The Role of Good Reading From Literature: A Portable Anthology by Gardner-Lawn-Ridl-Schakel

The Role of Good Reading Reading well is about paying attention. Well written literature rewards your willingness to re-read and slow down.

The Role of Good Reading Be prepared to go back and re-read key passages.

The Role of Good Reading Reading ‘critically’ does not imply fault-finding, but rather thoughtful consideration of the techniques toward thematic aspects of a work.

The Role of Good Reading In truth, the meanings in literary texts are not hidden, and your job as a reader is not to root around for them. Rather, if a text is not immediately accessible to you, it is because you need to read more actively, and meaning will then emerge in a collaborative effort as you work with the text to create an interpretation.

The Role of Good Reading Active Reading: Slow down Look at key passages multiple times Read with pen in hand and annotate. You are looking for potential paper angles and connections between technique and theme. Jot down questions for follow up in discussion groups or in class.

The Role of Good Reading Begin with the end in mind: All reading usually ends with you writing critically about the work. As you read and take notes remember that you will need to gather evidence to use in your paper to prove your point(s). Discussions about these aspects can help you clarify your thinking as you study the work.