Help! How to read actively, etc..

[Silo]

There are probably many other posts for this.
I desperately want/need to improve my reading and writing skills and general knowledge (literature, philosophy, etc). I must admit, ashamedly, that I haven't been an avid reader thus far in my life (18), and I feel that that has not only been an obstruction for me in my English classes gradewise, but has also prevented me from acquiring more knowledge. I was wondering if any of you could give me some advice about how not to read superficially/passively. How can I read actively? What questions should I ask myself when I read?
How do you read?

I'd love to be able to read like a professor of literature does, picking up on the various themes, symbols, etc. but I always seem to only be focused on the characters/plot. Sometimes, when I'm trying to read a classic novel properly, I even tend to lose track of who's who (when there are many characters in the novel that is) and that is pretty sad. I'm interested in literature, and always love discovering analyses of the work in my English classes, but I haven't really been able to contribute i.e. provide my own analyses/thoughts.

Anyways, thanks a lot in advance.

P.s. If you happen to supplement your anwser with any recommendations on what to read I'm interested in:
1) Crime/Murder/Mystery/Thriller
2) Romance
3) Art
4) Satire/Humor

[BrckBrln]

Well I'm just like you. I have only been actively (and I use that word loosely) reading for a couple of months. If you want a good satire book may I suggest anything by Bret Easton Ellis. I've only read Lunar Park but I hear Less Than Zero is good and so is American Psycho. His books are also written intelligently in my opinion.

You might also want to check out something by Chuck Palahniuk. He wrote Fight Club.

[Elly_blue]

Yeah I can totally relate to this situation I recently started studying English and I descovered that reading can actually be FUN sometimes.;) You just have to make sure it is a good book and don't panic when you lose track somtimes. That happens to me all the time, even now. You just have to keep on reading as many books as possible and then (hopefully) this problem will solve itself. It's just a matter of training and patience.
You could also try reading some books about literature in general, about how to analyze poems or novels. For my literature courses I read books like these, introduction books on studying literature, and that really helped me.

[bookworm57]

Hi Silo,
I just recently started reading also (and I'm 50). To read actively, you should try reading at a faster pace than you do now. Also, try asking yourself questions (relating to what you're reading) while you read.
Have a look at http://www.studyhall.com/index.htm There's an article on how to speed read which might be useful to you. Excellent advice from BrckBrln and Elly Blue also. Hope this is helpful- Regards-Charles.

[Derringer]

Hi. I wouldn't try speed reading - read for enjoyment/purpose cuz there is no prize at the end of line.

I think there are many questions you should approach when reading:

1. Why do I read?

A hard question to answer! Completely subjective, but think : is your view on a topic (or the world) changing when you read? Are you learning more about yourself when you read? Reflection is the key to any piece of art.

2. Why did the author write this? What are the ethics behind the writing?

This question you can ask for every sentence. What is the author trying to tell you? Good authors have a reason for every bit of their work. Art has a purpose and a value, changing for everyone.

3. Do you agree with the author? Is the literature true?

4. Is this art? Some literature is not art. Sounds odd, but if you read something and aren't thinking, then don't bother finishing it.

Literature comes from the greek word for 'letters' and many authors consider writing a response to other authors.

If you want to pick up more on things like themes, symbols, ect. the key is to stop: think. Re-read things. Put the book down and think about the situation that the author has created. A good book involves more thinking than reading. Ways to improve your reading involves reading more , but go for quality. Again quality = thinking. Next is discussing what you have read. You can read other essays, talk to people with similar interests, take a class at a campus, ect.

I'v had profs start reading and they stopped at every sentence. It took for ever to read, but he made a point.

[Amaryllis]

I tend to get off to slow start when I begin reading something new. I too get confused about the characters... my stategy is to take notes, after you catch on to the characters the story usually comes to life and you can actually enjoy what you are reading. Don't give up and if this doesn't help you should keep looking for what works for you. Keep in mind the Literature professors have read and probably re-read these stories many times. In time you will be able to contribute in class, simply being prepared ahead of time may be the trick. Don't just read the assignment - perhaps read ahead, by staying one step ahead you may surprise yourself.

[symphony]

Nothing better than to really be interested in the book ur reading.
Nothing better than to actually be captivated by the book.
And in order to get that interest and enchantment,
Nothing better than to veritably get the right book.
So i suggest u concentrate on ur main interests and read the books that interest u for a start. No point in reading classics if u cant follow them clearly (or at least, thats how I see it). May be a time will come when u'll be ready for that stuff and then start enjoying them, its only then that u'll get a self-analysed idea on the book.

[Jolly McJollyso]

Hi Silo,
I just recently started reading also (and I'm 50). To read actively, you should try reading at a faster pace than you do now. Also, try asking yourself questions (relating to what you're reading) while you read.
Have a look at http://www.studyhall.com/index.htm There's an article on how to speed read which might be useful to you. Excellent advice from BrckBrln and Elly Blue also. Hope this is helpful- Regards-Charles.

Speed reading is the OPPOSITE of active reading.

DO NOT DO THIS, SILO.

[Turk]

Speed reading is the OPPOSITE of active reading.

DO NOT DO THIS, SILO.

YES! I use speed reading for just magazines, lesson books, newspapers, sport news and Kathycf's posts.:lol: Kidding. In fact you won't get anything from a deep book with speed reading.


I'd love to be able to read like a professor of literature does, picking up on the various themes, symbols, etc. but I always seem to only be focused on the characters/plot. Sometimes, when I'm trying to read a classic novel properly, I even tend to lose track of who's who (when there are many characters in the novel that is) and that is pretty sad. I'm interested in literature, and always love discovering analyses of the work in my English classes, but I haven't really been able to contribute i.e. provide my own analyses/thoughts.


For this you should read essays and critics, especially critics method. Also never read a book that bores you; best advice for someone who wants to read a lot is this; if a book boring you, just stop! Because it will make you lose time.

[cows]

My Experience:

I was at the same point about four years ago (at 16) when I had stopped reading for a good 2 years. For me to learn things, I need to start from as far in the past as I can and understand every aspect of whatever it is. I tried doing this with reading and that worked after some tiring preparation.

My first suggestion would be to familiarize yourself with not only the classics, but also mythology, psychology, philosophy, and religion. Those four topics are key to understanding lit because they all act simultaneously in most works. It may seem overwhelming, but start small. I'd start with some mythology and work my way out. If you throw in analytical works such as Joseph Campbell's The Hero With a Thousand Faces you will progress quickly. (I highly recommend that book)

Secondly, any course in lit will help. Take Euro Lit and Brit lit classes if you can. Otherwise, if you'd like, I can recommend some classics w/explanations of symbolism that will be easy to see and get you on your way to picking it out in other works. I had a talented and hard working Euro lit teacher who opened my eyes to lit in many ways.

Questions you can ask yourself:

What do the characters symbolize? (Are they heroic, evil, devious, naive, strong, weak, ... think about what their actions tell you and judge them on it. There are many ideas and concepts that a character can be embodying)

Why is the plot unfolding the way it is? What is the author saying about these characters and thus what is he saying about the concepts or ideas they represent?

Is the story’s setting meaningful? Does the scenery or a natural phenomena follow any of the characters? Why?

Mainly remember that most things in books happen for a reason. Always try to see what the author is showing you. The characters are parts, but the story is a whole entity.




I’d suggest books, but you have many interests. Just start somewhere and follow your imagination.

Good luck. Feel free to PM me with any question you may have.

[applepie]

My first suggestion is to quit worrying about what you should be asking. My trick is to just read. Every now and then I will stop and just think about what impressions I've recieved form the book and what it makes me question. Then I decide what I think the book's stand is on the issue and if I agree. Then I just start asking myself why. A really good book for this is Atlas Shrugged by Ann Rand. It is long and can be quite a challenge to read, but it poses many iteresting topics to ponder. If you are into romance, I reccommend going for the classics. Shakespeare is always a favorite of mine. I say skip Romeo and Juliet, it is a little soap opera like and go for Taming of the Shrew, or A Midsummer's Night Dream. Titus is also a joy. Reading the plays really helps you to envision characters and without physical descriptions your imagination can run wild. I've found it is a good primer for learning to really think and envision things while you read. I always suggest the classics. Try Animal Farm if you want something that will make you think but is short and easy to read. Another would be a book titled "Night" it is about a boy's life in the concentration camps.

[Aiculík]

I'd love to be able to read like a professor of literature does, picking up on the various themes, symbols, etc. but I always seem to only be focused on the characters/plot. Sometimes, when I'm trying to read a classic novel properly, I even tend to lose track of who's who (when there are many characters in the novel that is) and that is pretty sad. I'm interested in literature, and always love discovering analyses of the work in my English classes, but I haven't really been able to contribute i.e. provide my own analyses/thoughts.

Every beginning is difficult... I used to have same problems. I got this advice from my professor and it really helped me:

1. Before you start to read the book, ask yourself few questions: Why you want to read this book? What do you know about the author and his/her style? What can you expect from the book? What do you know about it? Is it, for example, famous for a style that the author used in it, or for the way he pictured characters?

2. When reading the book for the first time, write down any passage that somehow caught your attention. Not only things you liked about it, but also those that you hated, that were surprising or even shocking - it can be about plot, characters, language, anything.

3. After you finish reading the book, look at your notes and think a bit about it. Why did liked it, what was so surprising about something, why you hated some things. Compare it with what you already knew about the book. For example, certain author is famous for his/her style, but some people may not like it, because it's different than what they are used to. Or they don't like character that is evil. :) It's natural but it's necessary to realize it, or you won't be able to move on.

4. Read the book for the second time. It is normal to concentrate on plot and characters when reading the book for the first time. When you already know it, you can concentrate on different things. Take your time. You will see that there are many details that you haven't notice for the first time. For example, now that you know the plot, you may see things foreshadowing the end of the book, or that names of characters are symbolic... Again, write down anything new that you find interesting.

5. Think about the book you've read: its plot, characters, setting, language... again, compare it with what you knew about the author and the book. Do you agree with literary critics? Why/why not?

6. Only now, after you read it and made your own opinion, consult some cliffnotes, or discuss it with other people. Don't do it before you read the book! You'd be trying to find the same thing in the book and that's not good. That way you'll never learn to think or to interpret books.

Remember, even the best professor in the world is not able to understand all finer points of the book at the first reading. In fact, when a professor dicuscusses certain book in a class, he has most certainly read that book for several times already. It recquires a lot of patience and hard work. Plus, a really good book will give you something new to think about each time you read it.

[Silo]

Thanks a lot everyone!

Well, I'm currently in the middle of the Da Vinci Code and coupling it with classic short stories i.e. Father Brown Stories and Edgar Allen Poe. I was also reading Persuasion by Austen a week ago but stopped in the middle of that as I was losing track of who each character actually was. I think I'll try to read more "current" books, perhaps more suited to my level and interests first before I read more complicated literature. I'll also be reading about philosophy, etc in the meantime ....

Anyways, hope I'll have made progress by the end of this summer! Thanks again to all your quick replies!

[lavendar1]

It looks like you've already gotten plenty of good ideas. Still, since this topic interests me, I'll put in my two cents worth. If you're a decent reader (and you must be), you're already miles ahead of the majority these days (and that includes college students).

Always take your own experience with you when you read. And you're wise to practice with the stuff you're interested in. I always make notes (right in the margins of the text, if it's my own book) when I read -- you know, to help remember something that either interested or confused me -- or both, I suppose. And I'm not above using a good old graphic organizer to help me keep stuff straight, either.

I'm not much for reading the categories you've listed other than satire; sadly, contemporary writers in that area are few and far between. Of course, there's always Voltaire and Candide from way back, or Swift. If you can get ahold of a copy (I got lucky and found out about it this way, because it's not published anymore, I'm pretty sure), there was once a magazine called Monocle that offered some sweet satire. Otherwise, you might as well stick to TV - The Simpsons or SNL.

P.S. Here's a seems-to-be good link I got after a quick google:

http://www.brocku.ca/english/jlye/criticalreading.html

Have fun!

[sstaplet]

A couple of years ago I read an excellent book, "How to Read Literature Like a Professor." Each chapter goes through a different theme or literary element you might find in a book. It is a very simple read and goes quickly. The author is witty and uses excellent analogies to get the point across. This is my Bible, so to speak, for examining literature.

[bookworm57]

Hi Silo,
It seems I was wrong with my advice on speed reading.
I have recently started reading and was advised by a college tutor to learn speed reading, but reading the messages from the others in this forum has made me realize that this is not a good idea. I must say though, that I'm quite pleased about that as I am quite a slow reader myself and I feel that I have been missing so much by forcing myself to read faster.

[Redzeppelin]

One of the best ways to approach reading is to be clear that a story is a sequence of choices a writer makes. Understanding this helps the reader see how purposeful all the details in a story are. You see, "amature" readers (for lack of a more precise term) make the mistake of assuming that things that happen in a story had to happen a certain way: they don't. Everything that happens in a story could have happened differently, so an astute reader will always be alert to the question of why? Why did the character do this and not that? Why did s/he go here and not there? Why did the author have this happen instead of that? Why did this chapter happen here instead of there? No character action, word, decision is accidental; no authorial choice (at least in a good book) will be random or arbitrary - all point towards some end the writer is creating.