#slightly cropped and without the text so we can all enjoy it without context

[icys-junkyard]

a tumblr version of somethin i tossed at a friend 👍

[news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog]

How SparkNotes' social media accounts mastered the art of meme-ing literature

Most millennials know SparkNotes as the ultimate no-nonsense study buddy, but today’s students not only receive help with schoolwork from the website, they get high-quality entertainment, too.

SparkNotes remains a crucial tool for text comprehension — full of study guides and supplemental resources on english literature, philosophy, poetry, and more. But over the past two years it’s also become a source of some of the internet’s most quick-witted, thought-provoking, and ambitious memes.

SparkNotes' Twitter and Instagram accounts have carved a unique niche for themselves online by posting literary memes that find perfect parallels  between classic works like Macbeth, The Great Gatsby, Lord of the Flies, and Frankenstein, and present-day pop culture favorites like The Office, Parks and Rec, and more.

It may come as a surprise to those who once frequented the site for the sole purpose of better understanding Shakespeare plays before a final exam or catching up on assigned chapters of The Catcher in the Rye before the bell rang, but SparkNotes is cool now, and absolutely killing the social media game.

SEE ALSO: The magic of Book Fairies

As someone who spends the majority of her workday on the internet and splits her leisure time almost exclusively between reading books and re-watching episodes of The Office, I fell in love with the account's near-perfect meme execution after mere minutes of scrolling through posts. 

In a world with so many bad brand tweets and tone-deaf memes, I felt compelled to seek out the well-read meme masters behind SparkNotes' social media to learn how it is they manage to make each and every post so good.

How SparkNotes' social media became LIT ✨📚

Chelsea Aaron, a 31-year-old senior editor for SparkNotes, is a huge part of the success. She started managing the site's Instagram in September 2017, and her meme approach has helped the account grow from 5,000 to 134,000 followers.

"When I first started managing the account, I tried a bunch of different things," Aaron explained in an email. "I ran illustrations and original content from our blog, and I also borrowed memes from our Twitter ... The memes seemed to get the most likes, so I started making and posting those on a regular basis, and now I try to do four to five per week."

Image: screengrab / Instagram

Aaron discovered the account's recipe for success by not only making memes about some of SparkNotes' most popular, highly searched guides — which include Shakespeare's plays, The Great Gatsby, and Pride and Prejudice — but by mashing them together with a few modern television shows that she's personally passionate about, such as The Office, Parks and Rec, Arrested Development, and John Mulaney's comedy specials. She's also known for hilariously retelling entire works (SparkNotes style, so, abridged versions) using the account's Highlight feature.

Image: screengrab / instagram

The brilliantly sharp, comical posts seem effortless, but Aaron explained the process takes some serious concentration. Essentially, she stares at a large collection of collected screenshots "in a state of panic" until an idea strikes. "It's wildly inefficient and incredibly stressful, but I haven't figured out another way to do it," she admitted.

Luckily, Aaron always has the SparkNotes Twitter account to turn to for inspiration, which is managed by Courtney Gorter, a 26-year-old consulting writer for SparkNotes who Aaron calls "a comedic genius."

Gorter has been managing the Twitter account for about a year and a half now, and joined the SparkNotes team because she utilized its resources growing up and wanted to help "make classic literature feel accessible" to others.

"I wanted this stuff to seem slightly more fun (or, at the very least, less intimidating) to the average stressed-out student who's just trying to read fifty pages by tomorrow and also has a quiz on Friday," she said. The memes definitely help her achieve that goal.

Scrolling through the SparkNotes Instagram account, you notice it generally uses a recurring but reliably satisfying meme format. Most of the posts consist of a white block filled with introductory text and a screenshot from a television show, like so.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SparkNotes Official (@sparknotes_) on Apr 16, 2019 at 10:25am PDT

Gorter, on the other hand, ensures the Twitter account showcases a far more widespread representation of the internet. She posts everything from out-of-context screenshots, GIFs, and videos, to altered headlines from The Onion and trending meme formats of the moment, like "in this house" memes, "nobody vs me" memes, and more. The account is full of variety and gloriously unpredictable.

Hades: Orpheus I’ll let you bring your wife back from the Underworld, but if you turn and look behind you she’ll be lost to you forever. Orpheus: pic.twitter.com/FWD9P2nO0m

— SparkNotes (@SparkNotes) April 16, 2019

Normal heart rate: /\⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ /\ _ / \ __/\__ / \ _ \/⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ \/ The old man you just killed, whose heart lies hidden beneath the floorboards yet continues to beat: ⠀/\⠀ /\⠀ /\ _/ \ /\_/ \ /\_/ \ /\_ ⠀ \/⠀⠀ \/⠀⠀ \/

— SparkNotes (@SparkNotes) April 12, 2019

Gorter, who describes herself as "constantly on the internet" feels a lot of her ideas are the result of "cultural osmosis ... our collective tendency to consume references and jokes without realizing it just by being on the internet a lot."

"Sometimes I’ll be reading a book, and I’ll remember a joke I saw earlier that fits. Sometimes a new meme format will crop up over the weekend, and I’ll think, 'That could work for Macbeth,'" she said.

Though the two accounts are clearly distinct from one another, they both give off the same hip English teacher energy and running them has become a truly collaborative effort. "I constantly send her [Gorter] emails asking stuff like, 'Can I still say 'big mood' or is that over?' and 'What's the deal with this whole 'wired vs tired' thing?'" Aaron said.

Together, the two women spend their days discussing iconic works of literature, making pop culture references, and keeping up with the latest memes. (A dream job.) Their separate styles fuse together to make each other's posts the best they can be.

The meme approach works wonders

One might not initially think that Boo Radley and John Mulaney have much in common, or that Michael Scott could effortlessly embody Romeo, Julius Caesar, and Holden Caulfield if you simply alter your perspective. I certainly did not. 

But Aaron and Gorter's work will convince you. Once you start merging the worlds of classic literature and modern television series, you won't want to stop.

The SparkNotes instagram is my favorite thing pic.twitter.com/FCc6sXjJly

— Jessie Martin (@jessie_martin97) March 29, 2019

Fun fact, the official Sparknotes Instagram account is probably the best one: pic.twitter.com/sIR6tsw7ZP

— Tommy (@tommy_jacobs92) February 28, 2019

When describing why the posts work so well, Aaron explained that Hamlet, Mr. Darcy, and Gatsby — three of her favorite characters to meme — have super relatable personalities, which makes the process so simple.

"They're dramatic, and awkward, and obsessive, which makes them identical to about 97% of the people on The Office," she said. "I've learned that you can use Michael Scott as a stand-in for pretty much any classic lit character, and it isn't even hard. (That's what she said)."

What wow the @SparkNotes Twitter is extremely good???? It all appears to be this good!!! https://t.co/PyEqTdQ3Ly

— Rachel Kelly 🥛 (@wholemilk) May 2, 2019

Why is @SparkNotes's Twitter so good it has no right to be this good https://t.co/eFBQpLMpe3

— Kelsey [Version 2019.05] (@flusteredkels) May 2, 2019

Gorter thinks the accounts are so appealing because they create a deep sense of community — an online space that isn't so isolating, rather a place where where bibliophiles, television enthusiasts, and meme lovers can all come together and geek the hell out. There's really something for everyone.

"When Steve Rogers said, 'I understood that reference,' I felt that deeply. I think people enjoy being in on a joke, especially when the source material (classic literature, for instance) isn’t particularly hilarious," Gorter said. "There’s a delicious juxtaposition there. I know that I personally get a secret little thrill when I understand something as contextually layered as a really niche meme, and a slight sense of frustration when I don’t."

Engaging followers and changing with the times

SparkNotes as a whole has come a long way since it was launched as TheSpark.com by a group of Harvard students in 1999.

What started out as a budding web-based dating service quickly transformed into a trusted library of online study materials, and over the years, as the publishing industry, technology, and the internet evolved, so did SparkNotes. 

Like the social media accounts, SparkNotes'  SparkLife blog — full of quizzes, artwork, rankings, advice, and trendy posts like "How To Break Up With Someone, According To Shakespeare" and "Snapchats From Every Literary Movement" —  perfectly encapsulates the site's commitment to catering to its audience.

Whoever runs the Sparknotes twitter and Instagram pages deserves a raise

— louise🌻 (@_Fallxn_) February 21, 2019

SparkNotes does a remarkable job of shifting with the times to stay relevant and interesting in the eyes of its readers — and the quest to balance fun and education really seems to be paying off. Recently, the Instagram account tested out a post that called upon students and teachers to request custom-made memes by reaching out via email with the title of a book or subject they want meme'd, along with a message for the intended recipient.

"The response was amazing!" Aaron said. "We got almost 250 emails, and it's so great to see the genuine affection and admiration that teachers have for their students, and vice versa." 

Thanks to the social media accounts, SparkNotes is not only helping students learn, but helping entire classrooms bond with their teachers. (And hopefully teaching educators who follow a thing or two about good memes.)

Print isn't dead, it's just getting some help from the internet

Aaron and Gorter are having a blast running the accounts, but ultimately, they hope their lighthearted posts will inspire people to pick up a book and read.

"I hope what our followers take away from this is that classic literature doesn’t have to be totally dry," Gorter said. "If our memes encourage our followers to engage with classic literature and be excited about reading, that's so rewarding," Aaron added.

The present-day approach to selling classic literature is undeniably unconventional, and the crossovers are absurdly ambitious, but they work so damn well. What's great about the memes is they're created in a way that doesn't diminish the literature plots, because in reality, one would have to have such a comprehensive understanding of the text to make such good jokes.

The memes are actually pretty high-brow when you think about it, sure to delight intellectuals with great taste in pop culture. I have no idea how the legendary writers would feel about their greatest works getting the meme treatment, but people online are definitely loving it.

It's refreshing to see a brand account succeed at such a genuinely funny level, but perhaps even nicer to see it thriving off of wholesome content that doesn't drag other accounts or get its laughs at the expense of tearing others down, as we've seen accounts do in the past.

SparkNotes social media accounts are genuinely just nice corners of the internet dedicated to making people laugh and hopefully igniting a love of literature.

WATCH: Steve Carell to reunite with 'The Office' creator for Netflix's 'Space Force'

[katalyna-rose]

A Very Brief and Angry Joke Review

I came across an excerpt of a passage of “smut” that someone took screenshots of and then added a transcript. It’s from a book called Rough and Ready by Sandra Hill, and the post is here. It is horrifying. That is the mildest word. So I posted it in the Writing Tips channel of the Writers of Thedas discord saying how if you’re doing better than this you’re a star. A few people said they’d be interested to read a sarcastic and angry review/critique of it, so I promised to write one. Here it is! I am in so much pain after writing that... It has caused me physical agony. Enjoy!

Her long hair, still wet from the shower, had been combed down her back in a wet swath. [Already I can tell you have a weird fixation on the word "wet" but in the wrong context, so we're not off to a good start.] Hilda was sitting on the floor, her round, wet boobs still wet from the shower’s water. [Are you aware that water isn't sexy? It's just water. Also, has any woman ever sat on the floor immediately after getting out of the shower? No? Didn't think so. Especially since this passage indicates a cabin, meaning it's not likely to be entirely clean.] She dried off the water with a towel, which then became wet. [We GET IT. She's WET. That's ENOUGH.]

Hilda gasped when she saw a reflection in her bedroom mirror [If I were sitting naked on the floor, and WET, and someone came in I'd do a lot more than gasp, let me tell you.]: through the slightly open door, she caught a glimpse of the chiseled abs and square jaw of the mysterious stranger who shared her cabin. [Because no forced love story is complete without inexplicably sharing living space with strangers!] She stood and spun around, her breasts swinging heavily with the momentum. [Have you... Have you ever seen a woman? That's not... That's not how this works!] She grabbed the door and flung it open [Open?? She was just caught sitting naked on the floor right after a shower and she confronts the intruder?? Have you EVER met a woman in your life?], revealing shirtless Torolf [I'm sure this name counts as a fetish but I can't quite put my finger on what awkward and forced kink this technically is. Who has a name like this?] quivering with desire in the hallway. [He... He walked in on her sitting naked on the floor and that's somehow sexy? This WET chick who does inexplicable things after showering and has physics-defying tits is really just THAT sexy? Really? Are you sure?]

Torolf was ashamed at being caught, [Okay, so he was peeping on her? For how long? Did he just walk in or not? Make up your mind!] but his shame made him even hotter [Okay, sure, that's the first legitimate kink in this thing.] – hotter for sex. [I mean.. Uh... Why is this bit necessary? You... you don't have to hold our hands through the fact that these two are inexplicably going to bone. And the fact that you feel the need to clarify that might be an indicator that your writing is terrible.] He stepped into the room, and his bulging abs [His WHAT NOW?] accidentally [Are you sure?] smushed into Hilda’s rich chest. [I... What?]

As Hilda’s buttermilk bosoms [Her what now? Is this the strangest way to describe boobs I've ever read? No. But it ranks in the top five. What makes them buttermilk? Does he have a lactation fetish?] squished up against his granite abs [No.], Torolf almost had a dick aneurysm. [I want to look into the eyes of the editor who had this on their desk, read this phrase, and still let it get published. I want to gaze into their very soul and discover what is there. I am certain it will be a horrifying experience.]

“Hilda,” Torolf murmured thickly, [How is this accomplished? How do you murmur... thickly?] his throbbing meat wand [There's so much to choose from here... I think I'll just point out that you've used the word Dick but now you're afraid of Cock? Please. Please just call it his cock...] pressing against Hilda’s warm thighs [So... He's really short, then? I don't know about you, but it takes a guy at least six inches shorter than me to actually manage to press their COCK into my thighs. And listen. I'm 5'5" so that's not gonna happen.]. “There is a secret I need to not tell you [Could this sound any clunkier?]: You are my forbidden desire.” [Why? We don't even know what either of them looks like except for Chiseled Abs and Square Jaw and Buttermilk Bosoms. That's the entirety of what we've been given of their physical appearances. And if it's about personality... Neither of you has one!]

Hilda had been waiting to hear these words. [Why? Since when? Is this why she was sitting on the floor right after a shower? Was she pining after this blob of Chiseled Abs?] Her heart was lifted on golden wings and soared toward a radiant sun of perfect joy. [You haven't earned this pretentious poetry, sit down.] She saw herself and Torolf happy together, bathed in the golden light of love. [Oh, she's hallucinating now? Or has all of this been a hullucination? Maybe she's still sitting on the floor after a shower!] Her snooch got all warm, too. [Her WHAT NOW?]

“Torolf,” Hilda moaned, her lush teats straining with desire. [Have you ever once in your life seen or interacted with a pair of breasts? No? I didn't think so.] “I need you.” [Run, boy! She's crazy!] Torolf, coarse [I have questions.] abs pulsing softly in the moonlight [I have more questions], stood silently.

Hilda looked at him expectantly.

“Oh, sorry,” she added. “Torolf, I need you – sexually.” [Is he... Is he a robot? The longer this goes on the only explanation I can think of is that he's a robot and his AI is not fully developed. Is that what's going on here? Are they fake people who never fully figured out how to people?]

At hearing those beautiful [No!] words, Torolf flexed his rough-hewn abs [Your ab fetish deserves hospitalization.] and Hilda found herself being guided to her soft bed by the sheer force of Torolf’s undulating midsection. [His what?!] She parted her thighs in anticipation, [Is she even lying down yet?] exposing the soft pink petals of her clunge. [The what of her WHAT?]

Torolf entered her like she was a lottery. [Do you have any idea how female genitalia works? Foreplay exists for a reason. Also, what lottery involves the agony of attempting to have sex without sufficient lubrication? By the way, last we heard he was still wearing pants. What happened to them?] His engorged pecker [Please... I am in Pain...] pushed inside her and she felt fulfilled with sexual fulfillment. [I... I can't. You're just. You're terrible. This Hurts Me.]

Hilda clutched at the bedsheets with lust and ecstasy and her hands. [This would almost be funny if it was supposed to be a joke. But it's not and I want to cry.] Her spongy love mountains [Right, you just earned first place in the weirdest terms I've ever seen for tits. Go home, you should be ashamed.] hurled to and fro with each pounding. [How? Also, ouch! I can't even climb stairs without a bra and not have my boobs hurt but this sounds like agony. Is her chest just going to rip clean off her body? Please, I hope it does. I never want to think about Hilda's buttermilk bosoms ever again. Get rid of them.] Her body was like a beautiful flower that was opening [Have you ever once seen a woman? I don't think you have.] and somebody was pushing their dick inside it. [How, please tell me, HOW can you manage to make sex THIS unsexy? This isn't even a joke, it's just sad.]

Then Torolf moaned, arched his back, and suffered from dick Parkinson’s. [How on god's green earth did you come up with this term? How many revisions, edits, proofreads, and pairs of eyes did this term go through before searing into my eyeballs? How did any of this happen? There is no god or divinity in this universe or surely He/She/They would have protected Their children from this.] He pumped in all of his hot pearlescent [Do you know ANYTHING about anatomy at all?] sperms as Hilda spasmed with so many orgasms! [I have never seen more childish writing. And I've read half of My Immortal!]

The two lay still for a moment as the stinky scent of lovemaking billowed [Wow. Just wow.] around the room. Hilda got out of bed, still shimmering [People are not bioluminescent!] with orgasm. She glowed with contentment, like a cat who ate the cream of the crop. [You're mixing your metaphors and I'd like to point out that you are not the sharpest light bulb in the kitchen.]

She walked across the room and picked up her towel, still wet with shower water. [Your water fetish makes me want to gouge out my eyeballs.] “Torolf,” she said softly, “there’s something I have to tell you…” [Tell him you're just fever dream. Please let this be a fever dream.]

But her bed was empty. [Thank the gods.]

Torolf was gone, escaped out the bedroom window. [Why? Why wouldn't he just use the door?] In the distance, Hilda heard the fading sound of galloping abs. [HAVE YOU EVER ONCE SEEN A HUMAN BEING? JUST ONCE? HAVE YOU EVER IN YOUR LIFE MET A HUMAN? THAT'S NOT HOW ANY OF THIS WORKS.]

[In conclusion of this incredibly angry joke review/critique, I would like to say that I believe this was written by an alien who for some reason decided that writing smut was a good way to try to assimilate humanity. The entire editing team was mind controlled to allow this to pass through all the checks that a book has to go through to get published. There is no way a Real Human Being actually wrote this. I refuse to believe it. Now please excuse me while I wash my eyes with bleach and hope that this text will be washed away or at least dimmed....]