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A Strategy for Reading Novels
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 A novel is a long, involved, fictitious story that is intended to entertain or instruct the reader. In order to better understand a novel it is useful to have a basic understanding of six elements an author uses when writing a novel.
Characters
Characters are the people, animals or made up beings that a story or novel is about. Characters in a novel are like the actors you see in cartoons, on the television and in movies. But unlike actors you see on T.V. characters you can’t actual see you just read about them in books. The main character in a novel usually plays the biggest role and frequently is the first character you are introduced to. Often the story is seen through the eyes of the main character. Other characters in a story or novel usually play a small role that of the main character. And while the main character is usually included throughout the entire story secondary characters may come and go.
Setting
The setting is the location where a story or novel takes place. Identifying the setting is an important part of understanding the story. For example, if a novel is about a schoolgirl who lives in Vermont then the setting would be Vermont and quite possible the school the girl attends and her home where she lives. A setting can include a home, countryside, school, state, city, town or any other location. You can usually figure out the setting of novel in the first or second chapter of a novel.
Time
The time is when a story takes place. This is the third element of a novel you should look for in addition to characters and setting. A novel may present a story that takes place in our modern time or ancient times. Whatever the time is you should be able to identify it earlier on in the story. Knowing the time will be help you understand a novel.
Problem
Every story involves a problem but not all problems are the same. Most often the problem arises from a conflict between the main character and another character in the story. However, a problem may also arise from other circumstance including catastrophes, war, dilemmas or any other of life’s many conflicts or hardships. The problem is the fourth element of a story or novel that you should look for.
Events
Simply put an event is an attempt to solve the problem in a story. For example, if the problem in a story is a severe hurricane and the people try to escape the hurricane by entering underground shelters then the event would be escaping the hurricane by entering underground shelters. A story may include several events. The event is the fifth element of a story that you should look for.
Solution
How the main problem of the story is resolved is known as the solution. The solution is the last important element of a story or novel. While most other elements of a story can been detected early on or throughout a novel often the solution is left until the very end.
Being able to recognize the elements of a story when you see them will help you to better understand, remember and enjoy your novel.
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