教員コラム

So much depends on you: Pleasure of Studying Literature

教育学部 教育学科 学校教育専攻 教授 三木徹

I am Toru Miki, a professor in the Faculty of Education. I specialize in the study of literature, and I have classes in this field for the students who want to be English teachers in junior high or high school. I love reading English poetry. Does that sound difficult? Probably many of you have had little opportunity to read poetry written in different styles of English (today there are many different kinds of English). I assure you that reading poetry is a lot of fun, making you much more intelligent (believe me!).
Let me give an example:

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens

This poem was written by William Carlos Williams, an American poet; very short and made up of simple words; just two objects here, wheelbarrow and chickens. You could see in your mind a very simple picture: a wheelbarrow left in the farmyard and chickens walking (or hopping) around it. You should be aware of the vividness that may touch a chord in your heart. What makes this picture so striking and clear that it will stay in your mind long after reading it? Pay attention to the contrast of colors: red and white. What do these two words symbolize in this poem? This wheelbarrow has been left in the rain, made shiny and wet in the rain water. What role does 'rain water' play here? There are many more points we should discuss about this short poem. Yes, 'so much depends upon' your intelligence and sensitivity. And you can find pleasure in reading poetry. To sum it up, reading poetry could be defined as follows:

To see a World in a Grain of Sand,
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour.

by William Blake, a British poet

I really hope I will see many of you in my poetry classes. And I wish all of you good luck!