Contemplative Reading—The Experience, the Idea, the Applications
Charles Suhor
English Journal March 1, 2002 DOI: 10.58680/ej2002889 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that conventional academic terms and trends can override readers' and teachers' personal experience of texts, and proposes that certain nonfiction works evoke a "contemplative reading" response that is familiar to many teachers and readers but rarely acknowledged in textbooks or genre discussions. |
Abstract
The weight of academic tradition and current trends is powerful. We are inclined to work with conventional and popular terms, categories, and ideas about literature and teaching, even when our personal experience gives us different cues. For example, the term “contemplative reading” is not usually seen in textbooks or discussions of literary genres. But I believe that certain nonfiction works evoke an experience of contemplative response that is familiar to innumerable teachers and other readers.