English 10 Independent Novel Study #1

English 10 Independent Novel Study #1

Description: You are asked to choose a contemporary (recently published) novel and write three journal entries about your findings.

Choosing the Novel

-No non-fiction books, please.

-Pick something age-appropriate and level appropriate

-Avoid novels which are mainly plot-driven i.e. adventure stories. We are trying to analyze some of the literary features of a novel. Plot is important, but it is not the only thing we are trying learn about.

-Choose a novel of a reasonable length.

-Some sources you may want to check are Oprah’s book list, the Globe and Mail list of best-selling fiction, Heather’s picks on the Chapters website, our librarian, and or your parents.

-If you are thinking about going into the IB program next year, I would strongly suggest you pick a contemporary novel that is international in flavour – i.e. international author, book in translation, international setting, etc.

Please note: You are expected to bring an independent novel with you to every English class.

You should divide the novel you choose into roughly three sections of equal length. The first journal entry will cover the first third. The second entry will cover the second part of the novel. The third journal entry will correspond to the last part of the novel.

Journal Entry #1

Part I - Summary

Each journal entry should start with a brief summary of what you have read. Be sure to include details about the setting. A paragraph will do.

Part II - Personal Response

Do you like the book so far? Why or why not?

What questions or predictions can you come up with?

Would you read another novel by this author? Why or why not?

In what ways are you similar to the main character?

Part III – Setting

What is the setting of the novel? Use evidence from the novel to support your assertions.

How does the setting impact the characters in this novel?

Part III - Character and Conflicts

List three adjectives you would use to describe the protagonist or main character and use evidence from the novel to back up your opinions.

What conflicts and or obstacles does the protagonist face in this novel?

In what ways are you similar to the main character?

Who is the antagonist of this novel?

Part IV - Quotes

Choose three significant quotes from the passage that you’ve read and explain why you believe they are significant. A quote is significant if it ties into the overall themes of the novel or it reveals something about a main character.

Journal #2

Part I - Summary

Each journal entry should start with a brief summary of what you have read. A paragraph will do.

Part II - Personal Response

Has your opinion about the book changed as you’ve read through the novel? How so?

What questions or predictions can you come up with?

Are there any parts of the novel that are confusing for you?

What is your favourite part in this section?

Part III- Author’s Style

Style in literature is the literary element that describes the ways that the author uses words.

How would you describe the author’s style of this novel?

Here are some questions that will help you get an idea of the author’s style. Try to comment on these stylistic aspects of the novel you’re reading.

Sentence Structure-Are the sentences long or short? Is the word order straightforward or unconventionally crafted?

Pace-Is the writing heavily descriptive, with emphasis on setting and atmosphere, or does it focus on action and plot movement?

Diction/Vocabulary- Is the writing tight and efficient, or elaborate and long-winded? Are the words simple or fancy? Are they technical, flowery, colloquial, cerebral, obscure?

Figures of Speech- Are there any metaphors, similes, or symbols?

Use of Dialogue-How often does dialogue tell the story? Do we see whole conversations or just fragments? Does the conversation use slang or is it formal?

Paragraph/Chapter Structure-Are the paragraphs very short, or are they enormous blocks running across many pages? Are the chapters short or long? How many are there, how are they organized, and why is this important?

Experimentation in Language-Are there any unusual techniques, such as stream-of-consciousness, mixing styles, unusual layout, breaking rules of grammar and form?

Time Sequencing-How has the author organized the chronology of the events?

Part IV. Quotes

Choose three significant quotes from the passage that you’ve read and explain why you believe they are significant. A quote is significant if it ties into the overall themes of the novel or it reveals something about a main character.

Journal #3

Part I – Summary/Plot Graph

Each journal entry should start with a brief summary of what you have read. A paragraph will do. Please include a plot graph of the novel you’ve read.

Part II - Personal Response

Would you read another novel by this author? Why or why not?

For whom would you recommend this novel?

Part III- Character

How does the hero overcome the obstacles he or she faces?

How have the main characters changed throughout the novel? Discuss at least two characters.

Part IV- Resolution

Were you satisfied with the ending of the novel? Why or Why not?

Part V - Themes

What is the message of this novel?

What do you think the author is trying to say?

Part VI - Quotes

Choose three significant quotes from this section and explain why you feel they are significant.

0-5 / 5-7 / 7-9 / 9-10
Matters of Correctness / More proofreading is in order. / Five or more errors. / Three to four errors. / Little to no errors
Clarity of Writing / It is not always clear what the student is trying to say. / Three or more ideas need more elaboration. / One or two ideas need more elaboration. / Effective writing
Points are elaborated upon.
Content from Novel / More work is needed to include comments on character, plot, themes, and style.
More work is needed to include quotes from the novel. / Selected quotes somewhat underscore literary aspects such as character, plot, themes, and style. / Selected quotes underscore literary aspects such as character, plot, themes, and style, for the most part. / Selected quotes underscore literary aspects such as character, plot, themes, and style.
Personal Response / Student has not included personal responses. / Student has not included many personal responses or they need more elaboration. / Student usually includes personal responses that require no further elaboration. / Student consistently includes personal responses that require no further elaboration.

Journal 1______

Journal 2______

Journal 3______