How to Read Classic Literature Actively

The key to understanding classic literature, and being able to talk intellectually about a text is reading actively. It could mean the difference between barely passing a class and receiving an A. While a lot of students have been told that reading actively is important, very few of them actually know what that means. When it comes to classic literature, some students are uninterested, not invested and just plain bored, they often read passively either because they are too intimidated by the text or they fail to see why reading it is useful to them. This article tells students, or anyone who is interested in reading classic literature, how to do so actively.

Underline What Interests You

A lot of times when I am reading, I keep a pen or pencil handy, underlining a phrase or a sentence that jumps right out at me. Why do I do this? It forces me to pay attention to what I am reading and it helps me to remember certain points that the writer is making, and which could be important to the text. What a lot of students assume and incorrectly, is that they should only underline what they think the teacher will consider important, that is not how it should be done. Underline what is important to you,no matter how small or insignificant you think it is, if you have notice it than it is important. It could be a sentence that will have you coming up with a paper topic that is out of this world or have you raising your hand in class to ask a particularly thoughtful question.

Write All Over The Text