The elements of a novel include the following:
i. Plot - the structure of a novel. It shows the arrangement of events and actions within
a story (please refer to notes on Freytag‟s Pyramid below for details).
ii. Setting - the time, place, physical details, and circumstances in which a situation
occurs. Setting enables the reader to better envision how a story unfolds by relating
necessary physical details of a piece of literature.
iii. Theme - is the main idea, or message, of an essay, paragraph, or a book. The
message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore
timeless and universal ideas and may be implied rather than stated explicitly. Along
with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one of the fundamental
components of fiction. It is the universal statement or feel when you read a piece of
writing.
iv. Character and characterisation - a character is a person in a narrative who may
represent a particular class of group of people. Characters in a novel a the vehicle
by which author conveys to us his / her view of the world. Characters maybe classify
either main character or minor character. The characterisation of a character is
revealed by actions, speech, thoughts, physical appearance, and the other
characters‟ thoughts or words.
v. Language - used by author to reveal the theme and purpose of the novel.
