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There are some common sense guidelines to follow when you
decide to write about literature.
Whether you're writing your first paper
or returning to school after a long break, this site provides strategies
for thinking about literature and how you can capture your reaction to
it.
Don't be afraid to trust yourself and your reaction to the story. Somewhere
between you and the text is an essay just waiting to come out.
Before you start:
Make sure you've read the
material. Pretending you've read something
and then struggling for hours trying to come up with a false reaction
is a waste of your time.
The teacher can tell whether you're writing
from your experience with
the text
or
you're
writing
fiction
about fiction.
Go ahead and read.
As you're reading, if you own the book, write in it. Circle words
and phrases that stick out, even if you are not sure what they mean
in the big scheme of things. If
you don't own the book, use sticky notes.
Don't
make notes about every page you read. Stick to clumps
of ideas.
If a word like "heart" appears often and
you notice, that's worth remembering for later.
Your first
job is to read, and your second job is to make patterns and connections
from the words on the page.
Copy your teacher's
requirements for the paper carefully. Take notes that will mean
something to you after you've written them down, even hours or days
later. If you don't understand what the paper's requirements are, ask!
Ready to start?
Step One: What do you think?
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