How to Understand a Novel

Along with taking notes and researching, don't forget to enjoy your novel.

Novels are complex and successfully understanding each layer can be quite the undertaking. If you're not used to literary material or to reading in general, attempting to understand a novel can be very discouraging. From "Lolita" to "The Sound and the Fury" to "Wuthering Heights," you're going to encounter hundreds of different styles, themes and stories from incredibly varied authors. Some novels are more accessible than others, but every novel can be enjoyed -- remember, the author wrote the book so people would read it.

Things You'll Need

• Dictionary

Instructions

1. Read carefully. Have you ever sat down with a book, read ten pages and then realized five minutes later that you don't remember anything you just read? Whether you're reading for recreational purposes or for a class, paying attention to what you're reading is crucial to understanding any book. Avoid blanking out and don't continue reading just to finish the novel.

2. Look at the novel as a whole. Reading is a process. Each chapter is a different step, each word a step within that step. It's easy to get confused, and sometimes it will seem that nothing adds up. Look for recurring symbols -- for example, apples keep appearing in the text -- words or characters and ask yourself why they are in the novel.

3. Keep a list or make notes. Write down everything you notice. Write notes about characters, words or passages that interest you on sticky notes or in a notebook. Quick notes won't interrupt the flow of your reading and will allow you to go back to sections or ideas you find interesting. Notes are especially helpful if you're reading for a class or book club and will aid you in your further research.

4. Research. If you come across a word you don't understand or a place you've never heard of, look it up. Keep your dictionary close by while you read so you can look up new words as you come across them. Use your notes to remind you to look up people or places you're unfamiliar with when you're not in the middle of reading. It helps to understand every bit of information about the story presented in the novel. This might include background information about the author and the place or time he lived in. If you know what belief system or events informed the author, you'll have a little more insight into the novel itself.

5. Question everything. Approach the novel as you would a mystery. Any keen detective would be ecstatic to have a book of clues, which is what a novel is. Every word the author includes is a hint to the overall meaning of the book, or the "goal" or "message" of the author. Read carefully.

6. Be persistent. It's going to take time to truly understand a novel. You might even need or want to re-read it. You might find a second reading of the novel will show you things you hadn't noticed in your first reading. Don't be afraid to dedicate time to a book as attentive, engaged reading will improve the knowledge and enjoyment you get out of the novel.

Tips & Warnings

• If you enjoy the novel, look up the author and read other works she has written.

• Join a book club or take a class at your local community college if you're interested in furthering your reading. Your instructor and the other readers will introduce you to books you may never have heard of, and talking about books will help you deepen your understanding.

• If you are reading a novel for a class and will have to write an essay, take detailed notes including pages numbers as you read to help you arrange your quoted passages in the essay. You may want to group your notes according to the themes in your essay.

• Don't read cliffnotes or sparknotes! Though helpful, these so-called tools will detract from your experience of the novel and are more useful for paper-writing.

References

• Mantex: How to Study a Novel