There are several ways to understand the central idea of a famous work: 1 Read the foreword and preface: The foreword and preface of many famous works will summarize the main theme and theme of the work. Therefore, when reading these parts, you can pay attention to the author's evaluation, purpose, background, and other information of the work to infer the core idea of the work. 2. Read the table of contents and chapter titles: The table of contents and chapter titles of famous works usually summarize the main theme and theme of the work. Therefore, when reading, one could pay attention to this information and infer its central idea based on the content and plot of the work. 3. Understand the theme and background of the work: Many masterpieces have experienced a long period of development and evolution, and their theme and background have changed with the times. Therefore, when reading, one could understand the central idea of the work by combining the background of the era and the theme. 4. Think about the meaning and symbolism of the work: Many famous works express their central ideas through symbolism and metaphor. Therefore, when reading, you can think about the symbols and metaphor in the work and understand the central idea of the author's intention and cultural background. Read the author's comments and notes: Many authors of famous works will leave comments and notes in their works to express their thoughts and opinions. Therefore, when reading, you can pay attention to the author's comments and annotations to understand the main idea. In short, understanding the central idea of a famous work required a comprehensive consideration and analysis of many factors, including the content, plot, theme, background, and the author's intention.