Help me identify what I don't understand

Education is about being at our intellectual limits. This regularly means we encounter ideas that we do not understand. Working with AI, we can develop a sense of what part of the process we are struggling with and work to understand it.

Explanation

The key to making prompting from this position of "not knowing" work is fully accepting that confusion. This means that we can start from the very basics and build a strong understanding that will last.

Example prompt

"Hello, I am a first-year undergraduate student studying English Literature and I'm struggling to understand what Edward Said is discussing in "Orientalism". Would you be able to start by giving a simple explanation of the concept with references to the text so that I can read your definition and read the text alongside it? Thank you!"

AI response

Absolutely! Here’s a clear, simple way to understand Edward Said’s concept in Orientalism, while linking it to the text so you can read alongside:

Simple Explanation of Orientalism

Key Idea:

• Orientalism refers to the way Western scholars, writers, and artists have historically represented “the East” (Asia, the Middle East, North Africa) in a way that makes it seem exotic, backward, or fundamentally different from the West.
• Said argues that these representations are not neutral; they are shaped by power and politics and often serve to justify Western dominance over Eastern societies.

How to Read the Text Alongside This:

• Chapter 1: Introduces the idea of Orientalism as a framework of knowledge that portrays the East as “the Other.” Look for examples where Said describes how Western writers generalize about Eastern societies.
• Chapter 2–3: Discuss how Orientalist scholarship has influenced politics and culture. Note passages where Said examines specific texts or authors — these are concrete illustrations of the concept.
• Key takeaway: As you read, ask yourself: How is the East being represented? Who is speaking, and what power do they have? This will help identify the points you might not fully understand yet.

Tip for Clarifying Difficult Points:

• Highlight phrases or examples that confuse you.
• Try summarizing each paragraph in your own words after reading — even one sentence helps.
• Compare your summary with the explanation above to see if it matches the concept.