WaystoUnderstandandInterprettheNovel ResearchMethodsandThesisWriting Literature Whydowestudyliterature Literaturerepresentsalanguageorapeople cultureandtradition But literatureismoreimportantthanjustahistoricalorculturalartifact Literatureintroducesustonewworldsofexperience Welearnaboutbooksandliterature weenjoythecomediesandthetragediesofpoems stories andplays andwemayevengrowandevolvethroughourliteraryjourneywithbooks Howdoweinterpretandevaluateliterature wemaydiscovermeaninginliteraturebylookingatwhattheauthorsaysandhowhe shesaysit Wemayinterprettheauthor smessage Inacademiccircles thisdecodingofthetextisoftencarriedoutthroughtheuseofliterarytheory usingamythological psychological cultural historical orotherapproach Whatisnovel Novelisafictionalpieceofproseusuallywritteninanarrativestyle Novelstellstories whicharetypicallydefinedasaseriesofeventsdescribedinasequence Formula Patterns ThePrecriticalResponse Setting Plot Character Theme SymbolismVI PointofView I Setting Definition Settingisthetimeandplaceinwhichtheeventsofanarrativeoccur Themajorelementsofsettingarethetime theplace andthesocialenvironmentthatframesthecharacters Thesettingmaybespecificanddetailed andintroducedattheverybeginningofthenovel oritmaybemerelysuggestedthroughtheuseofdetailsscatteredthroughoutthenovel EffectsofSetting Createsatmosphere givesinsighttocharacters andprovidesconnectionstootheraspectsofthestory ExampleofSetting JaneEyre Setting time Earlydecadesofthe19thcentury Setting place Thenovelisstructuredaroundfiveseparatelocations allsupposedlyinnorthernEngland TheReedfamily shomeatGateshead ThewretchedLowoodSchool Rochester smanorhouseThornfield TheRiversfamily shomeatMoorHouse Rochester sruralretreatatFerndean II Plot Simplyspeaking plotisthearrangementoftheeventsoractionsinastoryintoacausalrelationship Thekingdiedandthenthequeendied InAspectsoftheNovel E MFosterdefinedastoryasanarrativeofeventsarrangedintheirtimesequence Aplotisalsoanarrativeofevents theemphasisfallingoncausality III Character Characterization Characterreferstooneofthepersonsinthestory theendresultoftheauthor sefforttocreateafictionalpersonality CharacterizationreferstoThemethodanauthorusestoacquaintthereaderwithhisorhercharacters MethodsofCharacterization Therearefourmethodsofcharacterization describingthecharacter sappearance reportingthecharacter sspeechandbehavior describingthereactionsofothercharacterstotheindividual revealingthecharacter sthoughtsandfeelings ExamplesofCharacterizationI Karenwassmallforherageandinclinedtoplumpness Herblueeyesviewedthepeopleandeventsaroundherwithamixtureofcuriosityandamusement Shewasnotawoman butshewaspastbeingachild toosophisticatedfortoys shemightstill onimpulse turnasomersault 翻筋斗 onthelivingrug 1 ApproximatelyhowoldisKaren 2 Whatdetailshelpyouvisualizeher 3 WhatdetailsrevealsomethingaboutKaren spersonality ExamplesofCharacterizationII Butwhycan tIgo Karenwailed Everyoneelseisgoing Youneverletmegoanywhere Youjustdon twantmetogrowupandhavefun Karenwheeledaroundandstormedoutofthehouse slammingthedoorbehindher 1 WhatdoesKarenrevealaboutherpersonalityinthisspeech 2 Whatdoheractionscontributetoyourpictureofher ExamplesofCharacterizationIII I veknownKarenforalongtime eversincefirstgrade We vebeenbestfriendssincelastyear Ilikeherbecause well Iguessit sbecausesheisalwayssohappyandsureofherselfandshe sgoodatthingslikebaseball andswimmingandpaintingandstuff Joaniepaused thenadded Everybodyatschoollikesher 1 WhatisJoanie srelationshiptoKaren 2 WhatdoyoulearnaboutKarenfromJoanie scomments ExamplesofCharacterizationIV Thesunlighttrickledbetweentheslatesofthebambooblinds Karenstretchedluxuriously pleasantlyawareofthetinglingsensationinhermuscles Shereallyoughttogetup shethought Sallywascomingoverateleven Maybesheshouldmakesomesandwichessotheycouldeatoutinthebackyard Mrs Henleywastakingthemtothebeachintheafternoon SheshouldfinishthatlettertoPeggy maybeshewouldtonight ifsheremembered andifshehadtime 1 WhatisKarenthinkingabout 2 Whatdoherthoughtstellyouaboutherpersonality Protagonist Antagonist TheProtagonististhemostimportantcharacter Theprotagonistdoesnothavetobeheroic butheorshenormallytriestoaccomplishsomethingdecisiveduringthecourseofthestory Thisgoalmaybeobvioustotheothercharacters oritmaybeprivate Thecharacterwhoopposestheprotagonististheantagonist Althoughtheantagonistmaywellbeunpleasantoractuallyevil thisisbynomeansalwaysthecase IV Theme Thethemeofastoryoranovelisthegeneralizationabouthumanlifethatcanbedrawnfromoutcomeoftheconflictandfromthesupportprovidedbythetone attitude atmosphere setting andsymbolism Inmostgreatliterature thethemeisimpliedratherthanexplicitlystated SonsandLovers Thenovelhastwothemes thecripplingeffectsofamother sloveontheemotionaldevelopmentofherson andthe split betweenkindsoflove physicalandspiritual whichthesondevelops thekindsrepresentedbytwoyoungwomen ClaraandMiriam V SymbolsinPilgrim sProgress TheprotagonistChristian theCelestialCity VanityFair Faithful Great heart VI PointofView PointofViewreferstoth