What to look out for when reading?

[kenhung123]

When I'm reading novels, I don't really know what to look out for. However I do know the overall storyline.
How do you know what quotes or parts of the novel is significant and requires some underlining/highlighting?
Also is there anything different in what to look out for when reading a novel for text resp and context?

[kendraaaaa]

Read the book 4 times then you should know what's important and what's not.

[kenhung123]

Over the holidays or throughout the year?

[Souljette_93]

Read as much as you can in the holidays^. i think it would be better.


Souljette<3

[kenhung123]

I only aimed to read all novels once over the holidays.

[Greggler]

This is what our teacher told me.

He said that on my first read through i should chuck in a sticky note etc. at any point i find ANYTHING at all interesting. whether it be a description of a character, landscape; whether it be a revealing passage about a certain character etc.

After my first read of a novel he said i should then go through and read from as many outside sources on that novel i could. Study guides, wiki, spark notes etc. and then get a feel at what the themes of the book are. what essay questions on the book are most likely to be based on etc.

Then i should re-read the book again with this in mind, and again, make note of what i think is important.

My teacher also told me that it is these initial readings of the stories over the holidays and early in the year that are quite important as you formulate your own personal opinions on the novels, and in return you form your own opinion about what is important and what is not in the novel before you are flooded with materials and opinions of teachers and whatever; and usually it is during this initial period where people can pickup on unique ideas and  phrases etc. that separate you from the rest of your cohort when writing essays.

[kendraaaaa]

Yeah ^

I also found that with the more initially challenging (read: boring) books the more I read them, the more I liked them. It took me about 3-4 readings of A Man for all Seasons to appreciate it, and then I was able to read it enthusiastically for another 3-4 times.

The best way to increase your understanding of a novel is to make it your bible and never put it down. 

[kyzoo]

This is what our teacher told me.

He said that on my first read through i should chuck in a sticky note etc. at any point i find ANYTHING at all interesting. whether it be a description of a character, landscape; whether it be a revealing passage about a certain character etc.

My teacher also told me that it is these initial readings of the stories over the holidays and early in the year that are quite important as you formulate your own personal opinions on the novels, and in return you form your own opinion about what is important and what is not in the novel before you are flooded with materials and opinions of teachers and whatever; and usually it is during this initial period where people can pickup on unique ideas and  phrases etc. that separate you from the rest of your cohort when writing essays.

I did that, I typed it all up and argh...8000 words for one novel >.<

[kenhung123]

8000 words? What on earth did you write about? LOL

[kyzoo]

0.o Just everything I found interesting.

[the.watchman]

Must be a VERY interesting book!

[kyzoo]

^ Not really, Shark Net isn't that interesting. It's just that I had a lot of thoughts that I couldn't bear losing forever, and it's a long book too (358 pages).

[superflya]

kyzoo, is shark net any good?

[kyzoo]

No, it's just an account of the author's childhood, only a minor (like 2 chapters) segment of it relates to Reality. The rest is fluff.

[superflya]

Fark me, hope streetcars the complete opposite