As Dr. Bezio mentioned in the podcast, I believe that close reading is one of the fundamental skills that one needs in this world. Entertainment and the messages that come with it are universal, influencing nearly every part of our day whether we are aware of it or not. The ability to analyze the meanings, whether they are overt or hidden, behind the media we consume allows you to form your own opinions about the messages being communicated rather than subconsciously assuming the opinion the author or director wants you to. Put more simply, close reading allows you to see through the BS of something and into the truth behind it, which you can then form your opinion around. I believe that the six steps that Dr. Bezio outlined in the podcast should be taught to all students, maybe in an introductory english class or something similar, to show them the proper way to analyze what they read and watch in their everyday lives. That way, less people would be unknowingly manipulated by the content that they choose to consume.
As for The Yellow Wallpaper, I had previously read it in a high school English class during a unit about short stories. Reading it for the second time, after listening to the podcast and the context it gave, created a very different narrative than the one I had previously read. Knowing none of the context behind the work, I assumed it was simply a horror story about a woman who had been trapped in the attic by her husband, I saw only the fiction and not the truth behind it. However, after reading it again with the context, I see that it is a complex interpretation of how women were historically treated, especially mentally ill women. It is not only an interesting and engaging story, but also a nuanced feminist commentary. Without the close reading skills and context provided by the podcast, I would have missed this more important meeting hidden behind the story.
I also read The Yellow Wallpaper in high school, but I didn’t realize until halfway through why it felt so familiar! I completely agree — I got a totally different interpretation reading it this time around, especially based off of our previous class about how storytelling relates to leadership. In high school, I only read it as an important piece of American literature written by a female writer. I also listened to the podcast after I read the story. The context gained from the podcast as well as my perspective about reading this story through the lens of a leadership narrative contributed to my altered interpretation.
Understanding the historical context behind the story is huge to realize its meaning. In a previous podcast, Dr. Bezio provided the context behind Shakespeare’s Richard the III. England was going through a transition period in the nobility that brought uneasiness to the nation. Much of that worry was reflected in the play.