Mad About It: Learning Literature with Madison

Charlotte Brontë is as famous for “Jane Eyre” as she is for the criticisms thrown at her—but is there any merit to them? Madison debunks the lies surrounding Charlotte Brontë and her sisters, and examines the nuances of a literary history we’ve oversimplified. Why? Well, cause no matter what time period you're in, society can't stand anything less than a perfect woman. This episode was originally recorded as a YouTube video essay which you can watch here. (I made a lot of pretty Canva graphics just for you....)

Madison welcomes her best friend Emma into her padded cell to discuss one of the most iconic modern classics: 'The Secret History' by Donna Tartt. Delving into the real life inspirations for the characters, the cursed (literally) attempted screen adaptations, and analyzing the story with use of Emma's FOUR rereads is topped off with reactions to Madison's most wild comments on her viral 'The Secret History' TikTok videos. Let's learn about the variety of interpretations (right, wrong, and middling) that have kept this novel relevant for over 30 years.

We've all watched Twilight be analyzed and shredded for over a decade now, but have you ever analyzed it through the lens of classic literature? Yeah. I'm not joking. In this episode Madison breaks down each of the classic books that Stephanie Meyer based the Twilight books off of. And who better to talk about a vampire werewolf love triangle book with than your mom who is paying for a degree for you to be able to analyze said vampire werewolf love triangle book!

On the first episode of Mad About It, Madison talks with her sixteen year old brother about J.D. Salinger's 1951 novel, 'The Catcher in the Rye': a book that has been plaguing sophomore year English for decades. After all, Salinger wrote the novel upon returning from combat in World War II, and what could be more comparable to war than being a teenager? Join Madison and her brother as they analyze the casually mentally unstable Holden Caulfield, the novel's brief stint as an accomplice to murder, and why this story has stayed with us for generations.