“I finished my book!” Assignment (IR—Done)
Plot and Theme

Follow the directions below to write 2 (or 3) paragraphs on plot and theme each time you finish an IR book. (Keep this sheet in your folder for future reference.)

In your Notebook, write two (or three) thoughtful and carefully written paragraphs in which you first give a smooth, appropriately detailed plot summary and then discuss a dominant theme that you noticed in the book.

• Your first paragraph must cover plot.
• Your second (and optional third) paragraph(s) must cover theme.
• Link your paragraphs together smoothly.
• No use of first-person allowed.

First: Decide on a theme that is clearly apparent in the book you read. (Examples: dealing with guilt; the search for identity; evil in the world; truth; deceit; loss; loneliness; love is painful; loss of innocence.)

Second: Plan your theme paragraph(s) carefully before you start writing. Decide what particular scene(s) and character(s) you will focus on to best explain how the theme is present in the book. Refer back to your IR notes to help you plan and make notes in your notebook before writing.

Third: Start writing.

• Write clearly, correctly, and in step-by-step detail.
• Try to avoid any first-person reference like “I” or “me.” (“We” and “us” are not so bad.)
• Give the author’s full name only once. After that, use the last name only.
• Always write for someone who has not read the book.
• For your first paragraph (plot):
• Begin with a sentence that includes your book’s title and author’s name. (Ex: The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger is about a 15-year-old boy who just got kicked out of boarding school.)
• Write a clear and moderately detailed plot summary. Do not include too much or too little detail. Try to get it just right.
• For your theme paragraph(s):

• Start with a clear topic sentence. (Ex: A major theme in Salinger’s novel is the injustice in society.)
• Include a detailed explanation with reference to specific events and characters to show how the theme is present in the book.
• End the paragraph(s) with a strong summing-things-up line.