really like to read, but that neither did formulaic close readers, who imposed generally accepted interpretations on texts. Emma Heath nails it: "The problem the Atlantic and critics like Kanakia take offense to is not in fact close reading, but forced meaning.” She’s right that close reading isn’t, or shouldn’t be "an 'extractive' process, as the Atlantic would have it. We don’t take anything from these texts; we feel our way toward something new that was already there waiting to be seen." Best of all, the ecstatic end of this wonderful essay makes Heath’s love of reading so evident. She’s clearly enamored of language, open to its possibilities, and respectful of the artist that channeled such language. She loves Gatsby for what it’s given and keeps giving to her. No greater authority than that.

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Jessica | Stuck In The Book's avatar

Omg I absolutely loved reading this and it's made me want to re-read Gatsby again!

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