everybody has a name

This being my first literature course at MSU, I wasn't entirely sure of what to expect.  With the initial and prolonged silence after Sexson came into the room and then a strait reading of the first chapter in Great Expectations, I figured it would be a little different from most of the other classes I've taken- and not in a bad way.  What was talked about really didn't have any limits, which was exciting and somewhat nerve-wracking.  It seemed like everyone was put on the spot at some point, exposed for the class to... well, laugh at, seriously consider, or or just blankly stare at.  All in all though, humiliated or not, I don't think anyone fell asleep.. a good sign that the session will probably be pretty enjoyable.  Perhaps the most impressive thing was how every person's name had been drilled into our heads by the time we were waiting to have our pictures taken, and Sexson himself actually had them all memorized... nice work I must admit.  

As far as actual and specific literary content that was covered in the course of 2 hours or so, I guess I don't have too much to contribute as of now.  But if nothing else, I think what was trying to be emphasized by discovering peoples' names, were the individual stories behind the them. Literature comes from things like this- regular human events, histories, anecdotes, memories and that which defines who we are.  It was also mentioned that every story is the retelling of another earlier story in some sense.  This meaning that we feed off of what we already have and know, and with this information can create another more personalized version to perhaps call our own.  The story of Mr. Pip was mentioned as an example of how this works.  Without Great Expectations there would be no Mr. Pip. 

Oh, and we were asked to list a book that when we read it became completely immersed, so much that we wouldn't have even noticed if we were hit in the head while reading (or something like that).  I think for me this would have been The Piosonwood Bible.  It's a novel by Barbara Kingsolver concerning the political issues of the Belgian Congo during the late 1950s, as seen through the eyes of a visiting American family affiliated with an evangelical Baptist mission.  It was awesome...I would definitely recommend it.  Anyhow, I suppose that should wrap things up.  After having witnessed the first day of English 123, I'm sure we're all in for a trip.