Chapter 1
Foundational Reading Comprehension Strategies
Course: Gre
Subject: Gre Verbal Reasoning
Chapter: Foundational Reading Comprehension Strategies
Introduction: Two Perspectives, One Text
Imagine looking at a beautiful mosaic from across the room. You see the big picture: a stunning portrait of a phoenix rising from flames. Now, imagine walking up close to the same mosaic. You can now see the individual tiles—their colors, their shapes, how they fit together to create the larger image.
Both perspectives are valuable. The "far" view gives you the overall meaning, while the "near" view reveals the craftsmanship. This is the difference between big-picture reading and close reading. Both are essential strategies for fully understanding a work of literature. This lesson will explore both approaches and show you how to use them to become a more insightful reader.
Close Reading and Big-Picture Reading
These two strategies are like two lenses for examining a text.
- Big-picture reading is the "far" view. It focuses on the text as a whole, looking for overarching themes, patterns, and the author's main purpose. It helps you make generalizations and understand the work's overall structure and meaning.
- Close reading is the "near" view. It's an up-close investigation of the small choices an author makes. This includes analyzing word choice (diction), sentence structure, figurative language, and specific details. It's about becoming a detective to understand how the author creates meaning.
Both strategies are crucial. The big picture gives the close reading context, while the close reading provides evidence to support your understanding of the big picture.
Close-Reading Strategies
Close reading requires meticulous attention to detail. You examine the text at the word, sentence, and paragraph level. Here are some key strategies:
- Analyze Word Choice (Diction): Why did the author choose this specific word instead of a synonym? What are the connotations of the word?
- Identify Patterns and Repetition: Are certain words, images, or sounds repeated? What effect does this create?
- Examine Figurative Language: What metaphors, similes, or personification does the author use? What ideas are being compared?
- Analyze Sentence Structure (Syntax): Are the sentences long and flowing, or short and choppy? How does the structure affect the mood or pace?
- Note Foreshadowing: What small details hint at events that will happen later?
Example from Romeo and Juliet
Let's apply close reading to the opening lines of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet:
Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
A close reading would notice:
- Rhyme: The rhyming words "dignity/mutiny" and "scene/unclean" create a poetic structure.
- Word Choice: "Ancient grudge" suggests a long-standing hatred. "New mutiny" implies this old conflict is flaring up again.
- Foreshadowing: "Civil blood makes civil hands unclean" directly foreshadows the violence and bloodshed that will stain the city.
Big-Picture Reading Strategies
Big-picture reading takes a wide-angle view. It involves strategies that look at the entire work:
- Identify the Genre: Is it a tragedy, a comedy, a satire? Knowing the genre sets expectations for the work's overall shape and themes.
- Determine the Central Theme: What is the main idea or message the author is exploring? (e.g., love vs. hate, fate, individual vs. society).
- Analyze Plot Structure: What is the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution? How does the story build?
- Consider Character Arcs: How do the main characters change or develop over the course of the story?
- Assess the Author's Overall Purpose: What is the author trying to say or achieve with this work?
Example from Romeo and Juliet
Taking a big-picture view of the same play, you would consider:
- Genre: It's a tragedy, so you expect the main characters to meet a disastrous end.
- Central Theme: A major theme is the destructive nature of feuding and the power of fate.
- Plot Structure: The plot follows the arc of a forbidden love that ultimately leads to the death of the lovers.
- Author's Purpose: Shakespeare may have been commenting on the futility of senseless conflict.
Key Takeaways
- Close reading is the "near" view, focusing on small details like word choice, patterns, and figurative language.
- Big-picture reading is the "far" view, focusing on the overall structure, themes, and plot.
- Both strategies are essential for a complete understanding of a text. One informs the other.
- Using both lenses allows you to understand both what a text means and how the author created that meaning.