Homeschool English - How Important is Literary Analysis?

True confession: I really admire people who dodecided early on that my goal in teaching the Bible
literary analysis in their home school. I simplywas for my kids to LOVE their Bible. So I finally
wasn't capable. It seems odd that someone whodecided that my goal for literature would be the
is such a fan of literature-based curriculum wouldsame - teaching them to LOVE literature. I didn't
say that. I primarily used Sonlight Curriculum, andwant to "beat the love of books out of them" by
later The Well Trained Mind. Sonlight was theanalyzing everything they read.
easiest to use, but after a while we had readIn retrospect, it all ended up great. They are able
most of the books, so I switched to The Wellto do college literary analysis in their honors "great
Trained Mind reading lists and other "reading listsbooks" class without a problem. Great 20/20
for the college bound." I always tried to tie in thehindsight, but at the time I really stressed over
reading with the history. We didn't do any "literary"reading comprehension" more than just about
analysis" - we just enjoyed the books. My kidsanything else.
loved it so much they both signed up for theKeeping the focus on the "love of learning" is so
great books honors course in college - and didhard, though, when you are faced with a kid who
very well.may only answer "fine" when you ask them how
But when I was homeschooling, the truth is I feltthey liked their reading.
guilty about not working on literary analysis. I