Introduction to Novel Course

Study Notes

The course aims to introduce students to the art of the novel, covering its main elements such as characterization, plot, setting, climax, conflict, and more.
Students will learn to identify different types of novels based on their topics and differentiate between novels, novellas, short stories, and other forms of literary works.
The course provides a theoretical background in literary and critical terminology to enhance students' critical appreciation of literary works.

Language that employs figures of speech to add connotations and richness to literal meanings.
Figurative language adds color and immediacy to imagery.
It is used primarily to create a specific effect on the reader.

A literary device involving unusual use of language to associate or compare dissimilar things.
Figures of speech depart from the usual order of words or their literal meaning to create an image in the reader's mind.
Language that uses figures of speech is called figurative language.

A scene that interrupts the present action of a narrative work to depict an earlier event.
Flashbacks can be presented through reverie, remembrance, dreaming, or other mechanisms.
The term refers to the scene itself or its presentation.

Coined by E.M. Forester in Aspects of the Novel (1927) to describe depth and complexity of characterization.
Flat characters are easily recognizable by their lack of complexity and are defined by a single idea or quality.
Round characters are fully developed and have complexities and depths similar to real people.

A novel that uses historical personages or events in a fictitious narrative.
Historical novels often add true-to-life elements to lend authenticity to the narrative.
The genre is used to explore historical figures, events, and their influences or causes.

A visual, physical representation of something or a mental picture of a visible thing or things.
Images can also involve senses other than sight, such as sound, smell, or sensations.

The mixture of situation and personality that impels a character to behave in a certain way.
Plausible motivation is essential to create convincing characters and actions.

Narration is the act or process of recounting a story or other narrative.
Narrative is a story or a telling of a story, or an account of a situation or events.

A speaker through whom an author presents a narrative, often a character in the work.
Every narrative has a narrator, which can be omniscient, intrusive, or unintrusive.

A third-person point of view that permits the author to present external details and information, as well as the inner thoughts and emotions of all characters.
The omniscient narrator is often described as "godlike" and can reveal or conceal information at their discretion.

The vantage point from which a narrative is told, such as first-person, third-person, or second-person points of view.
First-person narratives are told from a character's perspective, often with limited knowledge.
Third-person narratives can be omniscient or limited, and second-person narratives are rare.

The arrangement and interrelation of events in a narrative work, designed to engage the reader's attention and interest.
Plot is distinguished from story, which refers to a narrative of events ordered chronologically.