Novel Study

Novel Study English 9 Mrs. McDee 2004

I hope this will be an enjoyable project for you and one which will be an aid to a fuller understanding of literary terms and the structure of novels.

DUE DATE: Friday, 7 May by Break in the box labeled with your section found in the CLASSROOM (Rm. 118)

The main aim of this project is to make a literary book of the novel you have chosen. You may choose any novel you have read this year other than what we read in class. The novel must be at least 150 pages in length and it must be a novel you read this year either for leisure reading or any other novel you have chosen to read. HOWEVER, YOU MAY NOT CHOOSE A NOVEL YOU READ 2 YEARS AGO. CHOOSE A NEW ONE. PLEASE DO NOT USE A HARRY POPTTER BOOK. Any other FICTIONAL type is acceptable. SEE SUGGESTED LIST BELOW. YOU HAVE THE CHOICE OF CHOOSING ANY NOVEL YOU WISH, FOLLOWING THE REQUIREMENTS ABOVE. HOWEVER, PLEASE MAKE YOUR DECISION SOON FOR ON FRIDAY, MARCHH 5 I WILL ASK THAT YOU GIVE ME YOUR NOVEL CHOICE AND THE AUTHOR.

GOAL

The basic goal of your literary book is to use the literary terms below and apply them to your specific book along with the basic plot of the novel, presented in story book form, in conjunction with the statement (in a complete sentence) of the main theme which generates from the plot.

STRUCTURE OF THE LITERARY BOOK

I will show you some samples of literary books in class but since some of us are visual learners I will include here the structure in written form.

The first page of your book should list the characters according to how they are presented in the novel, such as antagonist, protagonist, narrator, dynamic character, flat or static character and a short description of their importance to the novel’s plot.

The second page should state the plot in written form, including the conflict, the climax and the conclusion.

The third page should state in written form the point of view employed in the novel and the time and place setting of the novel.

The fourth page should include any other of the literary terms studied (see attached sheet) that your novel might have used such as symbols, irony, flashback or foreshadowing and a complete explanation of each term and how it was displayed in the novel.

The next few pages should be set up as a summary of the novel’s main content. This will be a summarized version of your novel which will also include illustrations drawn by you.

The last page of your book should be a one sentence statement of the main theme of the novel.

ILLUSTRATIONS

The manner in which you choose to present your book is up to you personally. You can create a children’s book, a condensed replication of the book, or a pop-up book (SEE SAMPLES IN CLASS). The possibilities are endless. However, whichever genre you choose, the literary terms must be included as stated above and the theme must be stated in a generally applicable way and in sentence form on the last page of your book. You do not have to be an artist to neatly and appropriately draw figures which would enhance the summary of you novel. You do not necessarily have to draw a complete scene for each page of your book. Symbols might sometimes be more effective. No cut-outs from magazines are allowed. Use your own creativity and imagination and remember to make sure your ‘drawings’ are neat and appropriate.

BOOK COVER

You must have a cover for your book which can be considered ‘protected’. You can laminate it, use hard materials as the cover or both. The choice is yours. The book must be bound in some way not just stapled together. The binding, however, must be pliable enough so that the reader can easier maneuver through your book without destroying or ripping it.

GRADING

During the week of May 10, each of you will be given a classmate’s literary book to read and evaluate using a criteria sheet I will give you later. I will also individually grade each book using the same criteria. This is a very big project and one which will count for a great deal of your quarter grade so BE CREATIVE-----THINK------ENJOY-------BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY: HAVE FUN!!!!!!