How do I select and memorise quotes for closed book exam papers?

Selecting and memorising quotes can be one the most tedious parts of the revision process. However, it is intrinsic to being able to comfortably and confidently approach any given exam question. When selecting quotes to memorise, it is important that you have quantitatively sufficient number; this will increase your flexibility in answering a wider range of questions – though, of course, it is important that you do not overwhelm yourself with multitudes of quotes that are impossible to remember! There is no ‘perfect’ way to select quotes to memorise, but it is useful to consider both what you find interesting when reading and the key themes of the text. Therefore, you might find it constructive to note down quotes that draw your attention when you first read the book; even if these quotes are not ones discussed in class, the fact that you find them noteworthy will enable you to memorise them more easily and subsequently relate them to both your class discussions and exam questions. Alongside this, it is tactical to select the key themes of the text, and note several down quotes that relate to each of these. For example, when memorising quotes for ‘Othello’, I looked at the themes ‘jealousy’, ‘infatuation’ and ‘power’ (amongst others) and mind mapped quotes relevant to each. Exam questions can very well relate to the key themes of the text so you will be well prepared by doing this.
When it is time to memorise your quotes, quote selection can seem the lesser of two evils, but I must stress that this is an important and entirely doable part of your revision. A simple, but valuable piece of advice would be to download a flashcard app. These are really useful, and you can use them wherever. Even doing 10 minutes before you get the bus or before you go to sleep helps you to build up a web of quotes in your mind, minus the tedium of sitting down and repeating quotes to yourself for hours on end! However, it can be even more valuable to ‘give the quotes meaning’ and make connections in quotations throughout the text. Write down quotes that you think speak to and relate to each other. By way of illustration, I noted the connection in ‘Othello’ between ‘Rude am I in speech, and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace’ (Act 1, Scene 3) and ‘have not those soft parts of conversation (Act 3, Scene 3). These two quotes communicated with one another in that they revealed Othello’s persistent self-consciousness about his speech; perhaps being part of a hamartia that contributed to his downfall. Linking together quotes means that you are giving them meaning, thus semantically encoding them and making them more memorable. If you recall one of them in the exam, you will almost inevitably recall the other. This means that you will have both a wider selection of quotes (and therefore greater flexibility with exam questions) but also be able to make connections across the text, which is key to A Level exam technique, and further, to achieving high grades.