Becoming a better reader

I am in the middle of reading How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster. It is not only informative, but entertaining as well. I bought the book initially out of a desire to learn more about literary criticism, and rather than spending $250.00 on a college literature class, the $12.95 spent on the book has been well worth it. The only drawback is that I feel the need to go back and re-read a number of books because I feel that I missed the big picture by not digging into the author's meaning and symbolism on my first reading. For example: it never occurred to me while reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley to consider the idea that Dr. Frankenstein can be viewed as the real monster, and the monster in the book is really the victim. I also missed the allusion to the relationship between creator and creation and the ideas that Miss Shelley was suggesting about man's relationship to God. I just enjoyed reading the book! AARGH! Well, the next time around I will be better prepared to find deeper meaning in the books I read.