© Boardworks Ltd 2003 1 of 18 The Novel For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation. This icon indicates the slide contains activities

© Boardworks Ltd 20031 of 18

The Novel

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

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The novel

When reading any novel, it is up to the reader to contribute ideas and develop an interpretation of:

Plot

Themes

Characters.Your interpretations and opinions should be based on close textual analysis.

This presentation will teach you how to study a novel closely.


Plot is the novel’s story line – what the book is essentially about. Here is the plot outline (story summary) for the novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert:

Emma Bovary is a young woman who dreams of a romantic life away from home. When she finally marries and gets all she desired, she feels unsatisfied with her role as a housewife. To quench her hunger for romance she has an affair with an unsuitable lover. As she fights for a life of glamour, things soon deteriorate in Emma’s life, leaving both her and her husband penniless and unhappy.

The plot


What is your favourite novel?

What happens in it?

Remember when writing a blurb, you

must try not to give the ending

away!

Writing a blurb

Write the plot outline for your favourite book in the form of a blurb, like those on the back covers of books.


The themes in a novel are the issues that it attempts to address. Themes can range from universal and timeless issues such as friendship and war to more specific themes such as homelessness in London.

Themes

Brainstorm the themes of the book you’re reading now.


Themes


In order to understand a character, it is important to examine all the clues a writer gives you.

What are they doing?

What are they saying (and how are they saying it)?

How do they interact with other characters?

What are their attitudes/fears/dreams?

What are they wearing? Why?

Characters

Asking the following questions will help you understand a character:


Read the extract below:

Characters – Great Expectations by Dickens

In an armchair, with an elbow resting on the table and her head leaning on that hand, sat the strangest lady I have seen, or ever shall see.

She was dressed in rich materials – satins, and lace, and silks, all of white. Her shoes were white. And she had a long white veil dependent from her hair, and she had bridal flowers in her hair, but her hair was white. Some bright jewels sparkled on her neck and on her hands, and some other jewels lay sparkling on the table…

It was when I stood before her, avoiding her eyes, that I took note of the surrounding objects in detail, and saw that her watch had stopped at twenty minutes to nine, and that a clock in the room had stopped at twenty minutes to nine.

“Look at me,” said Miss Havisham. “You are not afraid of a woman who has never seen the sun since you were born?”


What can you tell about the character from her appearance and behaviour?

Characters

Draw a picture of how you imagine Miss Havisham

to look.


This is an extract from John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men which is set in California in the 1930s:

“Why ain’t you wanted?” Lennie asked.

“Cause I’m black. They play cards, but I can’t play because I’m black. They say I stink. Well, I tell you, you all of you stink to me.”

What does this tell you about the attitude of some of the characters in this novel?

Do you think that Steinbeck agrees with these attitudes?

Characters


Characters in novels or even the narrators of novels do not always express the views of the author. In fact, sometimes the author has views which are contrary to a character’s point of view.

The character whose viewpoint we are expected to adopt is called the hero. The villain is the ‘evil’ character who we want to see fail.

Characters


Heroes and villains


How good would you be at inventing convincing characters?

Invent a character. Write at least one paragraph of a story in which you show how your character looks, speaks and treats others.

How about creating two characters: one hero and one villain who battle against each

another…

Characters


Literary novels tend to continue to be a success over a long period of time even though they affect new readers in new ways.

Many novels are now transferred into different media, e.g. film. This gives the story a much wider audience although often directors choose to change the endings of stories to suit the particular media they are working in.

Can you think of a novel which was altered as a result of being made into a film?

Which version did you prefer? Why?

Different media


Character hot-seating

The rules of questioning:

You may ask any question you wish so long as it does not offend anyone else in the room.Questions must not promote yes/no answers but make the character think.

The purpose of hot-seating:

To help you reach a better understanding of a particular character. To get you thinking about unanswered questions in the text.To encourage you to debate interpretations of characters.


Drama

What would happen if [character name] and [character name] were stranded on a tropical island together?

Imagine a scene in which this happens and act it out with a partner.


Could the novel have ended differently?

[Insert suggestions for alternative endings]

Write an alternative ending for [novel name]. Try to be realistic about what might have been and as far as possible, imitate the author’s style of writing.

Story writing


You have been chosen to direct the new film version of [novel name]. Complete the tasks below to help production of this film.

Which two scenes do

you think will be most

important? Design the

wardrobe for

[character/s name/s]

for these scenes.

Choose actors to play the lead roles giving reasons for your choices.

Design a poster to advertise the film premiere.

Make notes on any scenes or parts of the novel which could be difficult to film.

Decide on a target audience.

Film adaptation

Documents

© Boardworks Ltd 2003 1 of 18 The Novel For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation. This icon indicates the slide contains activities