Journal

1
Journal

• Describe your process of reading. How do you know
  when youve read something important?

2
Rules of Notice

• Or
• How to read a little smarter
• than you do now

3
Basic Premise

• Simply put, everything in a text has a purpose
  and, therefore, means something.
• Look at the physical layout of the text on the
  page, particularly for curiosities in layout,
  section and page breaks, symbols, etc.
• We will look quickly at
• Title
• Character
• Changes in the text
• Repetition
• Surprises/Ruptures/Ending

4
Physical Layout

• Extra Space
• Curious layout
• Section Breaks
• Asterisks
• Ellipses
• Italicized sections of text
• Other Punctuation

5
Titles

• Think about the title of the book and of
  chapters, sections, parts, etc.
• Do the titles/subtitles give an indication of
  whats to come/what to expect?
• Do the titles/subtitles seem obscure when you
  finish reading? If so, youre missing something
  big.

6
Characters

• Titles, names, and nicknames
• Is the name an allusion to mythology or canonical
  text?
• Female character named Eve what is likely being
  said about her role in the story?
• Walter Mitty
• The characters introduction
• Timing, setting, actions upon entrance all denote
  character
• Stryders appearance in the pub moments before
  the hobbits are found by the Wraiths
• Conflict, Actions, and Reactions
• Pay attention to problems characters are facing
  separate from the texts primary conflict
• Especially focus on moral/ethical quandaries that
  may give insight into a characters morality
• How do they deal with conflict?

7
Characters

• Physical Description, Clothing, Language
• Characters that look evil usually areunless they
  arent.
• Voldamortnuff said
• The Bird Lady from Home Alone II
• Clothing is indicative of characterunless it
  isnt.
• Leather jacket and torn jeans ?
• Mrs. Havershims wedding dress
• Speech patterns (dialect, tone, words used, etc.)
  

8
Archetypes andUniversal Characteristics

• Archetypal characters
• Hero and villain
• Mother
• Sage/Mentor/Sidekick
• Trickster
• And stereotypical characters (i.e. the hen-pecked
  husband and the overbearing wife)
• Archetypal Patterns
• Coming of age/Journey of Initiation
• Search for Family/Identity
• Love story
• Archetypal settings
• Archetypal symbols
• Colors
• Elements (water, fire, rain, etc.)
• Light and Dark
• Others?

9
Changes in

• Setting
• Point of view
• Character development
• Conflict resolution
• Mood/Tone
• New characters

10
Repetition

• 
  
• Probably most important rule
• Look for repeated
• Sounds
• Dialogue
• Actions
• Situations/Settings
• Strange/mysterious characters

11
Surprises/Ruptures/Ending

• Sudden shifts in plot/conflict you dont see
  coming
• Jodi Picoult text
• Unexpected character development/swings/ actions
• A good character turns out evil (and vice-versa)
• Nina in Season 1 of 24
• Unexpected resolution
• What? That cant be the end!?!