C... is for Critical Analysis

I have read for as long as I can remember. We are a family of bookworms on my Mum's side, Mum, Gran, Greatgran, all are avid readers. Also, because I'm an only child, Mum set me with books whenever she had work to do and I was being a pest. However, at the time, until I was much older, I never analysed texts critically, I didn't know what that meant. Last year, however, I took a MOOC on Coursera called 'English Composition I: Achieving Expertise'. It was conducted by Duke University and I learnt quite a bit from it. Although it was aimed at writing, it also taught us how to read critically. This proved to be a boon when I had to submit a 20,000 word dissertation for my Masters in Edinburgh.
Reading critically is the first step to being a good writer. It isn't enough to read and understand. It is important to look at undertones, if any, and link various parts of the text to a set of themes that are usually revealed right at the onset. Character analyses are far easier, because writers tend to pan them out in a way to create a succinct image in the readers' minds. But theme-wise breakdown of a play or novel is quite challenging.
Added to that, is the task of sifting through piles of what crappy critics think the author meant to say. For example, I was reading a criticism of Wuthering Heights where the critic claimed that Mr Lockwood's progression from his landlord's living room, to kitchen, to guest bedroom reflects the opening of various layers of the plot! What rubbish, I say! Isn't that how guests enter people's homes every day!? What has that got anything to do with layers or whatever...
Anyway, critical thinking comes with experience and practice. I'm trying to cultivate it little-by-little.

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This is the third post for the April A-to-Z Blogging Challenge 2014.
Previously, Archaism, British literature

C... is for Cramond!

Cramond is a beach. It is located about a half hour's bus ride from Edinburgh towards the north-west, where the River Almond enters the Firth of Forth. I went to Cramond during winter break, it was a very cold day. The bus dropped us off at a place which seemed like the end of the world, no trees, just a few shrubs, a few sheep on the hill slopes, and wind. Oh wind... it was blowing and whistling and generally creating a ruckus.
The seaside is beautiful, not a traditional sandy beach, but more of a driveway. People jogging, walking their dogs, kids playing, the usual.

There's an island a little way off into the sea called Cramond island. Wiki tells me that it's a mile into the sea. The really cool thing is that it is connected to the mainland by a really narrow, ledge-like path that gets exposed at low tide. You can walk into the sea! I haven't been there, we didn't know about it and by the time we were there the tide was up and there was no sign of a path :P

Someday, for sure, must go back.

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This post is part of the ongoing A-to-Z Challenge. Previously, Aye, Berwick.