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"Coles Notes" which contained summaries of works of literature were a staple of Coles Books, especially to high school and university English students.
Source: Facebook/ Miles Macdonell Collegiate Friends
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It comes from a section of the Coles bookstores that was unique to the franchise. There would be row upon row of books that all looked the same – yellow and black on the cover. Each one would be the summary of a work of literature. The ones I recall seeing most often were the various plays of William Shakespeare. However, there were other titles, and even other topics.
Coles Notes also included some analysis and questions, if memory serves.
Hamlet
The first time I used Coles Notes was in English 30, the first semester of Grade 12 in the fall of 1986. We had to do a presentation, in the form of a debate, on an aspect of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Like a debate, we had to answer one side of a question, while two other students answered the other side. If memory serves, our question was, “Is Hamlet sane?”
The first time I used Coles Notes was in English 30, the first semester of Grade 12 in the fall of 1986. We had to do a presentation, in the form of a debate, on an aspect of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Like a debate, we had to answer one side of a question, while two other students answered the other side. If memory serves, our question was, “Is Hamlet sane?”
Using Coles Notes was more for the analysis, and a back-up, rather than anything substantial.
That changed in university.
Caught in the act
It was the first semester of my second year of university, the fall of 1988, and I was taking English 210, the first level English class virtually all Arts and Education students took. My professor was Stephen Slemon, and I never really clicked with him. At the time, I really had no interest in getting to know my professor. I was partly scared of them, and partly ashamed, embarrassed and guilt ridden because I cut a lot of classes.
It was the first semester of my second year of university, the fall of 1988, and I was taking English 210, the first level English class virtually all Arts and Education students took. My professor was Stephen Slemon, and I never really clicked with him. At the time, I really had no interest in getting to know my professor. I was partly scared of them, and partly ashamed, embarrassed and guilt ridden because I cut a lot of classes.
As Christmas approached, we were studying Jane Austen and reading “Pride and Prejudice”. I had a job as a floor coordinator that took a lot of time, and life in res was just really busy, so I fell behind in all my classes.
I cut a good chunk of the classes on “Pride and Prejudice”, but knew what the essay was on and when it was due.
I tried to read the book, but I just ran out of time. I had sworn I would never use Coles Notes as a crutch, but that seemed to be more and more likely. One of my classmates also lived on my floor, and she told me Coles Notes had some good stuff, and she used it. I thought if she used it, and she was going to every class, and doing well, why couldn’t I? Still, I did what I could, before I did the unthinkable – I used Coles Notes.
It was a couple weeks before Christmas. I went back to skipping class, then showed up the last class before the break to pick up my essay. At the end of class, Slemon left them in a pile for us to pick through. I grabbed mine and went out into the hall before I looked at the mark. When I did – I was shocked.
There was no mark. Instead, Slemon wrote that the paper appeared to rely on Coles Notes, and he actually cited the pages of Coles Notes I pulled from. He told me to attribute what I took from Coles Notes, and show him what my actual thinking was. Then hand that back in.
I was embarrassed, angry, and kid of dumfounded.
Slemon’s timing couldn’t have been worse. Right before Christmas, meant I thought about it and ruminated on it, on and off, through the whole break.
When it was time for class to start again in January, I did as Slemon asked, and attended the first class. After class, I handed Slemon the paper. I prepared for the worst.
All he said was, “Thank you.”
A few weeks later, I got the paper back, and he basically gave me a four, which was not a fail, but I needed a 5 to pass the course, if that makes sense.
Still, I learned my lesson.
Parting thoughts
Incidentally, there is an odd American equivalent – Cliff’s Notes. I am not sure of the origin of that though.
Incidentally, there is an odd American equivalent – Cliff’s Notes. I am not sure of the origin of that though.
Yet, I really don’t think it has the same meaning in the States as Coles Notes does in Canada.
It really was a Canadian institution.
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