Question

instructions for student
read the following successive excerpts from \are the new golden age tv shows the new novels?\ then, make annotations by writing notes on the meaning of the excerpt. then write a personal response to the ideas in the excerpt. the first one is done for you.
excerpt
to liken tv shows to novels suggests an odd ambivalence toward both genres. clearly, the comparison is intended to honor tv, by associating it with the prestige and complexity that traditionally belong to literature. but at the same time, it is covertly a form of aggression against literature, suggesting that novels have ceded their role to a younger, more popular, more dynamic art form.
mixed feelings about literature — the desire to annex its virtues while simultaneously belittling them — are typical of our culture today, which doesnt know quite how to deal with an art form, like the novel, that is both democratic and demanding.
its not surprising that the novelist most often mentioned in this context is charles dickens. dickens, like shakespeare, was both a writer of genius and a popular entertainer, proving that seriousness of purpose didnt preclude accessibility. his novels appeared in serial installments, like episodes of tv shows, and teemed with minor characters, the literary equivalent of character actors.
interactive chart
ideas and inferences
the author notes a difference in the way television and novels are perceived. is novel reading more important or smarter than watching tv?
personal response
my dad always tried to get me to read more books, but all i want to do is watch tv. i see that this is really a cultural debate in some ways, and it makes me wonder why i always think of novels as taking too much effort or not being fun.

Explanation:

1. For the second excerpt: The idea is that contemporary culture has conflicting attitudes towards literature - wanting its virtues yet devaluing it, as it struggles to handle a form like the novel that is democratic yet demanding. Personal response could be related to one's own perception of literature's place in modern - day culture.
2. For the third excerpt: Dickens is often mentioned as he combined genius with popularity, similar to Shakespeare. His novels were serialized like TV shows and had minor characters like character actors in TV. A personal response could be about one's impression of Dickens' works and their relation to modern media.

Answer:

Excerpt	Ideas and Inferences	Personal Response
It's not surprising that the novelist most often mentioned in this context is Charles Dickens. Dickens, like Shakespeare, was both a writer of genius and a popular entertainer, proving that seriousness of purpose didn't preclude accessibility. His novels appeared in serial installments, like episodes of TV shows, and teemed with minor characters, the literary equivalent of character actors.	Dickens combined high - level writing with popularity, and his work had similarities with TV shows in form and character composition.	I've always been fascinated by Dickens' serialized novels and how they could attract a wide audience.