Rereading is something that can greatly influence and style as a reader and writer. Often times, new details and symbols are revealed when rereading a piece of literature. Rereading a book at different times throughout your life can mean something different based on your current situation. However, rereading is not just for those who don't understand the imagery, symbols, or those who simply missed it the first time through. It is an important technique that needs to be honed and practiced so that one really doesn’t miss anything. Picking up on details that are between the lines often times are only picked up after a basic understanding of the plot has already been achieved. In rereading, I have found that symbols I interpreted to mean one thing mean or relate to something completely different. Rereading can also cement the storyline in your memory so that it can be recalled perfectly without having to refer to the text. However, based on my own experiences, if the reader plans on discussing the text in any way, after any amount of time the text should be reread. Rereading shouldn’t be considered as backtracking, but rather a restoration of the information held within the text in ones mind. Although, it is not completely necessary to reread everything, rereading can be a very useful tool. Any person who reads classic literature or aspires to write should definitely have this tool in their metaphorical toolbox. Overall, rereading can be used to better analyze or understand the text and serve as a refresher of basic storyline.
The idea of rereading something within different stages of your life to understand something is quite interesting. It is something I personally have never really thought about until now. Even after thinking about this I realize that I understand many more references within text when reading something as a seventeen year old as opposed to a seven year old. Cementing a storyline becomes quite prevalent as well when one begins to reread. It becomes almost a second nature to them and the characters and events before them truly begin to play out on the page. Rereading has a much stronger reference than just trying to understand something.
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