2017 O-level Pure Lit handwritten notes 1

I hope you're not turned off by my handwriting here & hear me out here! My notes may not be the aesthetically pleasing per se; but I've depended on these compiled notes written few days before the day of my exam & have earned an A2 grade for it. This is based on an outdated O-level lit novel: "Alan Paton Cry the Beloved Country" however what I find useful (for you) may be the way I organised my content & HOW I also managed to remember the significant quotes.

Legend:

• Green: Themes
• Pale red: My so-called personal voice
• Grey: Interesting vocab I can incorporate in my essay (which is also kinda relevant to the text I'm doing)
• Yellow: Specifically catered to the various characters
• Stars: Important & to include in essay when the chance arises
• Circle: Characters

Some things that guided me in the writing of my notes Mostly I'm able to remember well starting from individual characters & how it links to the novel's overall themes.

• Overview of what I think the whole novel is about tgt with contextualisation
• Within the various characters I included: Character qualities, what sort of overall theme they embody based on characterisation, evidence & significance, authorial intention for placing this character in the novel
• Key passages/parts within the novel (which I think will apply for most if not all Lit texts just in different forms) - Other significant/impt parts of the novel. Consider even the minor characters too; if you have the chance to use it, it's gonna be a bonus for you trust me.

This technique works for me during my O-level days when I have more leeway to put in more of my personal thoughts & feelings. For A-levels when I don't have much time anymore to write so much for 5 texts & it's a whole new level from Os, I find that the understanding & knowing the plot very well is important & finding quotes that give you the potential to make use of a variety of literary devices, while ensuring relevance to que. *