Annotating texts

What is annotating? Annotating is way to document your interactions with what you read (writing down your thoughts, asking questions, responding to the words you read, and so on) It is considered the best way to understand and find meaning in a book Annotation is best described as interacting with your text and finding meaning in what you read

When should I do it? When possible, write your annotations on the pages as you read. You could also write your annotations on a Post-it note and stick in on the pages, or write the page number/chapter and write notes in your workbook It is good to annotate while you read, but you can also do so after you read by going back over the text when you are familiar with the story and you know what you’re looking for

It might look something like this:

What do we annotate? Track themes—If you notice a reoccurring theme as you read, start noting the theme when it takes place. Doing so will help you understand the messages that the text is trying to convey. Track character developments— Make notes about the characters, their relationships with other characters, their emotions/feelings and important events that happen to them. How do they change? What do they learn? Locate important passages/quotes— Is there a quote that you think is important or thoughtful? Is there a ‘big idea’ that is evident in a section of text? These are important to locate and may be helpful when using evidence in your text response essays. Identify symbols/imagery— This is where you “read into” the text. Don’t assume everything just has a literal meaning. What might water, hands, time, fire, or roads represent? Ask questions— Are you confused about something? Write the question down. React to what you read— maybe you just read something that made you mad, startled you, or brought you to tears. Write down your reaction to the text so you remember it later. Define new words— If there are any words you aren’t familiar with, underline and find definitions

Summary Notes Once you have annotated the novel, make summary notes on the entire text. These will come in handy when studying the text and will really help with your essay. You will need to make a set of dot point notes that highlight the 20 most important moments from the text. You can do this chapter by chapter (as you go)

What to summarise In the summary notes you should detail: The moment - Decide what are the 20 most important / pivotal moments in the story are and sum them up in a sentence or two. This should be done in sequence and try to pick fairly specific moments. Why is it important - Once your key moments are decided you need to indicate with three or four points why these moments are so important. Quote Bank - Choose three quotes from this moment and note them down. If the quote is more than 2 or three sentences long just write the start of it and then put the page reference.

Example summary notes Michele stands up to Skull and ends up taking the forfeit instead of Barbara. This shows Michele has a strong moral code and sense of right and wrong · It also shows he is willing to sacrifice himself for others. It leads to him finding the boy in the hole. Quotes: ‘Barbara tightened her lips and her fists, I saw her swallow a lump the size of a tennis ball. She dropped her head, but she didn’t cry. I respected her.’ p19 ‘During those days it was Barbara Mura, the fat girl, she was the lamb to the slaughter.’ p18 ‘“Wait! I came last,” I heard myself saying. Everyone turned. “Yes,” I gulped. “I want to do it.” p20

Epigraph I'm Not Scared is preceded by an epigraph by Jack London: "That much he knew. He had fallen into darkness. And at the instant he knew, he ceased to know." Why might Niccolò Ammaniti have chosen to begin his novel with this quote? What is the literal and symbolic significance of falling into darkness?