Year 12 Reading and Responding

[zvezda]

Hey guys,
just wondering how many of you guys went about learning your texts for text response during year 12, in terms of knowing your texts inside out. Basically, I'm searching for some advice on the most effective way to learn the texts (ie. important quotes, characters...pretty much everything about everything) aside from reading/watching multiple times. Any advice would be great thanks as I am trying to adopt an approach to the way I'll be tackling english next year so that I can spend more time writing essays than learning the texts.
Thanks in advance

[VivaTequila]

How I did it:

- Read the book once before we began studying it
- Looked up summaries on the net
- Skimmed through study guides
- Paid attention to class discussion
- Looked up character profiles on the net
- Re-read a few parts of the book
- Read a few critical analyses of the text closer to the SAC
- Researched a bit on the religion

How you should do it:
- Same as above, except with reading the book more and knowing it better

I did reasonably well, but I could have actually spent much more of my time studying English, and studying effectively at that.

[Felicity Wishes]

My text is Cosi. Like Viva, I read it before we began studying it and I looked through summaries. I looked through many study guides to get an understanding of the themes. Also, I read about the Vietnam war an attitudes to it in Australia, as well as mental asylums in Australia during the 1960-70's to get an understanding of the context. Furthermore, I read through the play slowly and make sure I understand EVERYTHING that has happened. I also try to get a grasp of the authors intentions and I try to find themes, quotes and events that reflect this. Honestly, this varies between people but for me, re-reading helps me to understand. I've read the play 10+ times now but if you feel that you are confident after reading it a few times then there is no need to read it overly.