Novel Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: RL.8.9

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

To explain or explore good works of literature you first need to be a virtuous reader. A book that follows a fictitious narrative with some sense of realism is called a novel. Novels often attempt to take the reader out of their world for a bit and transport them into the fictious world created by the author. When you are analyzing modern works, the primary goal is to first understand the theme of the work fully. What is the message the writer is working to achieve? There are many tried and true themes that span generations in all literature. As you continue to build your internal library of works covered, draw upon past works that you have experienced to develop themes and look deeper into works that are in front of you. These worksheets help students learn a process to analyze modern works more fully.

Novel Worksheets:

Archetypal Characters - We ask you to call on your knowledge of well known works. Can you identify an example of each in modern fiction?

The Hero's Journey - When does a hero fail? Think of a contemporary novel which employs the archetype of the hero’s journey. Make a note of what happens in each part below.

Use of Mythology - A look at all the major gods of historical culture. Many works of modern fiction draw on characters from mythology

Universal Symbols - Where is this all coming from? Write a short essay that analyzes how the contemporary work is both representative of the archetype and how the material is rendered new.

Now and Then - Think back to latest works that you have read. How is the modern material faithful to the source material? How is it rendered new?

Cinderella and Other Tales - Many people know the tale of Cinderella. The basic principles of the story have been told many different times through other works of literature. You never really thought this tale was that deep, did you?

The Bible as Source Material - Many works of modern fiction draw on characters from the Bible.

The Many Faces of Cinderella - The story of Cinderella has been told many times across many cultures.

The Hero's Journey in Current Fiction - Think of a contemporary novel which employs the archetype of the hero's journey.

The Ugly Duckling - Think about the story as you remember it. Can you think of a modern story that retells the The Ugly Duckling story in some way?

Giving Old Stories a Today's Twist - Does the modern novel draw on themes, patterns of events or character types?

Making an Old Theme New - Many contemporary novels draw on traditional stories, mythology or the Bible for their themes.

Sleeping Beauty - The story of Sleeping Beauty has been told many times across many cultures.

Analyzing Fresh Works of Fiction - How is the modern material faithful to the source material? How is it rendered new?

The Hero's Journey in Newfangled Fiction - Think of a modern novel which employs the archetype of the hero's journey. Make a note of what happens in each part.

Themes: Old and New - Many novels draw on traditional stories, mythology or the Bible for their themes. Think about each of the themes we present you with. Briefly describe how the contemporary story makes the theme feel fresh.

How to Analyze a Modern Work of Fiction?


Modern and post-modern literature is far more complex and intricate in its form if seen in comparison with the medieval and Elizabethan literature. Therefore, the analysis of a contemporary work of fiction requires special care and attention by the reader to make sure that he or she is not missing any important point. Analysis of the modern fictions is not restricted merely to finding the elements of the plot that contribute to the progression of its story or finding its moral lesson being taught. Rather, the analysis of contemporary fiction requires a reader to look into more details, analyzing the most minor elements using a high definition lens.


Here are some elements that must be analyzed to fully analyze a work of modern fiction:


The Plot


The plots in most of the work of modern fiction are not very simple. Rather, there is an intertwined series of intricate elements running across and through each other and this intricacy explains why the plot must be analyzed carefully. It is advisable to apply any of the accepted plot's structural model to a particular work and analyze each of its element individually in great detail.


Themes


During the analysis of a modern fiction text, it is better to analyze all of its major and minor themes while trying to understand the writer's purpose behind emphasizing on each one of those.


Characters and Points of View


A reader must try to comprehend how each character of the fictional work behaves, the language they use, and their points of views. Moreover, the narrative style of the author must be analyzed to find out what the writer could have possibly meant by preferring one specific style.


Settings and Background


Try to analyze the socio-political, economic, and cultural background of the time and regions where that work was written. Also, analyze the settings described by the writer to dig deeper into the meaning of the work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Archetypal Characters Preview