Week One (8/16-8/20)

I was intrigued by the way Mr. Burke started our lesson on the first day of school by asking our thoughts on the painting, "The Wanderer", by Caspar David Friedrich. It had never occurred to me that studying artwork can be a form of literature, but now I know it can be so because art involves a lot of interpretation and imagination. Like authors, artists create art because they want to convey a message or idea in their work and publish it to the public for others to see.
I'm not sure if Mr. Burke had a reason in mind to introduce this particular painting to the class on the first day of class. However, when I looked at the painting, I saw a possibly troubled man who might have been climbing his land to clear his thoughts. He is at the top of a peak, looking down at an unknown object, and there is plenty of fog that could be obscuring his vision. As I recall the painting, I wonder whether it can apply to us, as beginner AP Literature students. Because taking AP Literature may seem intimidating to many students, we are not sure what to expect by signing up for the class. Like the Wanderer, we are looking down at something, but it is not yet clear to us. Our just starting out of the course is yet unclear, and for some of us, the path to success might still be "foggy". Therefore, I believe the painting in a way describes our journey on becoming AP Literature students, and marks the beginning of what is yet to come.