Book Report General Information

All book reports, whether written or oral, must include and fully cover the following five literary elements:

setting
plot summary
theme
character portrayal with analysis
evaluation.

The notes and questions below are intended to guide your thinking process. They are not meant to be answered in a 1-2-3 format in your report. Information should be integrated (merged or blended) into the content of your report in a smooth manner (similar to an essay format.) Opinions should be supported with specific and sufficient details and illustrations from the book. More in-depth notes and instruction on these elements will be presented in class.

SETTING

The setting includes the time and place of the story and the significance, if any, of that setting to the story. It will often include the tone or mood that is established by the author. Why did the author choose that particular setting? Is the particular setting essential to the story or does it merely serve as a backdrop? Time means the approximate year or period of time: day, season, year, era, etc. Place means the location where the story takes place. It can include the country or part of a country, such as a farm or large city, and includes the related historical, climatic, social, and economic facts of the location as they relate to the story. Tone/mood means the author's attitude as reflected in the narration of the story or the dialog of the characters, and the climate of feeling that is established: happy, brooding, mysterious, etc.

PLOT SUMMARY

The plot is the storyline or action of the story. In a few sentences you should briefly summarize the story for your audience. Do not retell the entire story or the ending, but do include discussion of the major plot elements: complication, foreshadowing, crisis, climax, resolution. These will be discussed in greater detail in class. More importantly, include in this section identification and analysis of the main conflict (man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. himself, man vs. society, etc.), the protagonist, the antagonist, the foil, the climax, and the conflict resolution. Tell the point of view used by the author: first-person, third-person, omniscient, etc.

THEME

The theme of the story is the universal truth that is revealed. It can apply across time and audiences, at least in the very best of books. It is not content bound, that is, it does not deal with just the specific characters and setting of the book. What message was the author trying to get across? What was his/her point or purpose? What was the moral or lesson of the story? What can the reader of today learn from this story?

CHARACTER PORTRAYAL AND ANALYSIS

Choose at least two main characters. How do the characters look, dress, talk, act, feel, and think? What motivates him/her/them? Describe both internal and external characteristics and qualities This may entail drawing inferences from the book. How are these traits related in the characters' actions, behaviors and mannerisms? Are the characters well portrayed? Do they seem real and believable, or are they flat or a stereotype? Tell if the character changes, grows or develops new insights in the story and is thus dynamic, or if he/she remains unchanged in his/her thinking and behaviors by the end of the story and is thus static.

EVALUATION

Tell if you liked the book. Why? Why not? In your opinion, is it well written? Why? Why not? Did it hold your interest? Why? Why not? Did you like the author's style or manner of telling the story? Why? Why not? Was the ending satisfactory? Why? Why not? Would you have changed anything? What? How? Why? Would you recommend the book to other students? Why? Why not? Avoid "dead" words and support all your statements and opinions with specific examples.

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