what does it mean when a fictional hero takes a journey shares a meal gets drenched in a sudden rain shower often there is much more going on in a novel or poem than is readily visible on the surface a symbol maybe that remains elusive or an unexpected twist on a character and theres that sneaking suspicion that the deeper meaning of a literary text keeps escaping youin this practical and amusing guide to literature thomas c foster shows how easy and gratifying it is to unlock those hidden truths and to discover a world where a road leads to a quest a shared meal may signify a communion and rain whether cleansing or destructive is never just rain ranging from major themes to literary models narrative devices and form how to read literature like a professor is the perfect companion for making your reading experience more enriching satisfying and fun