12/16/15 \ Analyzing Text
Hi! So after analyzing 30-something different texts in the past month (and getting great scores on all of them) I’ve compiled a list of my tips on analyzing text (and other things but mostly text). This is how I do it, but if you do something different and it works for you, then that’s perfect! No need to change your style. Feel free to add your own tips in the reblogs and stuff~~
1. Read the questions you have to answer first (if there are any).
I think this is kind of obvious, but I like to know what details I need to focus on the most while analyzing. That way I find it easier to answer the questions because I’m looking out for them, but I’m also not spending too much time on other topics in the text.
I said in the first one that I like to know what I need to focus on, but that doesn’t mean I should only be looking out for those answers. It’s best to read and understand everything so that you can gain a firmer grasp of certain concepts. If you feel the urge to skip over everything else and go to the points you need to answer, then try to slow down a bit.
Personally, I LOVE to annotate. Find the best way for your own annotating style (check here, here, here and here)! But if it’s something like a character analysis, I don’t tend to annotate as much as I usually do (because it’s not like I’m analyzing a textbook). And anyways, annotations aren’t supposed to be very long- keep them limited to key topics or a few themes.
4. Analyze it like you would your fandom.
I’m not even kidding, this is how I analyze things. Not only does it make analyzing text a little more bearable, but it helps me analyze better.
a. When looking for FORESHADOWING and MAKING PREDICTIONS
Picture the text as your favorite TV show writers’ Twitter feed. Anything that sounds a little cryptic or is an example of figurative language might actually be foreshadowing. Then from there I would imagine all the different meanings of the text, trying to visualize myself as part of the text’s fandom.
Anything in the text that would probably drive you insane (if you were part of the text’s fandom) if you stopped reading right after that sentence will help you make predictions. You’re getting one or two sentences that could allude to something in the future, just like how writers sometimes tease future episodes of their shows in 140 characters or less.
b. When analyzing CHARACTER BEHAVIOR
You don’t have to picture every character as your favorite one, but what you can do is at least picture the main protagonist as your favorite character. When analyzing side characters or the antagonist, try to see how their behaviors will affect the main protagonist. Does the author go into detail regarding a character’s movement? e.g. “He hugged Sam, who stiffened up slightly when he did.” Sure, it might just be that Sam isn’t a touchy person, but could there be more? It might be foreshadowing and that will allow you to make better predictions. This also applies to analyzing video- watch for character reactions and subtleties in their actions.
Hopefully these tips help you as much as they help me!
snowghoul
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