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Novel Study

Setting

Symbols

Conflicts

Themes

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Setting

What details do you know about the setting of your novel?Consider time period, location, time of year, weather, etc.Make a list. Compare with a neighbour.

How does the setting enhance the content of the novel?

To Kill a Mockingbird The Chrysalids

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Symbol ­ the use of a physical object or being to represent an idea; something that stands for or suggests something larger than itself.

Things to look for: animals, objects used a number of times, objects that change as characters or situations change.

Examples: Milk and apple pie = wholesomenessThe senseless death of an animal = loss of hope

Novel Study ­ Symbols

Copy This

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Symbols from the Novels ­ what ideas do these represent?

To Kill a Mockingbird The Chrysalids

mockingbird cross

tree fort whip

stopwatch Dakker's cat

items from tree fort the great horses

overalls Sophie (toes)

camellias Sealand city

Boo Radley steam engine

Tom Robinson the calf

guns

courtroom

innocence

powerauthority

control

forgivenesschildhood

friendship

purity

Zealotry

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Conflicts

To Kill a Mockingbird The Chrysalids

Review Types of Conflicts:Person vs Person vsPerson vs

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Thematic Ideas ­ a word or short phrase usually. e.g. love, hate, discrimination

Theme Statement ­ A complete sentence that expresses an understanding about life and/or human nature. The idea should apply to the novel and the world.

If you have a cliché, reword it so that it is more complex and specific to the novel. Reword to eliminate "you" / "your". Instead, use "one" or "person" or "people". Don't phrase your theme as an order or a moral.

It usually takes a few tries to write a really good theme statement. e.g. Appearances can be deceiving. Don’t judge people.

Poorly stated theme: Don’t judge people before you get to know them.

Reformatted theme: Judging people before getting to know them can cause confusions or misunderstandings.

Thematic Ideas and Theme StatementsCopy This

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Your Turn:Take the one word and write it in a complete sentence, expressing an idea in the novel.

discrimination People who are different from the

norm are discriminated against.

fear of the other

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Who is involved?What happens to them?

How do we feel about it?

Why does it happen?

Theme Statement Brainstorming ­ in your novel:

What conclusions can you draw?

Is it connected to any other big ideas?

Start creating a theme statement:

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Big Ideas ­ Brainstorm

1. What big ideas are being explored in the novel you are reading? If you are stuck, look at the statements that connect to your novel from the anticipation guide sheet.

2. What do you think the author is trying to say about them? Why? How do you know?

3. Write some beginning theme statements. You can start with a cliché and then reformat afterward.

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Thematic Ideas ­ for three of the following, write theme statements for your novel.

1. fear2. discrimination3. parenting4. hypocrisy5. ideals6. morals7. laws8. justice9. individuality10. perseverance11. loss of innocence12. feelings of superiority or inferiority13. heroism14. value of human life15. secrecy16. personal control17. peer pressure (gossip)18. other ­ your choice

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What examples could you use from your novel to link to your theme statement?

Write down / visually represent your examples for one of the theme statements.

e.g.