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Submitted by sweetp on Wed, 01/20/2010 - 11:20pm

 Dimock's piece stresses the need for "literary studies to be more fluid in its taxonomies" (1384), and states that it should not emphasize divisions so much and should instead focus on the relationships within literature.  The resulting "fluid curriculum" would have a unique shape, formed by empirical organization of knowledge.  It is a freer way of thinking about literature: in this new way, one is simply "observing the meandering paths of this body of material" rather than immediately assigning it to a strict category.  Let the literature breathe.

 

Owen's piece mentions "Europeanists" often: throughout the essay, this group of people is portrayed as thinking that they are superior.  These thoughts are, plainly, upsetting and absurd.  After looking at other literary histories, the author states what those stuck-up Europeanists failed to see: "through the differences we see the real common ground among traditions" (Owen 1392).  It is comforting that one can see kinships through the doubt and misunderstanding of earlier years and civilizations.

 

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