LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1 (Cosmos by Carl Sagan)

 *I accidentally deleted this assignment today while transferring it to my blog from a word document and was unable to recover it. I redid the assignment (most of it) but, despite putting even more time into it, it didn't come together as well as the first run did :( . 

TOPIC(S) and/or EVENT(S)

1) A. Initial thoughts: Cosmos contains a wide array of scientific principles, information regarding different places/objects in the universe, historical references, and insight into the minds and lives of some of history’s greatest thinkers. None of these subject matters, however, are what the book is actually “about”. What Carl Sagan really described with Cosmos is the scientific journey that the human species has undergone in order to find our place in the cosmos and compile a fairly impressive understanding of the known universe. All of them still enthralling, nearly any topics that one could say the book is “about” are mere examples or reference points supporting this larger theme. 

   B. One statement paraphrasing the paragraph above^: While Carl Sagan delves into a multitude of topics/events in Cosmos; the single underlying theme that he adheres to throughout the book is the progression of the human learning endeavor throughout our relatively brief history.

2) As stated in the introduction, Cosmos began as a thirteen-part television series aimed at presenting science to the general public in a concise and captivating way. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the viewers, Sagan decided that a second installment of Cosmos was to be published in the form of a book. With a slightly different target audience and no time constraints, he would be able to further elaborate on topics that had already been covered and include certain topics that were less suitable for the TV show. Thus, arguably the most renowned scientific non-fiction piece of the modern era was born.

3) I chose Cosmos for my literature analysis for a few reasons. Primarily, I had already had my sights set on this book for a while before this assignment was even announced so, naturally, when we were asked to pick up a non-fiction book, this one came to mind. Also, I like to “stand out” whenever possible and I didn’t think many of my peers would be choosing books too similar to this one (I was actually quite impressed with the diversity of the choices). Finally, I truly enjoy a challenge and wanted to choose a book on the more “complex” end of the spectrum. Ironically, Cosmos was first brought to my attention by a comment on a YouTube video. The high praise that the commenter had for the book, combined with the title/subject matter that I gathered from his brief synopsis of it, created an instant appeal to me. While this book doesn't have the same "hook" that, for example, a suspense novel might have, it holds a different type of allure. It serves as a platform for learning, while still being well-written enough to avoid growing monotonous at any time. Carl Sagan's eloquent writing abilities, paired with my interest in science, made the book difficult to put down once I was immersed in it.

4) I absolutely found Cosmos to be "realistic". The book can't really be viewed as unrealistic, considering that it is almost entirely composed of proven scientific facts and historical data. I felt a great connection with nearly all of the subject matters addressed in Cosmos. From the growth of the human species, to the formation and development of our solar system, to the anatomy of the universe itself; it would be nearly impossible for anyone who has read and understood the book to not feel a deep connection. That was one of Carl Sagan's main objectives, after all-- to describe the connection between the human species and the cosmos, and how that connection has helped shape us by fueling our most untamed curiosities.

STYLE

1) Stylistically, Cosmos is a bit of a hybrid. It is journalistic in nature due to the fact that Carl Sagan is primarily presenting factual information, but he also manages to tell an elegant story simultaneously. This is part of what makes the book so special; I found myself reading about all of these interesting, yet seemingly unrelated topics when, all of the sudden, everything would fall into place revealing what Sagan had been setting up for last hundred pages. It is truly remarkable how well he was able to organize the copious amount of included in the book into such a clear and harmonious thematic arrangement. As far as literary devices, they were definitely in there. The book wasn't a giant mess of them like most fiction novels; but I did identify a few during my initial reading. Similes, metaphors, imagery, symbolism, foreshadowing, personification, allegory, flashback, and irony all managed to find their respective places within the text.

2) Sagan definitely opted for lengthy, didactic descriptions rather than actions/dialog. Cosmos is a book of science after all. While this may make the book seem more "dry" to some, it increases the text's effectiveness and, to me, its appeal. There would be no place and/or reason for dialog in a book of this sort anyways so, for those who have a problem with that, I would recommend a different sub-genre.

3) To instill the intended mood into the text, Sagan makes excellent use of descriptive language. His vivid imagery (combined with the various pictures/paintings that each page is layered with) truly takes the reader on a proverbial voyage. This further adds to Cosmos' effectiveness; there is no better way of getting the audience to appreciate the grandeur of the universe than making them feel as if they are at the place in question, presently witnessing an awe-inspiring cosmic event.

4) Carl Sagan's attitude throughout Cosmos was clear, he was nothing short of ecstatic. I could feel through the text that science and learning were his true passions in life, and that in its self really amplified the overall effect of the book. The positivity and excitement that he allowed to radiate through the pages with his word choice and writing tone made it difficult not share his splendor for the cosmos. 

5) Carl Sagan's use of external resources was very limited. His only real installments of them (besides an occasional quote here and there) were the several quotes/excerpts that he included at the beginning of every chapter to set the stage for each topic. Personally, I really appreciate this touch. These usually obscure, deep, and highly symbolic passages serve as some food for though while progressing through the chapter. Also, they are all highly relevant to both the subject of the chapter, and the theme of the book.