“No matter what the text, says Rosenblatt, we must clarify our purposes for reading. Do we want to emphasize the aesthetic or the efferent?” This comment tells me that I, personally, need to take a look at the literature I am having my students read in the classroom. This article helped me to realize that all literature has both aesthetic and efferent qualities. I have long viewed a text as either literary or informational without giving much conscious thought to the idea that it could be both.
    While reading this article, I began reflecting on the current novel being read by my students. Although, I originally began preparing to teach a novel unit on Mr. Popper’s Penguins for the purpose of aesthetics, my plans began to lean more towards the efferent. I had my students research and make their own informational books about penguins in preparation for judging the references to penguins in the story. This novel study now falls near the middle of the aesthetic/efferent continuum. According to Rosenblatt, “Readings that fall near the middle of the continuum especially need to keep the primary purpose, the primary focus of attention, clear.” This statement helped me to realize how easily I could begin focusing on the aesthetic as we are reading this fictional book.
    I often discuss with students the author’s purpose for writing a book or story, but I have rarely thought about whether the purpose of teaching such a book is aesthetic or efferent. Reflecting on my own teaching practices in relation to this article, causes me to consider the questions I ask my students. The questions I ask can not only reflect the purpose of reading but can also steer the students towards an aesthetic or efferent stance. Perhaps there are times when book discussions should be begin with only a simple open-ended question such as “What did you notice about the book,” in order to determine how the students approached the text. Otherwise, how do I know what stance, aesthetic or efferent, the student is taking towards the text as he/she draws from past experiences to make new meaning while interacting with the text?