Remembering what you have read

[Albion.]

Does anyboyd have any tips or hints that could help me to remember what i have read so i could retell it? I dont know if any of you have ever had the problem were you have had to re read a particular line or paragraph because you havent absorbed what it said but i just find it annoying and would appreciate help please.

[LitNetIsGreat]

That is a very good and interesting question. I suppose it depends upon exactly what you are trying to remember and for what reason. Are you talking about for a test or recital or just to aid memory or comprehension generally?

[dfloyd]

those who are new to literature. By literature, I mean the classics as taught in literature classes. This is why you read so aften on this forum: "I really hated that book." To remember what you have read requires practice. Those who are familiar with some classics in the early part of their life, generally do better than others who are not familiar. I have found that three things help: punctuation principles, knowledge of grammar, and vocabulary. Pucntuation is like a road map which tells the reader where he is going, grammar knowledge allows the reader to identify parts of speech so the principles of rhetoric can be applied, and vocabulary obviously helps in understanding. Reading literature is not an easy task; and not knowing the basics iterated above makes it even harder. When I started reading more difficult books, I always kept a copy of the Harbrace College Handbook and a good dictionary by my side.

[ennison]

Most of us only remember what we need to of what we read. Some of us remember things of no immediate practical use from our reading but things which strike us as beautiful, interesting or challenging. Remembering just for the sake of remembering is a rather unnatural skill and something of a burden. I can't suggest any memory training tricks but keeping good health, not drinking and where possible avoiding stress help memory retention. Traumatic life-changing events have the effect of erasing swathes of memory.

[The Comedian]

I do several things to help me remember what I read:


I show no reverence for my books: I write comments or summaries in the margins: I dog-ear pages (and return to them later). I underline a lot too. Sometimes a little spilled coffee or Jack Daniels helps to mark a page. :) This kind of active engagement helps me remember a book's flow, structure, and certain passages.

And, oddly enough, it helps me feel involved in the book. Emotions, I think, are like memory glue; the more you feel about something, the more likely you are to remember it.


I also like to talk about the book. A forum like this is great for putting you in a situation where you have to recall fragments or a synopsis of a book. I like to talk with my wife a lot too about the book I'm reading. Sometimes I tell my kids little events or stories from a longer work that I think they might like. Under this situation, I sometimes have to alter/adjust the story a bit. But even so, the conversation gives a little boost to my memory.

Hell, sometimes my kids will ask me to "tell that story again", hence repetition, even better memory of the book.


Hope this helps!

[blazeofglory]

I think this idea is likely to help students who have to give exams more than anyone else in the world.

[applepie]

those who are new to literature. By literature, I mean the classics as taught in literature classes. This is why you read so aften on this forum: "I really hated that book." To remember what you have read requires practice. Those who are familiar with some classics in the early part of their life, generally do better than others who are not familiar. I have found that three things help: punctuation principles, knowledge of grammar, and vocabulary. Pucntuation is like a road map which tells the reader where he is going, grammar knowledge allows the reader to identify parts of speech so the principles of rhetoric can be applied, and vocabulary obviously helps in understanding. Reading literature is not an easy task; and not knowing the basics iterated above makes it even harder. When I started reading more difficult books, I always kept a copy of the Harbrace College Handbook and a good dictionary by my side.

These are very good suggestions. The classics are more difficult to read, and I tend to find that they take me much longer to read than popular fiction. They are quite enjoyable, however, and they are certainly worth the effort put into reading and comprehending them. Here are some things that help me:

- Know something about the story before you ever begin the book. Sometimes it is much simpler to read if you know what it is that you need to pay attention to.

- Keep lists of your thoughts and important supporting text as you read (this is most helpful if you will be writing a paper or offering some analysis)

- Pay attention to the details, but don't get so obsessive about it that you feel the need to review sentences. Often these details are important, but only in the impressions that they give. Stories are much more about the overall theme and characters. It is of little consequence what they were wearing or what that window sill looks like, unless they get hung by the scarf or the window breaks maiming them for life;)

- Finally, practice. That is perhaps the best thing that you can do. Start with short stories and gradually move to larger works.

Hope this helps.

[Voivod30]

I have a minor case of OCD which sometimes leaves me frustrated when I can't remeber a name or even a minor nuance. Over the past year I've slowly been curing my OCD with therapy and Wellbutrin I still have this insane pickiness (sorry bad grammar my brain is shot because I've been sick for the past week) at times but have learned that for the most part I remember the general story and what I need to remember and can allow myself to not remember names of all the charaters especially minor ones.

[soundofmusic]

Oh gracious, I have such a problem with art and literature:( I have a wonderful memory; but I always confuse writers, painters and composers.
I have taken some recent games up that help me pay alittle more attention to things...Oh, another problem, I always name people what I think they should be named...LIke, I always call Obama Tiger.:blush:

[Lokasenna]

I think the important thing is to really engage mentally with the text. I'm very lucky, insofar as I have an excellent memory for words, but you'll find if you take the time to really enjoy and, more importantly, really understand it, then you'll be fine. If its poetry, then that's even easier as you can let the rhythm and rhyme really carry you!

[Idril]

Like Comedian, I'm not afraid to mark my books. They are covered in notes and underlines, I will bookmark a passage that I was particularly moved by with post-it notes and I keep a book journal. Along with keeping track of what I've read, and when, I note major characters and plot lines which is usually enough to spark a fuller memory and I sometimes write down a few thoughts about what I thought of the book, what thoughts and feelings it provoked. Sometimes it's as deep and detailed as, "I loved this book" or "I hated this book" and sometimes there's a little more substance to my critiques. :lol: