Writing about Literature

Learning Target: After completing this unit, you will be able to determine how an author develops a theme in  a literary text.
Description: You will be given a month to read a book of fiction.  During the month, we will learn 1) Different possible universal themes that are seen in many books; 2) The tools that authors use to develop a theme;  3) Techniques you can use to figure out what the theme of your book is, and how the author develops it.

Author's Techniques: How authors make their point
-plot: the arrangement of events
-figurative language: metaphor, simile, etc.:this language is used to characterize the sensibility and understanding of characters as well as to establish the significance of theme and tone.
-tone: what tone does the narrator or author use:is he preaching, sympathetic, humorous, etc.?  Why does the author use this tone:what is gained by he or she using this tone?  Would the story have the same meaning if another tone was used?
-imagery: what examples of imagery does the author use:is it helpful to the story?  If so, why?  examples of imagery are:the five senses and sometimes six.  What does the character or the author make the reader touch, see, hear, feel, smell, taste, etc.
-symbolism: something said but meant to stand for something else.  Allegory is also used within this category:things which stand for something on a one-by-one basis.
-point-of-view: Who is telling the story and what do they know or don't know?  Is the tale told by an omniscient (all-knowing) narrator who doesn't interact in the events, or is it presented by one of the characters within the story?  Can the reader trust that person to give an objective account, or does that narrator color the story with his or her own biases and interests?
-setting: is the context in which all of the actions take place.  What is the time period, the location, the time of day, the season, the weather, the type of room or building?  What is the general mood, and who is present?  All of these elements can reflect on the story's events, and though the setting of a story tends to be less conspicuous than plot and character, setting still colors everything that's said and done within its context.
-character: refers to the qualities assigned to the individual figures in the plot.  Consider why the author assigns certain qualities to a character or characters and how any such qualities might relate to your topic.
-allusion: Does the author use any allusions:references to a past literary source or event in history.  Authors will use many Biblical allusions.  Adam:would bring qualities of Adam from the Bible, without having to expressly state them, just by using the name infers or alludes to the Biblical story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
-dialogue: What does the author have characters say?  What people say is a window into how they think, what they feel.

Topics: What authors write about

beauty
coming of age
corruption
courage
effects of the past
faith
fall from grace
family
fate
fear
fear of failure
freedom
friendship
greed
hate

perseverance
Power of the mind vs others
authority
prejudice
price of progress
pride
quest for knowledge religion
revenge
secrecy
security/safety
seizing the moment survival
the overlooked
the road not taken war
winners and losers

abuse of power
action vs apathy
beating the odds
heritage
heroes
honesty
innocence
justice
love
loyalty
manipulation
mothering
nature
need for change
obligation
parent-child relationships peace
peer pressure

Patterns: Ways to figure out if something just happened
1 CONTRASTS CONTRADICTIONS
When a character does something that contrasts with what you'd expect or contradicts his earlier acts or statements, STOP and ask, "Why is the character doing that?" The answer will help you make predictions and draw inferences about the plot and conflict.
2 WORDS OF THE WISER
When a character (probably older and wiser) takes the main character aside and offers serious advice, STOP and ask, "What's the life lesson and how might if affect the character?" This lesson is probably the theme of the story.
3 AHA MOMENT
When a character realizes, understands, or finally figures out something, STOP and ask yourself, "How might this change things?"
If it is about a problem, it tells you something about the conflict; if it is a life lesson, it tells you something about the theme.
4 AGAIN & AGAIN
When you notice a word, phrase, or situation mentioned over and over, STOP and ask your- self, "Why does this keep happening again and again?" The answer will tell you about the theme and conflict, or will foreshadow what might happen later in the story.
5 MEMORY MOMENT
When the author interrupts the action to tell you about a memory, STOP and ask yourself, "Why might this memory be important?" The answer will tell you about the theme and con- flict, or will foreshadow what might happen later in the story.
6 TOUGH QUESTIONS
When a character asks himself a very difficult question, STOP and ask yourself, "What does this question make me wonder about?" The answer will tell you about the conflict, and help you think about what might happen later in the story.