I remember suffering through that nonsense as well. Then I remember a moment in a class in college where something "clicked" and I suddenly understood the game.

I remember suffering through that nonsense as well. Then I remember a moment in a class in college where something "clicked" and I suddenly understood the game. After that it became simply tedious, but not raw torture like it had been. To be honest, it has helped me think a couple layers deeper about some of the media I consume. I still think it's stupid and trite in the way it's handled in the educational setting and completely agree it mostly a garbage way to analyze things. Once you understand the game it becomes quite brainless and formulaic in most cases.