Recently, I read “Murder on the Orient Express,” by Agatha Christie. This is a classic murder mystery novel that I’ve seen referenced in many murder mystery media, so I knew what was going to happen. 

After finishing, I decided to read a couple of analyses on it. I found myself understanding, and, by extension, enjoying the novel much more afterward. 

All that to say I think more people should analyze or at least read analyses of media they like more often. 

There’s a lot you can glean from looking at a show, for example, a bit closer. Maybe there’s some symbolism that you can spot in other shows, or maybe you find the character to be surprisingly relatable. You could even figure out the next plot beat through guessing what is and isn’t foreshadowing. 

Additionally, through reading or conducting an analysis, you often find yourself liking something much more. I, for one, have had negative opinions about characters be flipped around entirely by just reading a short analysis on them (although some characters just cannot be saved this way). 

Sometimes, I even find myself, like I previously mentioned, finding the character more relatable and hitting pretty close to home. Having a character like that, one that you have looked into and studied, one that can be so close to your heart, is important. It’s why there’s so much emphasis on representation in the media. It’s important to see someone like you on your TV screen, in the words of a book and in the games you play.

With media literacy at an all-time low, building up your skills right now can be much more helpful than you might initially think. Next time, when you’re catching up with your favorite show, I’d employ you to slow down your binge session and take in what you’re watching. Maybe you’d pick something up that you hadn’t before.