A Beginner's Guide To Close Reading
What does it mean to "read closely?"
To "read closely" means to foster an advanced understanding and interpretation of a literary passage that is focused primarily on the words themselves.
What should you look for when close reading?
When close reading, you should look for:
- Word choice - Why did the author use one word over another.
- Structure.
- Imagery - How do specific descriptions offer important insight into the passage?
- Syntax - What subtle points is the author trying to make by the way they structure their sentences?
- Literary devices - How does the author use metaphors, allusions, and irony?
- Context - How do the passages or individual sentences work in conjunction with the surrounding text?
- Tone - What emotion is the author trying to convey?
- Strange or surprising statements - If something does not line up or is out of the ordinary, why?
- Rhythm - What significance does the sound of lines or phrases have?
What do you do after close reading a number of passages?
After close reading, tie together the discoveries you made from the passages to reveal similar themes and formulate a thesis.