Breaking+It+Down

When first attempting to understand a piece of literature, there are a few basic steps to follow. 1. First Read- determine the subject 2. Second Read- narrow down the subject to a topic 3. Third Read- establish the following
 * Speaker: who is speaking (NOT the writer)?
 * Audience: to whom is the speaker talking?
 * Occasion: what prompted the speaker to write about the topic?
 * Setting: where and when is the piece of literaturing occuring?
 * Purpose: what is the speaker trying to communicate and why?
 * Idea/Theme: what is the overarching idea behind the piece of literature (not specific to one work)?