This assignment will help you learn to read many kinds of books. As you read, you will learn to understand and enjoy this type of book. Here are your goals for this assignment: Select and read a novel Follow the directions to report on the book Fiction is literature (stories) created in the imagination. The author "creates" a world in his mind by picturing certain events at certain times in certain places involving certain persons; he brings form to that world by putting it into words. Unlike God in Genesis 1:1, the author does not create his world out of nothing. Everything in the story has some basis in things that already exist. The elements of the story are rooted in the author's own life experiences. The characters may be modeled upon people he has met. The description of places might be shaped by the author's own travels, home life, or reading. The story will certainly be influenced by the author's view of God and the world. This basis in reality is part of what makes a story understandable, enjoyable, and even believable. An author usually tells a story for one of two reasons--to bring enjoyment or to teach; however, most stories are a mingling of both purposes. Jesus' parables and Aesop's Fables are stories designed to teach. They do so by using what we find most interesting and most understandable--familiar people (or animals who act like people), circumstances, and places--to introduce us to that which is unfamiliar. Even stories (such as fantasy or escape literature) written for sheer enjoyment still teach. In J. R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, the most unlikely creatures, hobbits, play a most important role in bringing about the destruction of evil. This plot pattern, if nothing else, communicates and dramatizes a truth also found in St. Paul's statement: "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty." (I Corinthians 1:27). The events, times and places, people, and purposes that shape the story are all identified by literary terms. These include: Plot: the interrelated events of the story (what happens). Setting: the time and place(s) in which the story happens. Character(s): the people who are involved in the events of the story. Conflict: the situation(s) or forces which create tension in the story and move the plot forward. Theme: the main idea or underlying meaning of the story. Theme controls all other elements of the story. Though stories come in a variety of shapes and sizes, all of them make use of these elements in some way. The stories that are part of this book report project are long works as opposed to short stories. Many are novels. What are novels? Whole works have been devoted to that question. For this project, a brief comparison of novels and short stories will suffice. Novels are stories that tie many episodes or events together, often covering large expanses of geography and time. Short stories typically focus on a single event in a single setting within a limited range of time. Novels often use a central plot and multiple subplots as opposed to the less complicated plot structure of a short story. Novels usually include many characters involved in a variety of situations and conflicts. Short stories limit both the number of characters and conflicts. Novels move more slowly than short stories, taking time for detailed description and character development. Short stories move quickly and can be read in a single sitting. Keep these ideas in mind as you select and read a book for your book report project.