called the synthetic method. The word synthetic is derived from the Greek preposition syn, which means together, and the verbal root the, which means to put, so that the resultant meaning is “a putting together.” Synthetic is the opposite of analytic, which means “a taking apart.” The synthetic method ignores detail, and treats only of the interpretation of a document as a whole. The First Reading: The Main Theme The first reading of the book should be careful but rapid; and the main quest should