Writing about literature requires you to be an active reader. You need to get involved with the work.
Read the work closely and carefully. Think of the work as speaking to you: What is it telling you? Asking you? Trying to make you feel? If the work provides an introduction and footnotes, read them attentively. They may be a source of important information. Use the dictionary to look up words unfamiliar to you or words with subtle nuances that may affect the work’s meaning.
Rereading is a central part of the process. You should read short works several times, first to get an overall impression and then to focus on meaningful details. With longer works, such as novels or plays, read the most important chapters or scenes more than once while keeping in mind the work as a whole.
As you read and reread, interact with the work by posing questions and looking for possible answers. Consider the following strategies as you prepare your analysis:
Annotating the text as you read
Taking notes
Discussing the text
Drafting an interpretive thesis
Outlining an interpretive paper
The chart suggests some questions that may help you become a more active reader.
Questions to ask about literature
Related topic:
Active reading