In Theme 3, you thought about fictional narratives and reviewed that novels are stories that are long enough to be put into a book form. You also spent some time considering the different fictional genres that you could read.

The image on the right will remind you of the different fictional genres.

Previously, you also learned that it is important to consider your purpose when writing a paragraph, an essay, or creating a digital story. An author also considers his or her purpose for writing a novel.

You may be thinking that the sole purpose of a novel is to tell a story. This is true, but sometimes the story is also the tool through which an author may:

• present a memorable character
  
• present a certain belief
  
• make a strong statement about some aspect of humanity or society

By the time you have reached grade 9, you have read many stories, essays, and novels.

What sort of things do you remember about what you have read in the past? Do you remember the characters or the story? Were the stories full of action or humour? Can you remember any novels that you have read? If you can’t remember any novels, think about these same questions with regards to movies that you have seen.

Images courtesy of www.imagesgoogle.com

Do you notice any similarities in the novels or movies that you remember? For example, were they based on action, were they funny, mysterious, or suspenseful? You may enjoy fantasy or science fiction stories.

Think back to the novels and movies that you liked. Is there a genre that is similar for all of them? Often, people are drawn to novels and movies that are similar. When you talk about enjoying a certain type of novel or movie, remember you are talking about genre.

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