If you create a time and place to read, and you have a chance to take notes, add these four points: 1) Find Plot, 2) Pick Team, 3) Choose Journey, 4) Make Case. Solving your reading dilemma (if you enjoy deep understanding) means taking a quick jaunt through main ideas and theme.
Find the plot. Do your characters tell of action and vigorous twists? Does the book talk about major activities in love or lust? Or, do the main characters like each other somehow ("friends 'til the end!", for example)? Deciding what the central friction is means a world of difference for your reading experience.
Pick a team. Maybe you are reading about kings and royal infrastructure. How are the motives being defined? Do you prefer one over the other? Can you couple up two characters and create a mission of intent? That defines your "team".
Choose the journey. Many times, characters face differing challenges: monsters, internal demons, family turbulence, or! - on the bright side, romantic meetings, vacation adventures, and child rearing, to name a few. If someone decides that the main theme is too heavy for enjoyment, then he or she can focus on a symbol (*more on symbols in the next post). Realigning the journey can enhance and improve the ride!
Make the case. If you are interested in putting a special touch on a story’s purpose, consider extracting symbols or metaphors to follow to the end of the tale. Ex.: Mary and Bob visit a rocky cliff and take their best photographs, ever! However, their journey included broken lenses and rough forest foliage, low levels of supplies, and harsh winds to the top. The story is they fight and persevere. The case you want to carry with you is: M & B were made to make this trek and fight the elements of earth! Find points along the way to support your claim. This is analysis and wonder combined.
Book Clubs like this one can enhance your reading selection, especially during the coming summer months. Take a look at previous book selections, and find one that fits your mood!
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