How to Study a Novel

There isn't a single formula or a secret recipe for the successful study of literature. But to do it seriously you should be a deep and attentive reader. This means reading, then re-reading. It means making an active engagement with the book. And it means making notes. 

                                                                     

You can read the novel quickly first, just to get an idea of the story-line. Then you will need to read it again more slowly, making notes. If you don't have time, then one careful slower reading should combine understanding and note-taking.

                                                        

Make two types of notes - some written in the book itself, and others on separate pages. Those in the book are for highlighting small details as you go along. Those on separate pages are for summaries of evidence, collections of your own observations, and page references for study topics or quotations. 

Notes in the book

Use a soft pencil - not a pen. Ink is too distracting on the page. Don't underline whole paragraphs. If something strikes you as interesting, write a brief note saying why or how it is so. 

  Separate notes

You will definitely remember the characters, events, and features of a novel more easily if you make notes while reading. Use separate pages for different topics. You might make a record of

• About The Author 
• Tittle and Background
• Settings 
• Characters
• Major themes
• Chronology of events 
• Narrative strategies 
• Stylistic features 

You may be able to determine different topics to record based upon the specifics of your assignment.

Make a note of the name, age, appearance, and their relationship to other characters in the novel. Writers usually give most background information about characters when they are first introduced into the story. Make a note of the page(s) on which this occurs. Note any special features of main characters, what other characters (or the author) think of them.