Step 1: Master the surface of the text, correctly identifying:

who speaks

• in poetry, there will be at least one speaker
• in prose there will be at least one narrator and at least one character
• in drama there will be at least one character and a possible narrator

the setting

• in poetry, the basic situation and the occasion for speaking
• in fiction and drama, the time and place and specific environment

what occurs

• in narrative work (e.g., short stories, novels, plays), this will be the chronological order of events of the basic story-line—although these may be presented out of chronological order
• in non-narrative work, like short lyric poetry, this will be the expression of a series of emotions or ideas—sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly through evocative images

Important reminder: Surface reading is not skim or speed reading. Be prepared to look up words you do not know and references you do not understand. Carefully work your way through passages with unusual or unconventional forms of syntax, pausing to make sure you understand the content. (This methodical approach is also known as literal reading.)

Step 2(a): Observe the method of presentation of the content, focusing on the form of the work. Pay particular attention to:

• word choice (are the words modern or archaic? elevated or simple? formal or informal? reflective of a dialect?)
• grammatical structures (does the work follow the rules of grammar? where and when might it violate or subvert a grammatical rule? how simple or complex are the sentences? is the syntax consistent through the piece?)
• figurative language (does the work rely on metaphors? similes? allusions?)
• genre constraints (what genre[s] does the work fit within? what generic components are broadly evident within the writing?)

Step 2(b): Look for patterns, focusing on:

• repetitions of words, sounds, or images
• recurrent rhythms and structures (particularly in poetry)
• narrative order (for works that are narrative in nature)

Important reminder: Observation is not interpretation. It is a catalogue of elements that other readers can verify. Critics who develop new literary classifications may be able to fashion an interpretation from their observations, but such conceptual work requires a great deal of literary knowledge and expertise.

Step 3: Select your most interesting observations and determine their function(s). Consider:

• what your chosen elements communicate
• the effect these elements have on the reader
• the significance these elements hold for the work overall

Important reminder: Such determinations “level-up” to a literary interpretation when they generate a claim that is (a) specific to the work at hand and (b) capable of being contested. If the claim merely outlines how formal features function in general, you are just illustrating a term or technique. If the claim is not capable of being contested (i.e., if no one could disagree with it), you are merely providing agreed upon information. Interpretations are critical arguments that offer ways to comprehend and analyze the particulars a given text.