How to study English literature |
Posted: July 12, 2018 |
English literature is a complex subject, but that does not prevent many students from studying it. With so many things to keep in mind, it may seem hard to decide, if only where to start. If you are studying for an assessment, exam or college-level course, there are some steps you can take to achieve your goals. Prepare for the test Start early. Do not wait until the day before a major test before you start studying. Especially with a subject such as English literature, where analytical questions will probably be asked as well as questions based on the content, you must take the time to know the strings of the subject. It is unlikely that you are only asked to be able to summarize the story or to name a few characters. Review what you already know Write down all the information you remember after first reading your literary work, as well as what you remember from your classes. Do not 'cheat' by glancing through your notes or text, just write what you are sure to remember? Then the English literature notes will be your initial associate and it will reveal any gaps you may have had. Look for examples of questions, if possible. If you have a study guide or standard questions, look for all those expressions that you already know. This will help you determine the points you need to work on and establish a study plan. Rereading his literary works Re-read your book you have probably read the text in class, but if you are studying for an exam, be sure to re-read it to better control the parts you missed the first time. And must follow these points:
Take useful notes for dramatic and fictional texts Summarize each chapter or act in dash after reading the text for the second time. This will be useful for future review as you will have a clear summary with which to work. Establish profiles for each main character. Include all the important things the character says or does, as well as links to other characters in the text. Mention all the problems the characters face. This can be even more useful than summarizing the chapters. What challenges and conflicts do the main characters face? What are their goals? Take notes. Take more detailed notes, including the main themes of the text and how each character is important in the book. Do not skimp on the details here! Noticing that Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" tone is very sinister will not be very helpful if you do not have a way to describe what gives the book its ominous "look". Write down all the symbols in your book and the parts where they appear. Take useful notes for poetic works Determine the kind of poem you are studying. Sometimes knowing what kind of poem you are studying, be it a sonnet, a haiku, can be very important in order to discuss its scope. Often, you can determine the kind of poetry you are studying by looking at the rhyming pattern (pattern of rhyme at the end of each verse) and the counter (the number of syllables of a verse). Write all the symbols of the poem and the parts of the book where they appear. As with prose, symbolism appears all the time in poetry. Be on the lookout for repeated items, especially colors or natural imagery. Remember that you do not have to memorize the poems you are studying. Just know the basics, including the structure of the poem, the themes and the overall idea. Find contextual information. Context is just as fundamental to poetry as it is to fiction or drama. Knowing what kinds of problems the poet is raising can help you understand the overall purpose of poetry. Treat more difficult texts Re-read passages that you find difficult to understand. Especially in poetry, writers can use an unconventional language style in order to have a greater impact on the reader. This may be embarrassing at first, but by re-reading the passages slowly and accurately, your attention will be rewarded. Make questionnaires. If you have trouble remembering parts of your book, develop question cards. Sometimes the transfer of material from one means of expression to another (for example, small notes written on question cards) helps you to learn more effectively.
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