How Can I Become a "Deeper" Reader As it Were?

[buckshot.1993]

I was always the type of person that was more concerned with quantitative stuff - science, psychology, sociology and things of that nature - but over the past couple of years I have almost abandoned those books entirely in favor of literature and philosophy. I read alot of, what I guess folks would call the "classics," Cervantes, Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and many of the other greats. Right now I'm on my second reading of "Fear and Trembling" which really brings me to the question I want to ask of you good people.

Basically what I want to know is how can I become a better reader? These books have had a tremendous influence on my life, but at the same time I don't feel like I'm getting all that I could out of them. I read these essays that critique works of literature and philosophy and feel like I've missed so much, as though I was reading at just a basic level. In other words, I feel as though I miss the subtleties when I read. I would like to develope into a more mature and deeper type of reader. Anyone know how this is possible?

I mean, most of my life I just focused on the aforementioned subjects, but my eyes are open now and I see that there is alot more to existence than what I knew before. I always try to tackle the greatest and most challenging works, though honestly I'm not sure if I truly do these great authors justice when I read their works. How can I fix this?

Thanks so much for your help everyone. I really look forward to being a part of these great forums.

Travis

[shortstoryfan]

I can relate to you, so I can offer no advice. I have the reading comprehension of a 2nd grader. Sometimes I read things and I suppose they are suppose to be connected and I just don't understand why or how. Why did the author choose this to happen in this story, when to me, it seems totally unrelated. I can't even bring myself to read a lot of classic literature. It's very sad for me.

[Sepulchrave]

In other words, I feel as though I miss the subtleties when I read. I would like to develope into a more mature and deeper type of reader. Anyone know how this is possible?

To be honest, I would hesitate to throw out terms such as 'deeper' and 'mature' when it comes to reading -- I'm of the opinion that there are no fixed and universal levels in this field. When you read I view it as a unique relationship between the individual mind and the text, and the combination results in something entirely new. In this sense reading can be seen as almost organic, I suppose. I think we all sometimes stumble across brilliant points about texts that never actually occurred to us -- I know I do, when going over academic critique. But there could just as well be some things that have occurred to you (which you regard as nothing special) that could come across as intensely interesting and even brilliant to another person. Very high degree of subjectivity at work.

I don't think that there's any real secret 'key' to reading, though. I think it's just an obvious thing that is thus overlooked -- repetition. The more you read (in my experience, anyway) the more you find to personally appreciate about the grace of the prose style, the skill with a certain form of narrative perspective, or perhaps the power achieved through subtlety rather than blatant expression, etc. It only stands to reason that being intimately acquainted with a medium of expression naturally sharpens your personal 'insight' when encountering new takes on the medium.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I was always the type of person that was more concerned with quantitative stuff - science, psychology, sociology and things of that nature - but over the past couple of years I have almost abandoned those books entirely in favor of literature and philosophy. I read alot of, what I guess folks would call the "classics," Cervantes, Shakespeare, Dostoevsky and many of the other greats. Right now I'm on my second reading of "Fear and Trembling" which really brings me to the question I want to ask of you good people.

Basically what I want to know is how can I become a better reader? These books have had a tremendous influence on my life, but at the same time I don't feel like I'm getting all that I could out of them. I read these essays that critique works of literature and philosophy and feel like I've missed so much, as though I was reading at just a basic level. In other words, I feel as though I miss the subtleties when I read. I would like to develope into a more mature and deeper type of reader. Anyone know how this is possible?

I mean, most of my life I just focused on the aforementioned subjects, but my eyes are open now and I see that there is alot more to existence than what I knew before. I always try to tackle the greatest and most challenging works, though honestly I'm not sure if I truly do these great authors justice when I read their works. How can I fix this?

Thanks so much for your help everyone. I really look forward to being a part of these great forums.

Travis

Hello and welcome,

Sounds to me that you are being a little hard on yourself. Great literature (or even fair) does not yield all of its secrets to anyone. There is always more to discover each time you read the same thing, even if you have read it over and over again, even if you are an Oxford professor the subtleties of a text are infinite. Of course it is all do to with personal interpretation and as we are all different we will all interpret works differently, even the smallest simple sentence will be read differently. So don't punish yourself too much.

To gain a little insight it is a good idea to read criticism on the texts you have been reading or dip into a little literary theory if you are mad enough. If you ask me though you can't beat joining a reading class, which is how I started out studying my part-time degree in literature actually. When you bring different minds to the table you inevitably find little things in a text that you didn't think of, it helps shed a light upon the book you are reading, sometimes just a chance word or idea gets you going, throws your mind on a different track.

Of course you can use forums like this to discuss books and often that can help a little (just don't mention Harry Potter) though naturally it has the normal limitations that forums bring. There are some very well read and interesting people here who can always help to offer thoughtful perspectives on matters, but in the end in comes down to how much you are prepared to put in and your own personal motivation in carrying that through. Nobody 'masters' literature, we can only ever hope to 'practice' it.

[kelby_lake]

Read a lot, and discuss books with people. Other people can help you understand and form your own opinion.
Give us an example of a book you feel you didn't entirely get and we'll discuss it

[blp]

I think you're being too hard on yourself too. When you read criticism of the books you like, you're only reading another person's view. It may be wrong. It may be valid, but not the whole truth or not what the author intended. And anyway, why would you expect your reading to be as deep as criticism? You don't expect to be able to just dash off a great novel, so why should you be able to just dash off great criticism as you read? Criticism is written too and that means the critic's spent a lot of time thinking about their view, probably taking a lot of notes, studying and trying things out that didn't work.

[Jozanny]

To paraphrase Petrarch's Love: One can never know everything about a subject. I have been reading and studying Henry James since I was 19, and his work still offers sources of renewal, insights, startling takes. I would simply say apply yourself as best you can, and where you cannot, accept it. I have *issues* with Dostoevsky, despite the Russian's critical acclaim--I don't think it means I'm shallow, or a poor reader--and there may always be texts you have no affinity for. It is what makes us human.

I do, however, on occasion, join live reading groups. I enjoy really being with people in book clubs.

Second, reread over time, make notes, ask questions.

Third, if you don't like a book, you aren't obligated to finish it.

[Tallon]

I relate too. I think the reading group advise sounds good, i actually feel i've grown as a reader since i've joined this forum just from reading other people's opinions.

[Jeremiah Jazzz]

I think we all sometimes stumble across brilliant points about texts that never actually occurred to us -- I know I do, when going over academic critique. But there could just as well be some things that have occurred to you (which you regard as nothing special) that could come across as intensely interesting and even brilliant to another person. Very high degree of subjectivity at work.

EXACTLY.

I, like the threadstarter, read basically what people would see as the 'classics' and I too felt like I was missing something. To 'cope' with this feeling that was settling in, I just told myself that I would be re-reading these books over and over again my whole life. A 'Classic' is meant to be treasured as if something of value, because yeah, it has merit to it. So each time I'd read these pieces, I'd take something new. Throughout my life I'll (hopefully hehe) gain new insights that I can apply to the re-reads. What I know now I apply and I'll continue to do so with other new books I read.

Sharing definitely sheds some light on new insights other's have, that's a no brainier but an extremely useful one that some people don't realize they can grasp.

Keep all that in mind threadstarter, seeing how you mentioned you're reading some Kierkegaard for a second time. Great philosopher and book btw!

[skasian]

Keep reading books that are considered masterpieces of all time, and ask yourselves some question about the plot or some sentences that provokes some thought. Yes, group studies are good and discussion helps you to understand more and prevent you from missing vital hidden layers. I found myself grown as a "deeper" reader as I continued to do that while reading.

[Drkshadow03]

Whatever do you mean, Neely? My degee says I am a "Master" of literature.

On a more serious note, one of the best things you can do while reading is to take notes and underline interesting passages. You can do this by:

1) write your notes in the margins (these can be comments about style, a remark simply noting a pretty sentence that moves you, it can be a paraphrase of the sentence or paragraph to put it in your own words, or it can be a remark about a character, theme, or motif).

2) write notes on post-its and stick them on the pages with notes on how to find the reference if you do not want to ruin your book by writing directly in it.

3) write your notes in a separate notebook while reading.

For philosophy especially it can be useful to paraphrase after each paragraph.

Other Tips:

1) Assume nothing in literature is an accident. Every word, image, and even minor character is meant to be there. They all have a point.

2) Pay attention to repetition (not only in language, but images and symbols. What issues or images keep getting brought up?)

3) Forget spending all your time digging up complex images and symbols. Pay attention to the plot (when applicable)! The plot is one of your key ways to figuring out the main theme and conflict of the story. What is the character struggling against? Who or what is preventing him from accomplishing his or her goal? What is the end result of her or his struggle? Perhaps a simplistic way to put it, but good advice I think.

4) Pay attention to style. How is the story being presented? Is the tone dark and moody? Is it light-hearted, playful and ironic? Is it surreal and dreamy? Is the plot circular or linear? Does the story lack a sense of internal time? Does the writing use a lot of metaphors or is she or he more direct in their imagery? Do they write in long elegant sentences or short simple sentences? Word choices? What is the POV? 1st person? 2nd person? 3rd person? And why? What does that do to the overall presentation of the story? Does it represent a particular culture style or time-period? How does the style reflect the themes trying to be expressed?

5) Think about the characters. If nothing in literature is an accident each character has a purpose, their own goals, and personalities. Don't just think about the main character, but the side characters as well. Why are they there? What do they represent? What is the author trying to say through this character? What is the character trying to say through the relationship he presents with the other characters?

6) Think of all these elements in relation to each other. How does the way a story is told reflect the character's personality? Vice-versa. What can you infer about the character from the viewpoint chosen and the details (narrative imagery/comments) being filtered through that character? How does the plot change with stylistic changes? For example, a stylistically linear plot is going to be very different than a non-linear one. They probably have very different philosophical viewpoints about the world. What do we learn about the character through his actions taken in the plot?

Another way to think about all of this is in terms of space and spatiality. Literature is made up of spatial relationships. The character moving through a setting occupies space. Think of an Edgar Allen Poe character walled up behind a wall, while the other is free on the other side. These two characters occupy different spaces within the setting, which produces the meaning; they also occupy a certain amount of space between each other, with an object (a wall), blocking the space between them, what does that say about their relationship? Everything from language to plot can be expressed in terms of spatiality.

[promtbr]

You have gotten excellent advice on this thread! Having returned to the appreciaton and study of great literature after a 30 yr hiatus , I can identify with the OP. I had to re-learn how to read literature (as opposed to the bestseller fluff and stuff).

Cut and paste everything Drkshadow03 said above and print it- IMHO that's how concise and to the point his post was. (I have an English degree from back in the day as well)

I can only add, as recently I too am relearning, to tell myself to bring as little "personal baggage" (prejudices) as possible to the text. I acknowledge that's a loaded statement and I should qualify that, (there is another thread on that topic)...

To try to keep an open mind. I see time and again some posters in the fourm having negative reactions to some less accessible texts largely because they (understandably) are used to being entertained while reading, I call it the Smells Like Teen Spirit reading attitude: "Here we are now, entertain us"...

But that said, as Jozanny and others have pointed out, you have no obligation to finish a book if it you can't relate to it or connect with it!

Some of "difficult", or multi-level works simply don't register meaningfully or fully on the first reading. I can tell you, in my experience, most of the time, the payback for spending the time learning how the text is teaching you how to read it, is worth the effort. That's the beauty of literary art as opposed to the commercial stuff! But not always the case either, some of those erudite allusion filled naratives are only interesting to the Lit profs!