Learning to read critically

[Carolyn]

So this is my first book club, although I have been a voracious reader for over 40 years. I find when I read fiction, I tend to pick up a book and get lost in it and eventually resurface at the end. I don't tend to think about what I'm reading while I'm reading the book. And once I'm done I tend to only think very generally--liked it or didn't, characters pleased or annoyed me, that kind of thing. Then I come here and see discussions where people are quite thoughtful about it as they go. So, how do you go about learning to read and think critically about these books? Is there any type of standard questions that I should be asking as I go, beyond do I like it or not? I'd love to be able to participate in thoughtful discussion beyond reading comments and nodding my head "oh yeah, I didn't think of that, good point"

[Hope]

ooh im new as well good question Carolyn! I was just thinking of asking something simular glad you beat me I could not have come up with something as good as you =)

[Laura *Little Read Riding Hood*]

I am a new blogger, and always struggle with the same thing. I have a hard time picking out "specifics" such as quotes and thoughts and such. I have learned to SLOW DOWN ... I am so anxious to find out what happens next that I don't pay as much attention to what I am reading now. :-)

I am curious to hear what else is suggested, I could use more help myself :-).

[Rachel]

Thinking critically is just asking yourself 'why'. Why did a particular character please or annoy you? Why did you like or hate a particular plot twist? There's no wrong answer, but being able to say that you liked this particular character because you thought she was realistic or you didn't like that other character because of how arrogant he was helps you get deeper into the text. It might be difficult at first, but, like anything, it'll get easier the more you do it.

You could also start a 'reading diary', which is something I had to do in college. When you're done with a particular section of a book, write about it. Make a list of what you liked and what you didn't, and answer 'why'. Link it to other books you've read with similar characters, setting, themes or plots. This could be a private diary or a public blog - whichever format you feel most comfortable with. Or even Twitter - make an account where you live-tweet about what you're reading!

Another idea, if you have the time, is to re-read books. Read them once just to get the general idea and plot down. Then go over it again, noticing any small details or foreshadowing you might have missed the first time through. Often, when I read, I am too wrapped up in 'what happens next?!?' that I miss small details. But going back over them again, I usually gain a deeper understanding of the plot and characters.

[Simian]

I don't read critically as I'm going through the first time. I read books in one sitting, so I open one up and - hopefully - get lost in it (unless it is really bad or jarring, like [i]Iron Duke[/i] was). Then I think back on it critically.

[Becky]

I find that in general I am a "big picture" thinker.. where some people are the other way around. I'll echo that re-reading does help me a lot, and I've found that underlining or jotting down notes as I read helps me focus. I also just enjoy hearing what others pick out and the little stuff they are finding - because their insights really help me process things differently! That was one of my favorite parts of class discussions in college.

[AnnaBanana]

I am also new to book clubs, I mostly joined the discussion because I am a fan of Felicia and Veronica. I actually hate sex scenes in books. (Don't tell them I said that.)

I generally read the way you do. I almost exclusively read books that I am pretty darn sure I am going to like. Either they are the right genre, for which I am pretty forgiving, or they are a favorite author whose style I know I like, etc. The difference now is that I am reading books that I haven't chosen, so it is easier for me to hold myself aside from them. Particularly since I don't like them lol, so it is easy to say to myself "what the heck?" But it has taken a month of reading the forum posts before I started posting myself.

But I bet that as an avid reader, you already have opinions that you just haven't expressed to yourself in actual words instead of just "like or dislike."

Rachel's point of asking yourself "Why?" is pretty perfect advice. But you don't have to ask the questions yourself, as a beginner. There are plenty of people who are already coming up with those questions. Just read them, think about them, and give your answer. Once you get used to responding to questions already posed, thinking about them while you are reading may feel more natural. It doesn't matter if you have the same opinion that some one else has already expressed. Your response in agreement might help some one feel validated, or your disagreement might help them see the point from a different perspective. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, and I bet that it will come naturally.

Maybe having a one on one conversation will help you gather your thoughts more easily than hundreds of people commenting on multiple topics.

[Jeffery]

You already do do a certain amount of critical thinking: why did you read a book? Because something about it seemed to appeal. If you didn't like it, chances are, another book that evokes a similar theme will likely be approached with a certain amount of reserve. Did you like it? Maybe you'll be more enthusiastic about something similar. If you read that something similar and discover that you didn't enjoy it as much as the other book, then all you have to do is think about it. Did you dislike the characters? Were you bored? Did it somehow not make sense, or fail to surprise you? It's often easier to see what didn't work than what DID work. I know, it's negative, and most people don't either want to hear negative, or think of themselves that way, but sometimes it's easier to see positives against a negative background.

[Sarah]

I think the new forum organization (where different threads will discuss only certain sections of the book, i.e. chapters 1-5, 6-10 etc) will help. I also tend to read very quickly, always with the "What's next?" question in mind, rather than thinking critically about different aspects of the story. Breaking it down into sections will help me slow down and analyze the characters, plot, foreshadowing, etc. before jumping into the next section.

[Kamil]

Rachel wrote: "Thinking critically is just asking yourself 'why'. Why did a particular character please or annoy you? Why did you like or hate a particular plot twist? There's no wrong answer, but being able to s..."

the " why questions" ruined plenty of good stuff i really would enjoy. Critical reading made me impossible to appreciate Romeo and Juliet

[Rachel]

Well, if it's going to damage your enjoyment of the book, don't do it!

[Kamil]

i'm not saying it's a bad thing, simply listing what are the dangers. As I notice flaws i also notice the author's hardwork and artcrafting abilities

[Amy]

I don't think I'm that great at critical thinking with fiction books, but one thing I do is to see if the characters' actions make sense in the real world. If a character can or can't do something, would that match up with a something an actual person would be able (or not) to do given their history? I can willingly disbelieve world-building things like the presence of aliens, vampires, or other fantastical creatures, but the characters need to be logical given the background the author has created.

[Jeffery]

Kamil wrote: "i'm not saying it's a bad thing, simply listing what are the dangers. As I notice flaws i also notice the author's hardwork and artcrafting abilities"

Having studied film in college, and later working in the industry as an effects artist, a lot of people wonder if I can sit down and just enjoy a film, and I say yes...doubly yes, because it brings new layers of enjoyment I can have in watching a film. I can go back and watch a pre-digital film, and see what they did WITHOUT digital effects and just be all the more in wonder. Watch Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan or even Buster Keaton, and see just how much choreography and pure physical skill that's being used in a single shot, whereas a more modern film, or less skilled physical artist has to break it down into many shots to cover for the fact that they CAN'T do it in one take. Or knowing that they freaking built that whole temple set back in the day because they couldn't just greenscreen it. It gives it a greater "appreciation' weight than just another well crafted bit of CG.

And that's not even getting into film theory, which brings new levels of enjoyment to films by seeing how they use the language of film, or when they slyly reference other films: a scene may be funny on it's own, but it's hilarious when you realize they're taking a stab at a scene in another movie.

As to why ruining things - yes and no. As long as it's clear that the "why" isn't what you're supposed to focus on, as something else, then you can let it go and enjoy the rest. In some cases, the "why" is in the realm of suspension of disbelief. Don't ask why these people came to this remote house - look instead at what the situation reveals about them. This is not to say never ask why - suspension of disbelief is only supposed to hold up so much. And also recognize how much better the piece could have been if they'd taken the time and energy to actually answer the why's in question.

At least, that's my take. I try wherever possible to recognize the good as well as the bad. There remain good elements even in some terrible books.

[Clever Cat]

I always pay close attention to the writing as I'm reading a book. Good craftsmanship makes me happy, and if it's bad...well, life is too short to read bad books. I find that the joy of really good writing outweighs the disappointment of stumbling onto something that isn't good.

I have the "why" in the back of my head when I'm reading something too. I honestly don't see how you can read something without the "why." At least to a certain extent, unless you can somehow read a story without contemplating the characters or their situations at all. Doesn't that kinda kill the point if reading in the first place? To me, that's just automatic, anyways.

[Alex]

I admit I generally let myself be dragged into a story and just go with it, often just accepting things the way they are.

Often all it takes to see all the flaws is talking about the story or retelling it to someone. Maybe that alone can help. Tell the story to someone in your mind, try to use "because" a lot.

Interestingly, "why" doesn't keep me from enjoying a story if it is gripping. By the time I start realizing all the things that didn't make a lot of sense, I am willing to ignore them (IF I liked the story).

In fact, so far I read only one book I found truly aweful. A German Shadowrun book. Apparently nobody edited this mess of missing words, screwed up grammar and endless spelling mistakes. And yet, only after being sufficiently annoyed by THAT, did I consciously start to notice how unoriginal and generic the story was and how much I just didn't care about a single character.

When it comes to writing, "why" is usually what kills most of the things I start, long before they get anywhere. The point where you realize that all the neat scenes, all the cool bits and pieces you had in mind just simply don't connect. That character A would never do such a thing or that plan X is hopelessly overcomplicated (think "putting hero into elaborate death trap, when you could just shoot him").

Now, looking at some books and especially movies, many writers don't seem to care. "The plot must flow", reason and character motivation be damned. While having faced that kind of issue, I can somewhat accept that a writer deliberately ignores one or two small plot holes, doing it on a large scale really annoys me. As in "if I as an amateurish hobbyist dabbler strain my brain over it, how come a paid professional can afford to not give a damn?"

At the same time, I kind of agree with Sarge. Some things you can appreciate a lot more if you tried doing them yourself. Try writing a just-for-fun script for a (fictional) show and see what a hard requirement like 45min can do to you. Or how hard it can be to get the "voice" of a character just right, or constantly wondering "would he really do this?"

So maybe simply writing/planning something, a short story maybe, can already change your perspective to make you a more critical reader?