As someone who prefers written work over visual work, I'll admit that I am intrigued to see how this class will expand my perspective on the illustrative aspect of Victorian texts. I don't normally focus on visual images in relation to reading or understanding literature, so this class is going to challenge me in a new way. Knowing that the texts we will be studying were geared towards adults is also intriguing to me, as I commonly associate illustrated books with a child audience. However, learning how art can add a layer of meaning to a written text is something I look forward to grasping, and I am reassured by the fact that it seems we will be learning this in an open, interactive environment. I also appreciate that this class seems to be building off ENG 810, which I had the pleasure of taking with Dr. Kooistra last year. I look forward to using this course as a means to deepen my knowledge of Victorian history, culture, and art.

Otherwise, the virtual format of the class does make me a bit nervous. While Dr. Kooistra led and organized a great first class, the remote nature of our learning will definitely require an added layer of focus, which can be difficult when you are sitting in the comfort of your home. Spending a prolonged amount of time on Zoom does tire me in a way that physical classroom learning does not, so that is another challenge that I am becoming more aware of. That being said, I am looking forward to another great semester!