I'm intrigued to know what everyone thinks. I've recently joined a creative writing club at school and there was a brief discussion on this topic. General consensus was that yes, analysing a book kills it completely. I totally disagree - as someone who wants to study English Lit at university, I believe analysis enhances a book/poem (as long as you have the right teacher, of course). We all analyse to a certain extent as we read anyway.
What do you think?
Well, If you're analyzing a book, before you've read it, I would admit that it sort of ruins the experience, but I personally analyse books(Only after reading them of course). I disagree to the point that "analyzing a book kills it completely" it doesn't kill it. It just lays out the bare foundations of the book open to you. As Victoria says, It depends on how you like to see things.Though personally, I like to only analyse a piece after I've finished reading it. And I feel that undeniably it is Helpful to the one who analyses it.
I'm afraid analysing things tends to leave me cold. I just want to be entertained.
The only problem I have is when the book includes things I know about. If the writer has made any factual errors, even small things, that drives me mad. They stick out like sore thumbs so even if the rest of the story is great the author's lost my confidence.
I guess that's one of the reasons being a writer is a no-win situation ;)
I didn't necessarily mean analysing a book in order to improve your own writing - I meant more the sort of literary criticism you might do at school/university or just, as Victoria says, finding new depths in old waters; looking at symbolism, imagery etc. Also just the act of being 'made' to read it for academic purposes.
As we have all said, though, analysing a book as someone who likes writing as well as reading does seem to change things somewhat. I like the analogy of a magic trick, Victoria :-)