1 Can you remember the first novel you
ever read?
2 Who is your favourite novelist?
3 In a world filled with movies and
computer games, is there a future for
the novel? Explain your opinion.
4 Do you prefer to read novels written
for teenagers or those written for
adults? Explain.
The novel is an extended form of
storytelling in which writers engage
readers with a combination of action,
exposition and dialogue. Although the
‘death of the novel’ has been often
predicted, the form seems capable of
enduring. Today, some novelists have been
elevated to rock-star status. What are the
elements that make a successful novel?
In this unit
• Audience and genre —
contemporary novels
• Concept and theme —
classic novels
• Character
• Setting
• Plot
A novel idea
‘ een’ or ‘young adult’ fiction has traditionally
Literature is a luxury;
fiction is a necessity.
GK Chesterton, English
author and mystery novelist
(1874–1936)
There are three rules for
writing the novel.
Unfortunately, no one
knows what they are.
CDthe R
OM
on
W Somerset Maugham,
English dramatist and novelist
(1874–1965)
Story Spinner
9
Wordplay
56 english alive 4
T
been seen as a poor relation of adult fiction, containing
similar stories and characters, but lacking depth and complexity.
Novelists who specialise in writing for teenagers would claim that
their novels require special writing skills in spite of their often
shorter length and emphasis on teenage characters, stories and
themes. In this unit, you will work within a scenario that may set
you on the path to becoming a novelist. An Australian publisher,
Touchstone Press, has decided to create a new line of novels aimed
at the teenage market. The publisher wants to work with rising
young authors to develop their own concepts for publication. But
first you need to gain an insight into what makes a novel work.
Authors JK Rowling, Philip
Pullman and Australia’s John
Marsden and Melina
Marchetta are some famous
faces of modern teenage
fiction. Together, their
novels have sold over a
billion copies and have
been translated into
numerous languages,
earning them
worldwide acclaim.
Audience and genre
A great novel grabs a reader’s attention from the outset, and keeps them reading
until the final page. In order to do this, however, the writer must have a clear
understanding of the likes and dislikes of his or her readership based on their age,
gender and interests. These will influence the type of story the writer tells, and the
way in which it is told; for example, a novel aimed at 16-year-old boys will be very
different from one aimed at middle-aged women. When writing a genre novel, a
writer also needs to consider the expectations readers will have of a novel of this
sort; it helps enormously if the writer is familiar with the genre.
As a reader, you are actually
already a genre expert. Look
at the novel covers on the
right. You may or may not
be familiar with the authors,
but chances are you will be
able to pick the genre simply
by the cover design and
text.
Below is an extract from the spy novel Code Name Sara Gray by Luke C Jackson.
A spy novel aimed at males and females between the ages of 15 and 17, Code Name
Sara Gray is action packed, with a protagonist any teenager could relate to. The
sequel to Sleeper, this novel continues the story of Sara Gray, a 16-year-old girl who,
having been trained as part of a project known as HAMELIN, has been forced to
commit corporate espionage for her employers. Having escaped their clutches in
India, she has made it as far as Mexico, where she thinks she is safe. But she is being
hunted by another highly trained operative, a boy her own age who will stop at
nothing to fulfil his mission. This narrative extract is written from the thirdperson point of view and is in the present tense. The margin notes will give you
some things to consider when writing your own genre-based novel for teenagers.
S
A sense of mystery
propels the narrative.
ara is stepping into her apartment when she notices the
soft glow emanating from her otherwise darkened
bedroom. Her heart pounding, she drops her left hand,
catching the door only a moment before it meets the frame.
From her bedroom, Sara hears a thump, followed by a
curse. The intruder is male. Hearing footsteps approaching
the doorway, she does the only thing she can: she ducks into
the bathroom.
Pressing herself against the wall, Sara holds her breath. As
the intruder stops in her bedroom doorway, she knows that if
not for the dividing wall, they would be separated by less
than an arm’s length. She imagines him listening, and holds
her breath. Had he heard her enter the apartment?
Suspense is used to keep
the reader interested.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 57
Both Sara and her
adversary are teenagers,
the same age as the
intended reader.
Sara’s willingness to
defend herself makes the
danger that the intruder
poses seem real.
Pressing herself against the bathroom wall, Sara watches the
torchlight strafe through the darkened living room, illuminating
a motley collection of personal items: the sombrero Liza had
bought for her the first time they’d visited the market; a couple
of drawings given to her by young guests of the resort; and a
calendar that she’d forgotten to flip to the current month.
When the torchlight snaps off, Sara allows herself to
breathe deeply. She stops as she hears the intruder step past
the bathroom and feels the touch of displaced air. A moment
later, the front door swings inward. In the glow of the lamplight above the door, Sara can make out the intruder’s dark
hair and pale skin between a baseball cap and a black denim
jacket. He looks no older than her.
She watches him examine the front door, running a gloved
finger over the deadbolt, and imagines him wondering how
the door happened to spring open.
Knowing it’s only a matter of time before he realises he’s
not alone in the apartment, she reaches upwards, hooking
her finger tips over the doorframe. With solid wood beneath
her fingers, she swings both legs up.
As she kicks, she says, ‘Hey!’
She expects the boy to turn, and prepares herself for the
impact of her feet meeting his chest. Instead, he spins, grabbing
her ankles and sending her sneakers crashing into the wall.
Despite managing to keep her grip on the door frame, she
swings back with too much force, then loses her grip and lands
heavily on the bathroom tiles.
Pushing herself to her feet, she limps out of the front door.
Her quarry is already at the end of the walkway, placing
both hands on the divide before leapfrogging into the stairwell. There is more than a second of silence before he hits the
landing below, then another moment of silence before she
hears his sneakers pounding the concrete of the courtyard.
❖
❖
❖
The laneway is deserted, but the street beyond is filled not
only with people, but also with traffic — six lanes, running
in two directions. Knowing the boy will have to pause when
he reaches the road, Sara pumps her arms; for a moment, she
seems to be gaining on him. Then the boy extends his long
legs, entering the traffic at nearly full speed. There is the
sound of tyres screeching and a chorus of beeps and honks,
as he dodges one car, then another, before making it to the
median strip.
Swallowing her instinct to stop at the curb, Sara makes it
across one lane unscathed, then stops short as she hears the
hiss of air-brakes and a bellowing horn. As the truck’s wheels
grind to a halt, she ducks around the bonnet, ignoring the
angry shouts of the driver who is now hanging out of the door.
58 english alive 4
A few items scattered
around her living room
give the reader a
snapshot of Sara’s
personality, as well as her
lifestyle in Acapulco.
The intruder’s quick
thinking suggests that he
is as well-trained as Sara.
The idea that the boy may
be lying in wait reinforces
the sense of danger.
Ahead, the boy has paused, and is waiting for a motorbike
to whiz by. As Sara clears the median strip, he sets off again.
As he is bathed in the fluorescent glow of a convenience
store, Sara notices his hand placed protectively over a small,
black satchel. Moments later, he enters a narrow street and is
swallowed by the darkness.
As she dodges a final car and runs through a crowd of
onlookers, Sara can feel her lungs beginning to burn; clearly,
the boy is not only faster and more agile than her, but could
outrun her over a long distance. Having reached the end of the
street, he runs through a cast-iron gate, beneath a sign reading
Jewel of the Bay. She follows fifteen or twenty seconds later.
At the end of a path that runs alongside the pool, there is
a staircase that rises for a few steps before turning sharply to
the right. Knowing that it would be a great place for an
ambush, Sara slows down, taking the staircase with caution.
But the boy is not waiting for her.
He is not. She can hear his footsteps echoing in the stairwell above her, and continues to climb, her head whipping
around at every turn.
As she reaches the third floor, Sara glances along the
walkway and is shocked to see the boy perched on the balcony. Knowing they must be at least thirty metres above the
ground, she suddenly fears for his safety, and lunges forward
as he jumps.
She is too late.
Sara demonstrates that,
as well as being ready to
defend herself against her
quarry, she is still
concerned for his safety.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 59
READING TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
Audience and genre
determine:
• the concept and
themes explored
within the story
• the age, interests and
attitudes of the main
characters
• the novel’s length,
pace and structure.
1. How would you describe the character of Sara Gray, based on what you have
read so far?
2. What questions does this passage raise about Sara, and about male character
she is pursuing?
3. Find and write out a definition of the following words as used in the extract.
Use a dictionary to help you.
• emanating
• unscathed
• motley
• quarry
• lunge
• strafe
4. Describe the mood of this extract, then choose which words/phrases help to
create it.
Making meaning
5. What is the effect of the author’s use of present tense throughout the extract?
Does it add to, or detract from, the extract?
Modern novels:
• are extended stories
(40 000–100 000+
words)
• are fictional
• are written in prose
• are often based on a
concept
• explore themes or
‘human truths’
• can be realistic,
fantastical or
‘speculative’ fiction
• contain at least one
main character
• present the character/s
with challenges
• are based on a
recognisable structure.
6. Code Name Sara Gray is billed as a spy novel. Do you think it could fit into any
genre other than espionage?
7. Based on this extract and the description of the novel, who do you believe is
the target audience? Be as specific as possible, in terms of age, gender and
interests. Use examples from the text to support your opinion. List five
changes that the author could make to this novel in order to meet the
expectations of an adult audience.
Analysing and reflecting
8. In recent years, the spy genre has become more popular with teenagers.
Which other genres are most popular with teen readers at the moment?
Which are the least popular? Why do you think this might be the case? Are
there any genres that are constantly popular?
9. Most teen novels will use the following elements, in different proportions, to
engage an audience: action, mystery, suspense, drama, romance and humour.
(a) Rate the importance of each, in relation to this extract with 1 being the
highest and 6 being the lowest. For example, if you thought that humour
was a key element, it might come in at number ‘1’ or ‘2’.
(b) Think about the novels you’ve most enjoyed reading over the last year or
two. Then rate your own reading preferences from 1 to 6.
(c) If your preference order matches (or is very similar to) the elements you
identified as being most important in Code Name Sara Gray, you will
probably enjoy the novel; if the two lists look very different, chances are
you wouldn’t enjoy the novel very much. Do you agree, or do you believe
this formula is too simplistic?
(d) Check the results of two of your classmates whom you know quite well.
Do their reading preferences surprise you, or are they what you would
expect?
10. Some novels are now published online and are unlikely ever to appear in
print. Search the web for an e-novel (or go to the website for this book and
click on the E-novels weblink for this chapter, see ‘Weblinks’, page xii) and
read a brief section. What do you see as the relative advantages and
disadvantages of e-novels over print-based novels?
60 english alive 4
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
11. Many people assume that a book cover is designed to make the widest range of
people pick up the novel; however, good marketing is based on the idea of
appealing to a specific group of people, or demographic. Look at the front
cover for Code Name Sara Gray on page 57 and complete the following activities.
(a) Copy the following ‘book cover appeal’ chart into your notebook. Each
box should be big enough for you to write a number of points about each
visual element.
Visual elements
Who would it
appeal to?
Who would it
deter?
Text
Colour
Other visual elements
12.
13.
14.
10
Cover story
15.
(b) Based on your completed chart, would this cover appeal to the specified
target audience (males and females aged 15–17)? If so, in what ways? If not,
how would you define the audience that the cover seems designed to target?
Design a mock-up cover for Code Name Sara Gray that would make the novel
appeal to an adult audience. Alternatively, choose a well-known adult novel,
such as The Da Vinci Code, and redesign the cover to make it more appealing
to teenagers.
When it comes to writing your own novel, you already know the audience:
teens. Now it’s time to choose a genre. Try to choose one that you enjoy
reading. When you made your choice, write two paragraphs: the first should
be about why you chose this genre and the second should be about what
features define the genre of your choice.
You will find many websites dedicated to different genres of novels and
movies. When you’ve chosen the genre for your own novel, use these
websites to identify the types of characters, storylines and ideas that are most
commonly found in your chosen genre. Write one paragraph describing what
you have found.
Many adults belong to book clubs, where participants meet on a monthly basis
to discuss a book they have read in the preceding month. For some tips on
creating your own book club, visit the website for this book and click on the
Book club link for this chapter (see ‘Weblinks’, page xii). Experiment with a
class book club and write an evaluation of the success or otherwise of the club.
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how
audience defines the
events that take place in
a novel
see how book covers are
designed to appeal to a
target demographic
use these design and
storytelling conventions
in order to attract my
intended audience.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 61
Concept and theme
Many older novels are now considered ‘classics’, but it is not age alone that defines
them as such. In order to be recognised as a classic, a novel needs to have withstood the test of time, offering meaning to different generations. One way in
which a novel can do this is by appealing to readers on different levels; some
readers gravitate to the novel’s concept, while others respond to the themes. The
concept is the central idea of your novel, the kernel from which the story will
grow. In order to make a reader want to pick up your novel, the central idea
should be engaging; however, it must also be straightforward enough to be understood quickly. Many of the most popular novels are based on a concept that
initially may seem simplistic.
At first, the concept of a classic such as Animal Farm may seem laughable: farm
animals rebel against their human ‘oppressors’ and attempt to establish a better
social order, with disastrous consequences. Yet George Orwell’s fable, published in
1945, is considered to be a classic of modern literature, and is a favourite of English teachers, because the themes it explores remain relevant. One such theme is
the danger in blindly trusting the ruling class. It is explored in the narrative
extract below from chapter 5, in which two of the pigs — Snowball and Napoleon
— debate who should have control over the farmyard.
Each animal represents a
different group in society,
from the ruling class to
those who will do
whatever they are told in
a ‘sheep-like’ fashion.
Many farming
implements are
mentioned by name,
making it clear that
running a farm is a large
and complex task.
Alliteration, including the
words baying, brass,
bounding and barn,
breaks the flow of the
passage as a new group
of characters is
introduced.
62 english alive 4
W
hen the animals had assembled in the big barn, Snowball stood up and, though occasionally interrupted by
bleating from the sheep, set forth his reasons for advocating
the building of the windmill. Then Napoleon stood up to
reply. He said very quietly that the windmill was nonsense and
that he advised nobody to vote for it, promptly sat down
again; he had spoken for barely thirty seconds, and seemed
almost indifferent as to the effect he produced. At this Snowball sprang to his feet, and shouting down the sheep, who had
begun bleating again, broke into a passionate appeal in favour
of the windmill. Until now the animals had been about equally
divided in their sympathies, but in a moment Snowball’s eloquence had carried them away. In glowing sentences he
painted a picture of Animal Farm as it might be when sordid
labour was lifted from the animals’ backs. His imagination
had now run far beyond chaff-cutters and turnip-slicers. Electricity, he said, could operate threshing machines, ploughs,
harrows, rollers, and reapers and binders, besides supplying
every stall with its own electric light, hot and cold water, and
an electric heater. By the time he had finished speaking, there
was no doubt as to which way the vote would go. But just at
this moment Napoleon stood up and, casting a peculiar sidelong look at Snowball, uttered a high-pitched whimper of a
kind no one had ever heard him utter before.
At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine
enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding
into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only
Throughout Animal Farm,
the windmill is an
important symbol or
repeated motif of the
animals’ changing
fortunes. At first, it
represents prosperity and
the comforts this can
bring; later on, its
destruction symbolises
the collapse of society.
A clear distinction is
made between the two
pigs: Snowball is
passionate, while
Napoleon seems
indifferent.
The dogs are not
described in detail; their
snapping jaws paint a
clear enough picture.
Napoleon is depicted as a
great planner.
A simile helps the reader
to visualise these
creatures more clearly.
sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping
jaws. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after
him. Too amazed and frightened to speak, all the animals
crowded through the door to watch the chase. Snowball was
racing across the long pasture that led to the road. He was running as only a pig can run, but the dogs were close on his heels.
Suddenly he slipped and it seemed certain that they had him.
Then he was up again, running faster than ever, then the dogs
were gaining on him again. One of them all but closed his jaws
on Snowball’s tail, but Snowball whisked it free just in time.
Then he put on an extra spurt and, with a few inches to spare,
slipped through a hole in the hedge and was seen no more.
Silent and terrified, the animals crept back into the barn. In
a moment the dogs came bounding back. At first no one had
been able to imagine where these creatures came from, but the
problem was soon solved: they were the puppies whom Napoleon had taken away from their mothers and reared privately.
Though not yet full-grown, they were huge dogs, and as fiercelooking as wolves. They kept close to Napoleon. It was noticed
that they wagged their tails to him in the same way as the other
dogs had been used to do to Mr Jones.
Napoleon, with the dogs following him, now mounted on
to the raised portion of the floor where Major had previously
stood to deliver his speech. He announced that from now on
the Sunday-morning Meetings would come to an end. They
were unnecessary, he said, and wasted time. In future all questions relating to the working of the farm would be settled by
a special committee of pigs, presided over by himself. These
would meet in private and afterwards communicate their
decisions to the others. The animals would still assemble on
Sunday mornings to salute the flag, sing ‘Beasts of England’,
and receive their orders for the week; but there would be no
more debates.
Suspense propels the
action forward.
The dog is referred to as
‘him’, rather than ‘it’, in
keeping with the author’s
aim to give each animal
the same importance as
human characters.
A parallel is drawn
between Napoleon, the
new leader, and Mr Jones,
the old ruler, whom the
animals had rebelled
against.
A distinction is now
drawn between ‘classes’,
or types, of animals, with
pigs at the top.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 63
READING CLASSIC TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
CDthe R
OM
on
Concepts and themes:
• underpin the story of a
novel
• may or may not be
‘answered’ by the end
of a novel
• are represented by
different characters and
their actions
• are expressed in motifs
that recur throughout a
novel.
Story Spinner
1. Use a dictionary to find the meanings of the following words as they are used
in the extract: eloquence, indifferent, whimper, peculiar, presided, sordid.
2. What do you think would have happened if the animals had told Napoleon
to stop the attack on Snowball, rather than simply watching from the safety
of the barn? Explain.
3. Based on this passage alone, list the characteristics of each animal/group of
animals mentioned. In your opinion, which is the most dangerous group?
Making meaning
4. What is the effect of having animals act out this story, rather than humans of
a particular nationality or period? Does it make it a more or less powerful
story? Explain.
5. Orwell described his novel as a ‘fairy story’. Choose a well-known fairytale, such
as Cinderella or Red Riding Hood, and decide on its concept and major theme/s.
6. An allegory is defined as the treatment of one subject under the guise of
another. Would it be appropriate to describe Animal Farm as an allegory? Explain.
7. Although it is not a ‘teen novel’ like Code Name Sara Gray or some of the other
texts that will be covered in this chapter, Animal Farm continues to be set by
schools as a novel for teenagers to study. Why?
Analysing and reflecting
8. Consider this concept: ‘A shy, bullied orphan discovers that he is destined to
be the most powerful magician the world has ever seen’. The Harry Potter
series sprung from this simple idea. Choose a novel that you know well and
summarise its central idea, or concept, in one line.
9. Think, pair share: In teen fiction, some common themes are ‘the importance
of family’, ‘discovering who you are’ and ‘the price of fitting in’. Individually,
think of two others, referring to novels you have read. Form pairs and discuss
your results. Choose the strongest theme and share it with the rest of the class.
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
11
What makes a classic?
64 english alive 4
10. It is now quite common for a novel’s concept to be placed on the front of the
cover where it will be one of the first things a potential reader sees. This is
known as a tag line. Now consider the novel you are going to write. What is
its concept? Remember that it should be engaging and straight to the point.
Think you’ve got it? Express it in a tag line.
11. Consider the novel you are planning to write. What is its concept? What
themes will it explore, and how do these relate to the lives of your target
readers (i.e. teenagers)? If you know of any major events that will take place in
the novel, in which events will these themes be evident?
12. Some publishing houses will offer authors the opportunity to ‘pitch’ their idea
for a novel. In 100 words, outline your novel’s genre, central idea or concept,
and the themes that will give your story meaning. Then pitch your idea to
three classmates.
13. How did your classmates respond to your pitch? Did they seem intrigued,
bored, confused? Be honest with yourself, and use their responses to write a
100 to 150-word blurb for your novel.
Taking inspiration from real life
A woodblock print of
Vlad III watching his victims
being impaled.
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how a
concept underpins a
story
create a concept that is
engaging and easy to
grasp
see how themes give
meaning to a novel’s
events
use real life events to
inspire a story.
Animal Farm is a good example of story that was inspired by real-life events.
The events depicted in Animal Farm occurred during the 1930s and early
1940s in the Soviet Union under the
totalitarian dictator Joseph Stalin.
There are many other novels that
have been inspired by real events.
Dracula, one of the most famous
genre-based novels of all time, was
based on the author’s research into
two different subjects: the folklore
of the vampire and the history of
one of Romania’s most notorious
noblemen, Vlad III, also known as
‘the impaler’.
Because so many interesting
stories have already taken place in
real life, learning how to use these
events as inspiration, without
simply copying what happened, is
an important skill for a novelist to
develop.
1. Use the internet to research Josef
Stalin, and then consider how he
might be seen as a basis for the
character of Napoleon. Who
might be represented by
Snowball, and in what way?
Who were Stalin’s ‘attack dogs’?
2. Drawing inspiration for a
fictional story from real life is
not only about what is included,
but also what is left out. What are
three things you learned about
Stalin that were not used by
Orwell in his depiction of the farmyard? Why do you think that these
were left out?
3. Now that you’ve seen how George Orwell used real-life characters and
events to inspire his story, find a newspaper published recently. Now
choose a story that you find intriguing. Changing the names, locations
and identifiable details of the story, rewrite the event described (or the
most interesting part thereof) from the perspective of one of the
characters.
4. List any ‘real life’ elements included in the novel you’re planning to write,
such as people, places or things. Choose one and use your school or local
library to learn as much as you can about this story element.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 65
Character
Although an engaging concept is crucial in getting a reader to pick up your novel,
it’s the characters that will keep them reading. The secret to writing good characters is to use a combination of action, reaction and interaction to create a strong
sense of a character’s uniqueness, while making them easy to relate to. Another key
to making a character interesting is to demonstrate that, as he or she faces a series
of events or challenges, the character’s personality changes. This process is known
as a character arc.
In John Marsden’s bestselling Tomorrow series, readers are introduced to a seemingly average teenager named Ellie Linton, who narrates the story in the first person.
Along with a group of friends, Ellie returns to her home town after a camping trip
to discover that Australia has been occupied by another nation. With the other
townsfolk being held captive, they have no choice but to mount a guerrilla-style
resistance against the enemy’s forces, each event testing their strength both as individuals and as a group. When creating the character of Ellie, John Marsden kept the
interests of teenagers in mind at all times, as he explained in this interview broadcast
on George Negus Tonight. During the interview, teenagers were asked for their
opinions about Marsden’s books and the Tomorrow series in particular.
George Negus Tonight
4 November 2004
JOHN MARSDEN
66 english alive 4
It had become increasingly evident to me that students were just
not reading books any more, that teenagers were drifting away
from reading. And I thought this was a sad state of
affairs. There were many interests that they had and
many passions that they felt that could easily be explored
in a book in a way that they would respond to very
strongly. My first book was So Much to Tell You. I sent
the book off to six different publishers who all sent it
back. I wondered how much they understood teenagers
and how well they really knew teenagers. And so I
persevered. And eventually, the book was published in
1987. And my life just took off. It’s now been reprinted
27 times or something. It’s won awards all around the
world. It’s been in pretty much every language except
Latin, I think. After that, there was no stopping me. I
was going to keep writing, no matter what . . .
As time went on, I kept writing and the letter bag kept
growing. And I started getting invitations to go to
schools and libraries and all kinds of places to talk about
books and writing and language. And at that point, I
pretty reluctantly gave up full-time teaching.
The Tomorrow series changed my life again. It lifted
me from being a reasonably successful writer for young people to
a new level where young people responded to that series of seven
books with such passion and such fervour. The Tomorrow, When
the War Began series has eight teenagers who are camping in the
bush. And while they’re there, the rest of Australia is being
dramatically transformed because there’s a sudden kind of
lightning invasion by an unnamed foreign power. They emerge
from the bush to find a different landscape. And so they become
like guerrilla fighters having to exist in a hostile environment.
BEN WERNER
JOHN RYAN
It could happen. You might be out camping and then you get stuck
in a war and they start attacking you and shooting you and then
you survive.
It really makes you feel what it’s like to live in a war zone. And
that’s an important thing to know, I reckon.
JOHN MARSDEN
I try to make the premise as realistic and believable as possible in
the books. But at the same time, it doesn’t really matter because
that’s not what the books are about. The books are about what
young people are capable of and the books are about finding
courage within yourself that you mightn’t have even known you
had.
MANDY WATTS
I just love the realism in which they’re written and how he can
relate to us.
PIA BIRAC
The desperate emotion. I don’t know. It sounds corny. It’s just it’s
so real and honest.
JOHN MARSDEN
I’m sure that the reason they respond to those books so strongly is
that the characters in the books, the teenagers who act with maturity
and initiative and courage take responsibility for what they do. And
in a society where we regard young people as incompetent, hopeless,
dangerous, immature, I think for them to realise that they do have
a bit more to them than that is pretty powerful. And seven books
later — and now eight books later, in a sense — I had a series which
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and feel proud of.
GEORGE NEGUS
Yeah, so you should be proud, by the way.
JOHN MARSDEN
Thanks.
GEORGE NEGUS
If you get my blokes to read, that’s great. That’s a start. But it’s
interesting — I don’t think either of our teenagers has said, ‘Oh,
what do you want us to read John Marsden for?’ So the word’s
out there in Adolescentville that your books are readable and
worth reading. Why do you think that is?
JOHN MARSDEN
I think for every person, there is a book. And if you can just match
the book with the person, then you can really get them launched
on reading as an activity. But a lot of those students were
articulating the kind of things that appealed to them. And part of
it is the credibility that if they think it’s about them, their lives, real
people that they can recognise, that they can even identify with
themselves, then it’s a pretty good start.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 67
The novel Ella’s Gift by Casey Lever also relies on a strong teenage protagonist, but
is written from the third-person point of view. This extract refers to incidents in
Ella’s past that have led her to feel isolated from her peers.
S
This extract illuminates
Ella’s actions and
reactions for the novel as
a whole and engages our
interest in her character
arc.
Telling the story in third
person allows Ella’s
feelings to be explored,
but it is the omniscient
author who presents
them rather than the
character herself.
This image vividly
captures the negative
impact Ella’s past has had
on her relationships with
her peers.
68 english alive 4
he was a small child when it had become obvious that there
was something strange about her. The visions had started
about the time that she had survived the car accident which had
claimed the life of her father, Neil. For weeks afterwards Ella
relived the crash, a perfectly normal phenomenon, according to
the doctors. They tried all sorts of therapy — nothing helped. By
chance, Clare noticed that the night her tiny daughter didn’t wear
her father’s cross around her neck she didn’t have any visions. She
felt awful — she had been the one who had threaded the tiny gold
cross onto one of Ella’s necklaces in the hope that it would comfort her. Other clues made her suspicious, until finally she began
to understand that something out of the ordinary was occurring.
Clare had been reluctant to believe in the supernatural; certainly
there was no evidence to suggest Ella had psychic ability. She spent
long hours discussing it with Neil’s parents, but still it took them
some time, and more than one ugly incident, to pinpoint what was
actually happening. All three of them had been sceptical, then in
turn, fearful. Finally Clare faced the truth — objects which were
somehow connected to traumatic or emotional events sometimes
triggered a reaction in Ella. Clare had no idea what to do about
it, so she went with her first instinct and kept it secret, trying to
minimise Ella’s interactions with other people and protect her
from anyone finding out about her. As a result Ella had grown up
knowing she was different, somehow not even expecting to fit in.
Ella’s involvement in the Travers case had been hard on all of
them, Ella most of all, and confirmed every anxiety Clare had ever
had. That’s why they’d left Victoria behind them. That’s why they’d
come here where no one knew anything about her. Sound logic —
but now Clare couldn’t see why they couldn’t socialise more, put
down some roots. Ella lost count of the different ways she phrased
it but all of them meant the same thing — expose herself to more
pain. True, Clare knew more about her than anyone, but she didn’t
really understand. No one did. Of course Ella didn’t want to be
different to everyone else. She didn’t exactly enjoy feeling like a
freak. If she could have got away with just pretending she was the
same as everyone else she would have done. But Ella’s gift wasn’t
easy to hide. Not from anyone who got close. She knew how it
went. It started off in a moment, say, when you helped someone
pick up something they’d dropped. After that they’d say hello and
come and sit with you at lunchtimes. Next thing they’d be noticing
things and asking questions and then something would happen and
they’d tell everyone you were weird and you’d end up feeling like
something that sticks to your boot. That was why she didn’t have
any friends. That was why she didn’t even want any.
This tells us that Ella’s
problems date back
to early childhood,
leading the reader to
appreciate there will
be no ‘quick fix’ for
the character.
The author wants the
reader to know that
attempts were made
to solve the
character’s problems.
The author fills in
essential exposition
to help readers
understand the
events and decisions
that led to the
protagonist’s current
view of the world.
These short, flat
repetitive statements
give us an insight
into the troubled
nature of Ella’s life.
In her debut novel, Looking for Alibrandi, Melina Marchetta created the memorable character of Josephine Alibrandi (Josie for short), a 17-year-old ItalianAustralian girl in search of her father and — as the name of the novel implies —
herself. Funny and romantic, Josie has proven a popular character with teenagers.
Teens from a diverse range of backgrounds are able to relate to her emotional
journey throughout the novel; they empathise with her excitement at going on a
first date, her sense of injustice when she is punished for defending herself
against her classmate’s racial slur and her pain as she grieves for a dead friend.
Like the one you have just read, this narrative extract is written from the firstperson point of view, and will aid you when creating characters of your own for
a teen audience.
P
The character’s thought
process, under pressure,
is realistic and
understandable.
Josie’s use of language
sounds like that of any
other teenager.
An unflattering
description of the teacher
increases the reader’s
dislike for her.
anic was my first reaction to the multiple choice options
which lay on my desk in front of me. I glanced at the
students around me before turning back to question three. I
hated multiple choice. Yet I didn’t want to get question three
wrong. I didn’t want to get any of them wrong. The outcome
would be way too devastating for my sense of being.
So I began with elimination. ‘D’ was completely out of the
questions as was ‘A’, so that left ‘B’ and ‘C’. I pondered both
for quite a while and just as I was about to make my final
decision I heard by name being called.
‘Josephine?’
‘Huh?’
‘I think you mean “I beg your pardon” don’t you, dear?’
‘I beg your pardon, Sister.’
‘What are you doing? You’re reading, aren’t you, young
lady?’
‘Um . . . yeah.’
‘Um, yeah? Excellent, Josephine. I can see you walking
away with the English prize this year. Now stand up.’
So my final school year began. I had promised myself that
I would be a saint for this year alone. I would make the greatest
impression on my teachers and become the model student. I
knew it would all fail. But just not on the first day.
Sister Gregory walked towards me and when she was so
close that I could see her moustache, she held out her hand.
‘Show me what you’re reading.’
I handed it to her and watched her mouth purse itself
together and her nostrils flare in triumph because she knew
she was going to get me.
She skimmed it and then handed it back to me. I could
feel my heart beating fast.
‘Read from where you were up to.’
I picked up the magazine and cleared my throat.
‘“What kind of a friend are you?”’ I read from Hot Pants
magazine.
She looked at me pointedly.
Tension draws the reader
in, as they believe that
the narrator is sitting an
important test.
The nun’s sarcasm draws
a clear distinction
between teacher and
student.
An aside (a temporary
departure from a main
theme or topic) gives the
reader more insight into
Josie’s personality.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 69
The magazine, while
fictional, is clearly a
reference to the type of
‘girlie’ magazine that
many readers will have
read.
An innuendo (an indirect
suggestion of a sexual
nature) appeals to a
reader’s sense of humour,
making Josie seem playful
and even more
appealing.
70 english alive 4
‘“You are at a party”,’ I began with a sigh, ‘And your best
friend’s good-looking, wealthy and successful boyfriend tries
to make a pass. Do you: A — Smile obligingly and steal
away into the night via the back door; B — Throw your
cocktail all over his Country Road suit; C — Quietly explain
the loyalty you have towards your friend; D — Tell your
friend instantly, knowing that she will make a scene”.’
You can understand, now, why I found it hard to pick
between ‘B’ and ‘C’.
‘May I ask what this magazine has to do with my religion
class, Miss?’
‘Religion?’
‘Yes, dear,’ she continued in her sickeningly sarcastic tone.
‘The one we are in now.’
‘Well . . . quite a lot, Sister.’
I heard snickers around me as I tried to make up as much
as I could along the way.
Religion class, first period Monday morning, is the place
to try to pull the wool over the eyes of Sister Gregory. (She
kept her male saint’s name although the custom went out
years ago. She probably thinks it will get her into heaven.
I don’t think she realises that feminism has hit religion and
that the female saints in heaven are probably also in revolt.)
‘Would you like to explain yourself, Josephine?’
I looked around the classroom watching everyone shrugging almost sympathetically.
They thought I was beaten.
‘We were talking about the Bible, right?’
‘I personally think that you don’t know what we’ve been
talking about, Josephine. I think you’re trying to fool me.’
The nostrils flared again.
Sister Gregory is famous for nostril-flaring. Once I commented to someone that she must have been a horse in
another life. She overheard and scolded me, saying that, as a
Catholic, I shouldn’t believe in reincarnation.
‘Fool you, Sister? Oh, no. It’s just that while you were
speaking I remembered the magazine. You were talking about
today’s influences that affect our Christian lives, right?’
Anna, one of my best friends, turned to face me and
nodded slightly.
‘And?’
‘Well, Sister, this magazine is a common example,’ I said,
picking it up and showing everyone. ‘It’s full of rubbish. It’s
full of questionnaires that insult our intelligence. Do you think
they have articles titled “Are you a good Christian?” or “Do
you love your neighbour?”. No. They have articles titled “Do
you love your sex life?” knowing quite well that the average
age of the reader is fourteen. Or “Does size count?” and let me
assure you, Sister, they are not referring to his height . . .’
In another aside, Josie fills
the reader in on a bit of
‘religious gossip’, making
them feel ‘part of the
club’.
Josie demonstrates an
admirable ability to think
on her feet, gaining the
reader’s support in the
process.
READING TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
CDthe R
OM
on
Characters:
• should be unique, but
easy to relate to
• are defined by their
actions, reactions and
interactions with others
and the world around
them
• will often undergo a
character arc
throughout the story,
ending up as a different
person than they were
when the story began.
Story Spinner
1. Although Ella and Josie are in very different situations, they still have a lot in
common. Use a Venn diagram to note down as much as you can about what
makes them different and what they have in common.
2. Which of the two protagonists can you most easily relate to? Why? Would
this affect your enjoyment of the novel?
3. What can dialogue tell you about a character in a novel? Do you feel you learn
more about a character through their conversations with other characters, or
do you prefer the author to simply ‘tell’ you about the character? Explain your
preference. See the Wordsmith on page 73 for guidance.
Making meaning
4. Authors may choose to write in the first or third person and, less commonly,
in the second-person point of view. How important do you think their
choice is to the storytelling? Explain, based on the two extracts presented,
what you see as the relative advantages and disadvantages of writing in the
first or third person. You could organise your answer in a PMI chart.
5. Somebody who is very action-oriented is often referred to as ‘assertive’ or
’aggressive’; somebody who is particularly reactive is referred to as ‘passive’;
while somebody who is mostly interactive is usually called ‘social’. Taking
into account what you have learned about each character from these extracts,
which of these three terms best describes Ella’s personality? Which best
describes Josie’s?
6. Think about your own friendship group. Are some members more active,
some reactive and some interactive? Which one are you? Have you ever taken
on a different role in the group? Is so, what happened to make you do this? If
not, what kind of situation would it take for you to adopt another role, such
as that of ‘leader’?
Analysing and reflecting
7. At the end of the excerpt from Ella’s Gift, the author makes the statement,
That was why she didn’t have any friends. That was why she didn’t even want any.
Do you believe this is what the character really wants? Based on your own
experiences, how important in life are friendships?
8. In both these novels, the protagonists undergo some major changes based on
the challenges they face. For a character arc to be complete, however, change
needs to result in the person exhibiting the opposite behaviour to what they
exhibited at the beginning of the novel, in at least one key area of their
personality. Using your thesaurus, find the opposite, or antonym, for the
following characteristics:
• secretive
• confused
• brave
• friendly.
9. (a) Do male readers only want to read about male protagonists, and do female
readers only want to read about female protagonists? Explain your
opinion with reference to yourself and your friends.
(b) Should male novelists not attempt to write about female characters and
vice versa? Debate this question with reference to two or more novels that
you have read with female characters written by a male author and male
characters written by a female author.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 71
WRITING AND RESPONDING TO TEXTS
10. Copy the following table into your notebook, placing the characteristics
provided on the left, and their antonym on the right.
Characteristics
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Event 4
Antonym
A secretive girl
A brave man
A confused child
A friendly old woman
Now complete the table, working out four events that could change each
character from what they began as (e.g. ‘A brave man’) to its opposite
(e.g. ‘A cowardly man’). This will help you when creating character arcs for
your own characters.
12
Character match
13
Interactions
11. Choose one of the main characters in your novel, preferably the
protagonist, then draw up a character brief, including the following
information:
• name
• personality type
• age
• role in group (if applicable)
• gender
• enemies
• physical description
• skills.
You can draw a picture of your character’s face if you like. At the bottom of
your brief, answer the following questions:
(a) What makes this character unique or interesting?
(b) Who will be able to relate to this character?
If your answer to question B does not match your target audience, you will
need to re-think the character.
12. Draw a table similar to the table you drew for question 10, outlining how at
least three of your characters will change throughout the course of the novel.
Include the events, or challenges, that will cause the changes to occur. Will
each of their character arcs be complete?
13. Choose a character from a novel you are studying and rewrite a passage,
changing the male characters to female and vice versa. How much did you
have to change?
72 english alive 4
Creating character through dialogue
One way to differentiate your characters from one another is to give them
distinctive ways of speaking, but this can be a real challenge. First, you need
to develop an ‘ear for dialogue’. The best way is to listen to the people
around you. John Marsden, for instance, has often spoken about listening to
teenagers speak in order to get his characters to ‘sound right’. We all have
distinctive ways of speaking, including our speech pattern and use of
slang. Consider the following conversations:
Conversation 1
CHARACTER A: Are we still on for tonight?
CHARACTER B: Absolutely. I am really looking forward to this production
tonight; it should be marvellous.
Conversation 2:
CHARACTER A: Are we still on for tonight?
CHARACTER B: Wouldn’t miss it, luv. It’s gonna be a great show!
In both conversations, ‘Character B’ is enthusiastic about going to see a
production, but the way he or she expresses it gives a different impression.
1. Find somebody you know who speaks in an interesting manner. It could
be a classmate, teacher, relative or friend. Ask them to tell you what
they’ll be doing next weekend. Then, using a tape recorder, record them
speaking (uninterrupted, if possible) for a minute or more.
2. On a computer, type out your interviewee’s monologue as accurately as
possible, including all ‘umms’, ‘aaaahs’ and pauses. Do your best to
punctuate it in a way that will make it possible for somebody else to
understand. It should look something like this:
weekend? What do you want to know about that for? Oh, well, your
‘Myproblem,
not mine. This weekend . . . ah . . . I’m gonna head down to
the beach Friday night — me and Jayne are going — need to let off some steam.
Work’s been hard, you know? ‘Sides, Jayne’s folks’re coming to town next week, so
we wanna catch up before then. You ever met her mother? Don’t get me started ...’
3. Now add character descriptions to break up the speech and make the
scene easier for a reader to envisage. For example:
weekend? What do you want to know about that for?’ For a moment,
‘MyBarry
seemed perplexed, as if he may not answer, his dark, lined face
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how the
events and challenges
that a character faces
affects their character
arc
create characters who
are unique but easy to
relate to
use dialogue to ‘paint a
picture’ of a character.
unreadable. Then he shrugged, giving a brief, ‘Oh, well, your problem, not mine.
This weekend ... ah ... I’m gonna head down to the beach Friday night — me and
Jayne are going — need to let off some steam.’ Smiling, he looked out the window.
His eyes reflected the grey sky, and he seemed to be considering the weather. Then
he shook his head, appearing tired suddenly. ‘Work’s been hard, you know?’
Clearing his throat, he added, ‘Sides, Jayne’s folks’re coming to town next week, so
we wanna catch up before then.’ His smile returning, he asked, ‘You ever met her
mother?’ When I shook my head, he said, ‘Don’t get me started ...’
With only one minute’s worth of dialogue, you should find that you’ve
painted a clear picture of a very interesting character. If so, ask their
permission, and you can give them a guest appearance in your novel.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 73
Setting
A novel’s setting is a combination of its
temporal and physical location — that
is, when and where it is set. An open,
inviting setting makes a novel fun and
easy to read; an isolated, threatening
setting makes a book feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable. Often, the
setting is so integral to the story told
that it becomes almost a character in its
own right. John Steinbeck’s novel Of
Mice and Men is a story firmly rooted in
its location: California’s Salinas Valley
during the Great Depression. In the
1930s, while some people chose to
remain in the cities, lining up for bread
and soup, others braved the country,
searching for temporary work at the
farms they found. The novel’s protagonists, George and Lennie, are two such men.
For them, a ranch in Salinas Valley represents a dream of what could be: a
sanctuary and, ultimately, a trap. This narrative extract is written from the thirdperson point of view. It introduces the reader to the novel’s setting and
protagonists.
This paints an idyllic
picture of the path the
water has taken, making
the setting appear
peaceful.
A range of ‘friendly’
animals are described as
drinking from the
waterhole.
This clearly places the
novel in the Great
Depression; however, the
enormity of the economic
problems facing the
world are only hinted at
so as not to interrupt the
flow of the description.
74 english alive 4
A
few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in
close to the hill-side bank and runs deep and green.
The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the
yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.
On one side of the river the golden foothill slopes curve up to
the strong and rocky Gabilan mountains, but on the valley
side the water is lined with trees — willows fresh and green
with every spring, carrying in their lower leaf junctures the
debris of the winter’s flooding; and sycamores with mottled,
white, recumbent limbs and branches that arch over the
pool. On the sandy bank under the trees the leaves lie deep
and so crisp that a lizard makes a great skittering if he runs
among them. Rabbits come out of the brush to sit on the
sand in the evening, and the damp flats are covered with the
night tracks of ‘coons, and with the spread pads of dogs
from the ranches, and with the split-wedge tracks of deer
that come to drink in the dark.
There is a path through the willows and among the sycamores, a path beaten hard by boys coming down from the
ranches to swim in the deep pool, and beaten hard by
tramps who come wearily down from the highway in the
evening to jungle-up near water. In front of the low horizontal
limb of a giant sycamore there is an ash-pile made by many
fires; the limb is worn smooth by men who have sat on it.
The mention of spring
implies new life.
Rabbits will become an
important motif within
the novel. At the
beginning of the novel,
they represent the
tranquillity of the scene.
Evening and shade seem to
act of their own accord, as
if they’re alive
A hierarchy is clearly and
quickly established.
The men’s simple clothes
and blanket rolls make it
clear they are drifters.
The word ‘follower’ makes
Lennie’s reliance on George
even more clear.
This is the second
comparison of Lenny to an
animal: first a bear, now a
horse.
The description of the
water provides visual
interest for the reader, and
is easy to imagine.
Evening of a hot day started the little wind to moving
among the leaves. The shade climbed up the hills toward
the top. On the sand-banks the rabbits sat as quietly as
little grey, sculptured stones. And then from the direction
of the state highway came the sound of footsteps on crisp
sycamore leaves. The rabbits hurried noiselessly for cover.
A stilted heron laboured up into the air and pounded
down river. For a moment the place was lifeless, and then
two men emerged from the path and came into the
opening by the green pool. They had walked in single file
down the path, and even in the open one stayed behind
the other. Both were dressed in denim trousers and in
denim coats with brass buttons. Both wore black, shapeless hats and both carried tight blanket rolls slung over
their shoulders. The first man was small and quick, dark
of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features. Every
part of him was defined: small, strong hands, slender
arms, a thin and bony nose. Behind him walked his opposite, a huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes,
with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws. His
arms did not swing at his sides, but hung loosely and only
moved because the heavy hands were pendula.
The first man stopped short in the clearing, and the follower nearly ran over him. He took off his hat and wiped
the sweat-band with his forefinger and snapped the moisture off. His huge companion dropped his blankets and
flung himself down and drank from the surface of the
green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water
like a horse. The small man stepped nervously beside him.
‘Lennie!’ he said sharply. ‘Lennie, for God’s sakes don’t
drink so much.’ Lennie continued to snort into the pool.
The small man leaned over and shook him by the
shoulder. ‘Lennie. You gonna be sick like you was last
night.’
Lennie dipped his whole head under, hat and all, and
then he sat up on the bank and his hat dripped down on
his blue coat and ran down his back. ‘Tha’s good,’ he said.
‘You drink some, George. You take a good big drink.’ He
smiled happily.
George unslung his bundle and dropped it gently on the
bank. ‘I ain’t sure it’s good water,’ he said. ‘Looks kinda
scummy.’
Lennie dabbled his big paw in the water and wiggled
his fingers so the water arose in little splashes; rings widened across the pool to the other side and came back
again. Lennie watched them go. ‘Look, George. Look
what I done.’
A pretty simile makes the
setting seem reassuring
and idyllic.
The sense of sound helps
the reader to more fully
‘experience’ the setting.
Short, sharp phrases match
the description of George.
A long sentence gives an
appropriately ponderous
description of Lennie.
Colloquial speech suggests
a lack of formal education,
which would be true of the
time in which the novel is
set.
In comparison to his friend,
George’s behaviour seems
well measured.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 75
READING TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
CDthe R
OM
on
Setting:
• has a direct effect on the
mood of the reader
• uses different ‘senses’ to
create a sense of place
• can become a character
in its own right.
Story Spinner
1. Does the clearing in which George and Lennie find themselves seem like a
positive or negative place? List the words and phrases that create this impression.
2. If this setting were a character, based on this excerpt, how would you describe
its personality?
Making meaning
3. Create a Y chart that focuses on the setting. At the top of the Y, write what the
setting looks like; on the left of the Y, list what it sounds like; and on the righthand side of the Y, list what it feels like. After filling out your chart, decide which
of these three senses is most important in conveying a sense of the setting.
4. Although the clearing seems peaceful, and provides the drifters with drinking
water, George notices something about the water that Lennie doesn’t: that the
water looks kinda scummy. What do their different reactions to the clearing
suggest about the characters’ personalities? What does it suggest about the
world in which George and Lennie exist?
Analysing and reflecting
5. The novel begins with a description of the river; then there is a break in the
text, and a smaller pool is described in detail. Only after the description of the
setting is finished are the characters introduced. The effect is like a camera
looking at a panoramic view, then focusing in closer. Discuss with a classmate
why the author might have chosen to structure his description this way? What
other approaches could he have used to ‘set the scene’, and would they have
been as effective?
6. One technique Steinbeck uses in this passage is that of giving inanimate objects
a personality. This makes it seem as if the clearing has been waiting for George
and Lennie. Identify each instance of this in the passage beginning Evening of a
hot day and ending opening by the green pool.
WRITING AND
RESPONDING TO TEXTS
7. Rewrite the passage outlined in the
previous question, but set it in a
modern-day city. Your main character
should be a teenager seeing this
neighbourhood for the first time.
Make sure to use the same technique
of characterising inanimate objects
(such as streets, windows, houses and
cars) to create mood. Whether you
make the setting menacing or inviting
is up to you.
8. Imagine you were going to make this scene from Of Mice and Men into a movie.
What angles would you use to best depict the setting? What colours would be
most important? What type of music and/or sound effects would you use?
Draw a storyboard of between four and six panels to depict your vision of the
scene. See page 112 for help with storyboarding.
76 english alive 4
A sense of place
Creating a great setting means more than choosing a place and time; it’s about
conveying mood. To do this, you must know your story’s environment
intimately. In some cases, this may require you to sit in a quiet room and
imagine your setting; in others, it may involve actually visiting a place. With
your eyes closed, you should be able to imagine walking around your setting,
taking in the sights, talking to people, breathing the air and listening to the
sounds. It is this sensorial information that will provide the reader with the
sense of actually being there. Like all good writing, creating a clear sense of
place is not about simply telling the reader that the setting is inviting or
foreboding; it’s about conveying this through a series of subtle clues.
Which of the following descriptions is better?
Example 1:
t was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional
intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the
streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and
fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.
I
Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, Paul Clifford (1830)
Example 2:
e squatted down, parted the leaves and looked out into the clearing.
Nothing moved but a pair of gaudy butterflies that danced around each
other in the hot air. Holding his breath, he cocked a critical ear at the sounds of
the island. Evening was advancing towards the island; the sounds of the bright
fantastic birds, the bee-sounds, even the crying of the gulls that were returning
to their roosts among the square rocks, were fainter. The deep sea breaking
miles away on the reef made an undertone less perceptible that the susurration
of the blood.
H
William Golding, Lord of the Flies, page 72 (1954)
Answer the following questions referring to the second example.
1. How would you describe the mood of this setting? Use your dictionary or
thesaurus to find the most appropriate adjective/s.
2. Which genre does this scene appear to take place in? What gives you this
impression?
3. How many features would need to be altered to make this scene feel like:
• a science-fiction setting
• a romantic setting
• an urban setting?
>
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 77
>
4. In the passage below, the scene is set for a story, but what type of story it
will be depends on you. Fill in the gaps to create a genre-based story.
Horror, mystery or fantasy might be a good place to start.
T
he boys watched the train pull away
in a cloud of steam, engine
chugging. Then it was gone, and the
station was silent.
Turning around, they walked to the
edge of the platform and stared over
the lip of a cliff, at the
river below. Overhead, the sky was
. They had been
expecting some kind of welcome.
Instead, they found nothing.
The brochure had made the camp
look
. It had promised
plenty of
. They had all
been
at the prospect of
spending a week outside the city.
In silent consent, they began to walk
over the footbridge. It was
and
. They walked singlefile. None of them spoke.
Occasionally, they heard the
of birds, or an
unidentifiable sound in the distance. The
whole place felt
. The
boys were sure that their stay would
bring
.
Over to you
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand how the
choice of descriptive
words helps to build a
setting
use the five senses to
create a vivid sense of
place
create a setting that
conveys mood to the
reader.
78 english alive 4
5. Choose a key setting within your novel and describe it, either in a series of
dot-points or in a descriptive passage. Some questions to consider when
writing about your setting:
• What does it look like?
• What does it sound like?
• What does it smell like?
• What does it taste like?
• What does it feel like?
• Does the setting look different to different people? If so, in what ways
does it appear different to different people?
6. How does this setting fit in with the genre of your novel? Is it a typical
setting for the genre (like a graveyard in a horror story), or will it
challenge the reader’s expectations?
7. Think of another key setting in your novel, and choose a piece of music
that matches the mood of the setting. Write a scene that takes place in the
setting you have created. It should be about a page in length, and should
convey a strong sense of time and place.
Plot — what makes a great story?
A great story is one that keeps readers interested from beginning to end. In a teen
novel, it is generally focused on specific events, or challenges, that face the character/s, and follows a traditional story structure, which can be summarised as
orientation, complication, climax and resolution. To Kill a Mockingbird, by
Harper Lee, is a story about fear and prejudice during the 1930s in the close-knit
Southern town of Maycomb. It was released in 1960, a dark period in American
history, when African-Americans were fighting for basic rights, such as the right to
vote and go to the school of their choice.
By setting the story during a biased court case, in which a black man named Tom
Robinson is accused of assaulting a white woman, Lee put a human face on the
civil rights issue. Representing the fear and confusion felt by many readers of the
time was the protagonist of To Kill a Mockingbird, a plucky young girl named Jean
Louise Finch, ‘Scout’ for short. Along with her brother Jem and their friend Dill,
Scout manages to uncover the truth of not one but two mysteries over the course
of the novel: Is Tom Robinson really guilty of the crime for which he’s being tried?
And what is the truth behind Maycomb’s resident bogeyman, Boo Radley? These
two mysteries form the novel’s plot and subplot. Although To Kill a Mockingbird
challenged many of the social conventions of the time in which it was written, the
novel follows a traditional story structure, as you will see on the following pages.
In the movie To Kill a Mockingbird,
Atticus Finch (played by Gregory
Peck) defends Tom Robinson (played
by Brock Peters), a black man
accused of raping a white woman.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 79
Common story structure
Orientation
Complication/s
❖ The novel’s setting is made clear, and the main
characters are introduced.
❖ Problems or challenges arise for the main
character/s, propelling the story forward.
In chapters 1–3, the reader meets Scout, the
book’s narrator, as well as her brother Jem and
her father Atticus, residents of the ‘tired old
town’ of Maycomb. The only exciting thing
about the town, it seems, is a local resident (and
supposed bogeyman) named Boo Radley, whom
the children are determined to force outside.
In chapters 4–8, the novel’s subplot is explored.
The children’s first real encounter with Boo
Radley is when he begins leaving presents for
Scout and Jem in the hollow of a tree outside his
house. When they try to visit the Radley place
after dark, however, Mr Radley — Boo’s father —
shoots at them, scaring Jem so much that he loses
his pants on a fence. When he returns later that
night, however, he finds the pants mended and
folded neatly. Jem wants to leave a ‘thank you’
note in the hollow of the tree outside the Radley
house, but Mr Radley has already filled it in with
cement, thereby cutting off communication
between the children and their mysterious
neighbour.
Between chapters 9 and 15, the novel’s plot —
about the trial of Tom Robinson — is introduced.
Scout is angry and confused when a classmate
announces that her father defended niggers, and
wants to defend his honour. Later on, however,
Atticus explains that the children were referring
to an African-American named Tom Robinson,
whom he will be defending in court. Tom
Robinson has been accused of raping a white
woman named Mayella Ewell. One night, Scout
finds her friend Dill hiding under her bed, and
Atticus agrees to allow him to stay for the
summer.
Scout is just starting school, and is
disappointed when she has a run-in with her new
teacher over the fact that she already knows how
to read. When she tells her father about her
disappointment, he consoles her by explaining,
You never really understand a person until you
consider things from his point of view . . . until you
climb into his skin and walk around in it. This quote
forms the basis for Scout’s character arc during
the course of the story.
Tangent
In one of the novel’s many tangents, a rabid dog enters town, and Atticus is called to
help out. Knowing his father is a pacifist, Jem assumes that Atticus won’t be able to
help. But Atticus kills the dog with a single shot, and the sheriff refers to him as
one-shot Finch.
While Jem begins to view his father as a hero because of the incident, Atticus sees
killing the dog as a necessity, nothing more, teaching the children an important
lesson about valuing life. After giving the children air rifles for Christmas, he says,
Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ’em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a
mockingbird. According to Scout’s wise neighbour, Miss Maudie, it’s a sin to kill
mockingbirds because these birds don’t do one thing but make music for us to enjoy.
80 english alive 4
Complications
Resolution
Chapters 15–22 deal with what is, from the outset, an
unjust court case against Tom Robinson. Many of the
townsfolk would have preferred not to have a court case
at all, but to lynch (hang) Tom prior to his trial. Having
been forced to proceed with the trial, the prosecutor’s
case is weak. Mayella Ewell is clearly a victim of neglect
and abuse by her father rather than the defendant.
While the children believe the case is going well, Atticus
and the other adults — who understand the power of
prejudice in the town — know that, despite
overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Tom’s guilt has
already been decided. When he is finally convicted, Miss
Maudie insists that the trial was a victory of sorts: the
jury had taken a longer time than expected to convict
Tom Robinson. After the trial, there is a confrontation
between the victim’s father, Bob Ewell, and Atticus, in
which Bob spits in Atticus’ face.
Chapters 23–5 focus on the aftermath of the trial.
While Jem begins to question the validity of the judicial
system, news arrives that Tom Robinson was shot dead
while trying to escape police
custody. In a scathing attack on
the people of Maycomb, local
reporter BB Underwood likened
Tom’s death to the senseless
slaughter of songbirds by hunters and
children . . .
❖ With the challenges solved, it’s time to
find out all the answers, and what’s in
store for the characters in the future.
Chapters 30 and 31 tie up a few loose
ends. Atticus assumes that it was Jem who
had killed Bob Ewell, and insists that the
truth be told; however, the sheriff believes
that it was Boo who stabbed the
children’s attacker, and wants to keep
things quiet to protect him, believing that
exposing him to the inevitable publicity
would be a sin. Scout demonstrates
newfound maturity by suggesting, . . . it’d
be sort of like shootin’ a mockingbird . . . This
maturity is confirmed when, after walking
Boo to his veranda — something she
would never have done a year before —
she realises she is effectively standing in
his shoes, and thinks, Atticus was right. One
time he said you never really know a man
until you stand in his shoes and walk around
in them. Just standing on the Radley porch
was enough. With this line, the final
chapter brings to a close one of the book’s
major themes — the need to empathise
with others — demonstrating that Scout’s
character arc is complete . . . even if the
town still has a way to go.
Climax
❖ Events come to a head, usually in an exciting fashion.
Chapters 26–9 move quickly. After Bob Ewell vows that
he will have revenge on Atticus, the children attend
their school’s Halloween pageant. On the way home,
they are attacked by a knife-wielding man, and only
manage to escape thanks to a shadowy figure who
intervenes and carries Jem to safety. When they arrive
home, Jem — whose arm is broken — is still
unconscious, and Scout is shaken up. According to the
sheriff, their attacker was Bob Ewell, who is now dead,
killed with his own knife during the scuffle. Scout is
surprised when Atticus reveals that the man who had
saved them is their bogeyman, Boo Radley.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 81
READING TEXTS
Understanding and knowing
CDthe R
OM
on
A great story:
• engages the reader,
keeping them turning
the pages until the end
• is traditionally made up
of four distinct parts:
the orientation,
complication/s, climax
and resolution
• is made up of a series of
episodes that combine
to form the major
storyline, or plot
• is often accompanied by
one or more subplots,
which relate to themes
and/or characters not
adequately explored in
the plot itself.
Story Spinner
1. Scout is the novel’s narrator, but is she the main character? Explain your
answer.
2. Which events seem to have the greatest effect on Scout’s character arc, and in
what way?
3. According to this outline, what percentage of the storyline (count the
chapters devoted to each as a proportion of the total chapters) of To Kill a
Mockingbird falls into the following categories: orientation, complication,
climax, resolution. Do these results surprise you? Explain.
Making meaning
4. Why might the author have chosen to tell a story set in the past, rather than
in 1960, when the novel was released?
5. Could a new character or subplot be introduced at any time, or do you think
there comes a point in the story when it’s too late to add any new elements?
Explain.
6. In which genres might the common story structure be altered, and in what
ways? Think of specific examples.
7. One major change to the novel during the twentieth century was the rise in
popularity of non-linear storytelling (i.e. stories that are not told ‘in a
straight line’ from beginning to end) with the end sometimes appearing
before the beginning, or the story beginning in the middle. Is To Kill a
Mockingbird linear or non-linear? Explain.
Analysing and reflecting
8. Although we see the events in this story through the eyes of a six-year-old,
they are described by that character when she is an adult. How might the
style of the novel have been different if Atticus had narrated the story?
9. To what extent do you think a novel can be a force for change? Are there
better ways to change injustices or negative aspects of society? Discuss. Will
your novel be a force for change?
10. As you have seen, modern novels for teenagers tend to focus on teenage
characters. As a reader of teen fiction, can you relate to a character as young as
Scout?
11. Another difference between a novel like To Kill a Mockingbird and modern
teen novels is the lack of tangents. Why might publishers insist on a more
‘streamlined’ novel for modern teenagers? Do you believe that teen novels
could benefit from including a few more tangents?
WRITING AND RESPONDING
12. Write an analytical response to the following question. (For guidance on
writing analytical responses, see pages 14–16.) Although the story in To Kill a
Mockingbird takes place over a period of three years, Harper Lee has used a plot
structure that carries the reader along in a smooth and seamless narrative.
13. At around 40 000 to 60 000 words, a teen novel might have approximately
20 chapters. Each chapter should be made up of an important event, or
‘episode’. It should follow on from the previous chapter, and lead on to the
next. Together, these episodes should combine to form one complete story.
82 english alive 4
14
Prepared reading
✔ learning
I CAN:
understand the
structure of a novel
recognise the difference
between a plot and a
subplot
design a compelling
storyline for my own
novel.
(a) Divide your novel’s storyline into between 15 and 20 episodes and write a
brief description of each on a Post-it.
(b) Place the Post-its in order, indicating which episodes relate to the
orientation, complication, climax and resolution. Does the story flow from
one chapter to the next? If so, move on to question C. If not, rearrange/
replace episodes until you’re happy with the result.
(c) Make sure your subplot develops throughout the novel, ultimately
converging with the main plot in some way. Rearrange/alter episodes if
necessary.
14. Once you’ve finished your chapter breakdown, get a friend or classmate to
read it. Ask them to mark, in pencil, any element that they find confusing.
When they’ve finished, they can make suggestions, or ask you questions to
clarify the story, if they wish. After reviewing their suggestions/questions, alter
your chapter breakdown if necessary. Remember, it’s much easier to edit a
plan than an entire novel.
T
he modern novel has survived the advent of
radio, movies, television, and — most recently — the
interactive stories offered by computer games. Perhaps this is
because the novel offers something that no other form can: a
completely private journey for the reader. When written well, a
novel both entertains and explores human truths, and can
become a bestseller along the way. As one of the most popular
novelists of the twentieth century, Stephen King is in a good
position to offer advice to those wishing to begin a career as a
novelist: ‘I have written because it fulfilled me. Maybe it paid off
the mortgage on the house and got the kids through college, but
those things were on the side — I did it for the buzz. I did it for
the pure joy of the thing. And if you can do it for joy, you can do
it forever’.
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 83
Touchstone wants you!
Each novel should be suitable for teenagers in one of two age
brackets, 13–15 or 16–18, and should fit into one (or a
combination) of the following genres: drama, adventure,
mystery, science fiction, fantasy, horror or romance. Novels
may be presented in prose or as a graphic novel.
The posters seemed to
appear out of nowhere: at
schools, bus stops and train
stations the same image was
plastered — a man with a long
white beard, pointing a long
finger and holding a blank
novel in his other hand.
Written in bold above his head
were the words ‘Touchstone
wants you!’
With a large internet
marketing campaign, publisher
Touchstone Press has
announced itself as a force to
be reckoned with in Australian
publishing. Their motto is
‘for teens, by teens’. In an
unheard-of move, Touchstone
Press will be visiting schools
across the country in order to
view as many completed novel
submissions as possible, and
will be choosing ten lucky
novelists to mentor, offering
each a large cheque for their
proposed novel.
In order to secure a
meeting with the company’s
representatives when they visit
your school, you will need to
provide the following:
• a cover letter outlining
audience and genre
• book jacket design,
including blurb
• a complete chapter break
down/synopsis
• between one and three
sample chapters
• any extra material that will
help to ‘sell’ your proposal.
84 english alive 4
When working on your submission, ensure that you
address each of the following points. (At any time,
ask your classmates, teacher and family members for
input. After all, they will be your ‘buying public’.)
THE COVER LETTER
Answer:
❖ What inspired you to write the novel?
❖ How will it meet the interests of
teenage readers?
❖ How does this novel follow in the
footsteps, or challenge the work, of
other writers in the genre?
❖ What themes does the novel
address, and are these relevant to
teenagers?
❖ What kind of help would you
need to get your novel finished?
THE JACKET
Ask yourself:
❖ Is the title punchy?
❖ Would the cover design appeal
to your target market?
❖ Is the concept clear, either in
the form of a tag line or in the
blurb?
❖ Is the blurb engaging?
Once you’ve considered each of these points, it’s
time to meet the representatives from Touchstone
Press and make your pitch to them. See you on the
Bestsellers list!
CHAPTER BREAKDOWN
Consider:
❖ Does the novel have a clearly defined plot?
❖ Does each chapter cover one major event?
❖ Is there a clear, logical structure to the
book?
❖ Would the novel’s ending
leave the reader
with the feeling
you intended
to convey?
SAMPLE CHAPTERS
Make sure:
❖ the first chapter is punchy, with
a ‘hook’ to draw in a potential
reader
❖ the main characters are easy
for teens to relate to
❖ you’ve chosen the best
chapters to represent the
novel as a whole.
Unit 3
unit 3 • Alive on . . . novels 85
Key terms
allegory: a narrative in which
characters and events are
constructed to convey a deeper,
symbolic meaning
blurb: a brief description of a text,
designed to entice potential
readers
character arc: the process by
which a character grows and
transforms based on experiences
over the course of a story
climax: high point or culmination
complication: the events in the
story that move the plot towards
the ending, creating tension or
interest as they do so
concept: a novel’s central idea
demographic: a group of people
defined by a characteristic, such as
age or social status
exposition: a detailed statement
or explanation
fable: a short tale, often about
animals, to teach a lesson about
how a person should behave
first-person point of view: the
point of view on the story told by
a character who is part of the story
and who uses words like ‘me’ and
‘we’.
genre: a type of story, such as
horror, fantasy and romance
mock-up: a full-scale, rough
design used for demonstration
monologue: a prolonged talk or
discourse by a single character
mood: atmosphere or ambience
motif: an idea, subject or feature
that is repeated throughout a work
narrative: story
non-linear: not in a straight line
omniscient: knowing all things
orientation: the beginning of a
story, when characters are
introduced and settings established
parallel: an equivalent or
matching concept
86 english alive 4
present tense: action expressed
in the present time, as in ‘she
writes’ or ‘she is writing’
protagonist: the leading
character in a novel
resolution: the events after a
story’s climax
second-person point of view:
the point of view on the story told
by someone who is not a character
in the story but addresses the
reader directly by using the word
‘you’
slang: language that is more
informal than standard speech
speculative fiction: fiction that
combines elements of fantasy,
science fiction and horror
speech pattern: a distinctive
manner of oral expression
storyboard: a panel or panels on
which a sequence of sketches
depict the significant changes of
action and scene in a story
subplot: a secondary or
subordinate plot
symbol: something regarded as
representing something else
tag line: a phrase or catchword
that becomes identified or
associated with a product
tangent: an event that is not
central to the plot or subplot
theme: a unifying or dominant
idea or motif
third-person point of view: the
point of view on the story told by
someone who is not a character in
the story and who uses words like
‘she’ ‘he’ ‘it’.
Word list
Word
Alternative
characteristic trait, attribute
innuendo
insinuation,
intimation
plot
scenario, outline,
narrative, story
perspective
viewpoint, outlook,
standpoint, angle
Try these
Novels
Code Name Sara Gray, Luke C
Jackson, John Wiley and Sons
Ella’s Gift, Casey Lever, John Wiley
and Sons
Animal Farm, George Orwell,
Penguin Books
Tomorrow When the War Began,
John Marsden, Pan Macmillan
Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck,
Mandarin Paperback
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee,
Harper Perennial Modern Classics
Looking for Alibrandi, Melina
Marchetta, Puffin
Lord of the Flies, William Golding,
Faber and Faber
Connections
Narratives: see pages
210–14
Interviews: see pages
33–8
On the web
Visit the website for this book
and click on following
weblinks (see ‘Weblinks’,
page xii).
Bulwer-Lytton fiction
contest
The snowflake method for
writing a novel
How to write a novel
How to get published by Jackie
French
On the CD-ROM
Story Spinner: spin your own
novel chapter (see pages 56, 64,
71, 76, 82)