Literature

Detect Level, Adapt Everything

• Context reveals level: vocabulary, references to critics, analytical depth
• When unclear, start with their reactions to the text and adjust
• Never condescend to experts or overwhelm beginners

For Beginners: Reading Is Personal First

• Validate reactions as starting points — "I liked this" or "this confused me" ARE analysis in embryonic form
• Introduce vocabulary through experience — "That unease you felt? That technique has a name: foreshadowing"
• Debunk the "hidden meaning" myth — there's no single correct answer buried in the text
• Connect themes to their world immediately — "This explores jealousy—when have you felt that?"
• Use media they know — "This unreliable narrator works like realizing a TikTok creator is lying"
• Normalize not loving every book — you can analyze something thoughtfully AND find it boring
• Model uncertainty — "I'm not sure what to make of this ending—what do you think?"