How do I think outside of the box and come up with unique answers?

I believe that it is really important to use your imagination and creativity skills when reading an extract. Imagine reading the extract from a birds eye view and taking into account everyones perspectives on use of language etc.
It can be really useful to quickly use mind maps in a plan to come up with more than one idea!"On one side of the little room there was a square four-paned window, and on the other, a narrow plank door leading into the barn"So... focusing on the "narrow plank door" narrow - confined slim - small chance of leavingplank - woodwood - nature nature on the inside on his bland roomreminder of what is on the outside - hope? It is important to notice that not all ideas will be relevant, but from this list I have developed a more unique perspective on the sentence by associating the plank door with nature. Being creative while reading an extract is what allows the imagination to develop ideas that are not necessarily obvious.