The summary provides the following key points in 3 sentences: 1) The chapter discusses how Shakespeare is often referenced by new writers because his works are so widely read and considered a high standard of literature. 2) It explains that Shakespeare is seen as an "authority" since his texts are viewed as "sacred" on par with the Bible, and they provide a source for new writers to develop their own ideas against. 3) The chapter also gives examples of how Shakespeare's works have been recreated in other literary works and media, demonstrating the ongoing influence of the Bard.

1. Shaw
Eng 12CP
DUE: 11/25
Cornell Notes Focus Questions
“When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare” Chapter
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
Instructions: Your Cornell notes should ultimately address the following questions and concepts articulated below.
That said, you are not just merely sticking to this information alone and your notes should NOT merely be a list of
these questions with answers. You are to use your notes on the entire chapter to address the main idea points
presented here.
1. Cite a line from the chapter that states the main message of the chapter. Explain how this is the
main idea in terms of the chapter’s title “When in Doubt, It’s from Shakespeare.”
2. Why is Shakespeare so often a point of references for new writers? Cite 3 reasons according to
the text.
3. What makes Shakespeare an “authority”? (Especially since we don’t know if he actually wrote
his own plays.)
4. Foster offers numerous examples of ways Shakespeare has been recreated; identify & explain 3.
5. Foster notes, “Shakespeare[...]provides a figure against whom writers can struggle, a source of
texts against which other texts can bounce ideas.” Explain this statement.
KEY VOCABULARY: the Bard, authority (in terms of being a “sacred text”), uniquity, interplay
FOCUS CORRECTIONAL AREAS
________/ 30 Total Points
MRS J YOU TOTAL
PTS
10 All main idea questions prompted (above) are fully addressed/answered.
5 Each key vocabulary word appears highlighted/underlined and accurately defined.
5 Key Concepts include a record ofat least 8-10 key ideas expressed directly in the
text (should appear as a balance between direct quoting and key phrases/points).
5 Recorded Notes include thorough and accurate responses to the Key Concepts
section by specifically referencing details from the text.
5 Summary fully and accurately sums up, in 6-8 sentences minimum, at least 5 main
ideas expressed in the chapter.
Requirements:
❏ MLA format; types (unless otherwise approved)
❏ Cornell notes format (must include Key Concepts, Recorded Notes, & Summary sections)
❏ Chapter title in quotation marks and book title in italics/underline
❏ Notes appear in “short-hand” techniques are used in that bullet points, indentation,
highlighting/bolding/underlining appear to organize the chapter in notation form

2. Shaw
Eng 12CP
Michael Shaw
Mrs. Jenkins
English 12CP
25 Nov 2015
“It’s from Shakespeare”
KEY CONCEPTS RECORDED NOTES
Are there any lines from the chapter
that states the main idea of this
chapter?
How is this the main idea in terms of
the chapter’s title “When in doubt,
It’s from Shakespeare?”
Why is Shakespeare so often a point
of reference for new writers?
Support your previous response with
three reasons according to the text.
There are many points throughout the chapter that makes one think
deeper into the main idea of this chapter, but I believe the best one
is the second to last line in the chapter. This line states “So if
you’re reading a work and something sounds too good to be true,
you know where it’s from.”
● Author is referring to Shakespeare when stating “you know
where it’s from”
● Main idea - Best pieces of literature most often come from
Shakespeare
The chapter’s title shows a sense of cockiness/belief in
Shakespeare’s work in many way:
● States that when one does not know who the author of the
piece of literature is, if its good, its most likely from
Shakespeare
● Shakespeare had so many good pieces of literature that
most highly reviewed literature is authored by Shakespeare
● Many believe because Shakespeare had so many great
pieces of literature, he is referred to as “the Bard of Avon”
This key concept is highly relatable to the one story theory:
● New writers use previously read pieces of literature as
reference points for their works of literature
● Usually read the most popular pieces of literature first
● Most popular pieces of literature are most often
Shakespeare’s
With these facts being stated, most new writers read Shakespeare’s
literature first and are therefore often used as a point of reference
for new writers literature.
The text referred to Shakespeare as the “Bard of Avon”
● This nickname given to Shakespeare shows that
Shakespeare is believed to create the best literature
Also, most references are considered to be sources that do not
sound as good as Shakespeare’s
● The text states “There are lots of sources that don’t sound

3. Shaw
Eng 12CP
What makes Shakespeare an
“authority”?
Identify and explain three examples
in which Shakespeare’s literature
has been recreated.
Explain the statement
“Shakespeare...provides a figure
against whom writers can struggle, a
source of texts against which other
texts can bounce ideas.
What is interplay, and how does it
affect literature?
as good as Shakespeare.”
Shakespeare’s literature can be often used as a so-called template
because many other writers can use their ideas from texts of
Shakespeare as the text states
● “A source of texts against which others can bounce ideas”
Shakespeare has many elements that make him an “authority”,
including the following:
● Shakespeare has his own text that is referred to as “sacred”
● This is due to the fact that Shakespeare can create a sense of
cleverness at any time, even when dying such as the
example in the text
● Shakespeare’s text is also considered sacred because most
of the time there are always two pieces of literature with a
group of books, one is usually the Holy Bible, the other is
usually a piece of literature by Shakespeare
● The Bible is considered to be sacred, and therefore when it
is in the same category as Shakespeare, it is also considered
sacred
1. West Side Story:
West Side Story is an example of a remake of Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet.
2. A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy
One of Shakespeare’s pieces of literature called “A Midsummer
Night’s Dream” recreated as sexual comedy.
3. A Thousand Acres
Shakespeare’s King Lear was recreated by Jane Smiley in her
novel “A Thousand Acres”
Shakespeare’s literature can be used almost as a template/primary
reference because the statement states how other texts can bounce
ideas from it. The statement can also be explained as though that
Shakespeare’s work is created at such a high level thinking that its
uniquity prevents Shakespeare’s literature from being remade
better. Uniquity is the state of one being unique.
Interplay is:
● How two or more pieces of literature affect one another
● Shakespeare and new writers often do it because new
writers base their work off from Shakespeare
SUMMARY: This chapter included many key concepts, most often about Shakespeare. The chapter
included many new vocabulary words as well as their definition such as the Bard and interplay.
Shakespeare Also, the author of the chapter Thomas Foster states how many new writers use Shakespeare
as a reference and why. The chapter also included why Shakespeare is the most often read literature
besides the Holy Bible because Shakespeare’s is also considered a sacred text. Lastly, Foster included how
we see Shakespeare everyday because many other pieces of literature and recreations of Shakespeare.

4. Shaw
Eng 12CP