The Fiction section can be one of the most challenging areas on of the Junior Certificate English paper.  This themepage aims to give you a starting point for studying your novel and to guide you in developing a personal response to fiction.

Introducing Fiction

• How to Write About Fiction
  A detailed website that gives useful tips for writing answers on the novel.

• What Makes a Good Short Story
  Interactive website that explains the different elements involved in writing a good short story.

• Mapping Literary Elements
  Use these colourful interactive diagrams to revise the key characters, relationships and events in your novel.

• Bitesize Reading Resources
  Find useful revision lessons here on atmosphere, setting, character and the writer’s viewpoint.

• Character Maps
  A worksheets that can be used to analyse a character’s personality, relationships and role in the text. (PDF)

  Studying the Set Text

• To Kill a Mockingbird (by Harper Lee) – Study Notes
  Comprehensive notes on the characters, themes and structure of the novel.  Contains additional quizzes and materials.

• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (by Mildred D. Taylor) – Study Guide
  Find detailed essays on various aspects of the novel here, plus information about the author and an online quiz.

• Of Mice and Men (by John Steinbeck) – Revision Notes
  Excellent notes on Steinbeck’s novel, including helpful tips for writing about the text in an exam.

• Pride and Prejudice (by Jane Austen) – Study Guide
  Useful notes on the key events and characters in the novel.  Contains chapter summaries and study questions also.

  Teaching Fiction in the Classroom

• Checklist: Elements of Literary Style
  A long list of elements to explore when examining a writer’s style.Quite useful!
  

• Still More Novel Ideas
  Ideas for practical activities when teaching the class novel, ranging from writing to art.

• Read Away
  A well-resourced unit that aims to make students enthusiastic about reading fiction.
  
  Test Your Knowledge

• Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry (by Mildred D. Taylor) - Quiz
  Revise the key events in Taylor’s novel by completing this quick quiz.

• Goodnight Mister Tom (by Michelle Magorian) - Quiz
  How much do you know about Willie and his life with Tom?
  

• Lord of the Flies (by William Golden) - Webquest
  The task of this webquest is to develop survival skills and set up your own society on a deserted island, while comparing the results to those in Lord of the Flies.

• Pride and Prejudice - Crossword
  Use this crossword to revise key events in Austen’s text.

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