Here's how not to do a book report: write down everything that happens in the book. You might think you're doing a really thorough job, and in some ways, you are, but your teacher has probably already read the book. Even if she hasn't, she can pick it up. She's looking for something else from you. Though a book report that is more than a careful retelling of the book's events will require some thought on your part, ultimately it will be less painstaking and boring process than engaging in an exhaustive plot summary. Besides, thinking is good for you!
Theme: The Key To Most Teacher's Hearts
If you really want to blow your teacher away, forget about plot -- what happens in the book -- and make your book report a discussion of theme -- why stuff happens in the book the way it does. To address the question of theme, first you must determine for yourself what the themes of the book are. Sometimes themes are very obvious. In Black Like Me, for example, John Howard Griffin, a white man, undertakes a journey to discover what the black experience in the United States is by literally changing the color of his skin. Clearly, the state of race relations in the United States presents itself as the major theme in this work. If you are having trouble figuring out what the theme is in the book you've read, ask yourself what happens to the main character over the course of the story. What does that person do? What does he or she learn? How do they change? When you can answer these questions, you'll go a long way toward being able to articulate the themes the author addresses. Authors make their characters do things for a reason, right?
Once you've determined what the author's intent is, make that the focus of your book report. Your teacher will want to stand up and clap. After you've identified theme, the rest of your work is pretty easy. Just select passages and events from the book that demonstrate how the author gets his or her message across.
Making Note of Recurring Symbols Shows You're Paying Attention
You can also improve the quality of your book report by making note of any symbolism that occurs throughout the work -- if -- and this is important -- if the symbolism is actually there. If a character blows out a candle in a scene, for example, the author MIGHT be commenting on death as the extinguishment of life. What's equally possible, though, is that the character is just blowing the candle out, and if you read too much into it, your teacher will know you're overreaching. She may smile at your attempt to impress her, but unless you're correct in your analysis, your attempt will not win the day, or the A. How can you tell the times when a candle is just a candle or from when it's an existential commentary? A good rule of thumb is if the image is repeated throughout the work. In fact, if there is a discussion of light and dark, of candles lit and snuffed on every page, you should definitely take note, because these recurring images might just be a key to theme, if not another way the author elucidates his or her theme.
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