1. Subject, Theme

Subject is a usual word for what the book is about.

e.g. - What are you reading?

- “A Burnt-Out Case” by Graham Green.

- That's a strange title. What's it about?

- (About) A famous architect who gives up his career and goes to Africa, where he gets involved in the work of a leper colony.

- That's an unusual subject.

The subject of racialism has been treated by many writers.

Theme is more abstract, general than subject.

e.g. love, friendship, war, death, hope, ambition, patriotism are not only subjects but themes, whereas a specific situation or series of events cannot be called a theme, only a subject. A theme is a general idea which dominates a work, or recurs at certain intervals. A complex book may have several themes. On the other hand, a book written simply for entertainment may have no theme, only a subject.

e.g. The theme of the story is ambition.

The theme of loneliness is one to which Susan Hill returns in many of her novels and stories.

2. Plot – plan or outline of the events of a story, esp. of a novel or drama; the artistic arrangement of events in a scheme

ADJECTIVES USED OF PLOTS:

good skillfully developed

interesting rather involved

original well/brilliantly constructed

e.g. The book has a well-constructed plot. The book has no plot. There's no plot.

Action – events, in contrast with dialogue and description.

e.g. I like books with plenty of action. There is little or no action. The action takes place in pre-war London.

3. Setting, set

Setting means where and/or when the action takes place, the environment, surroundings in which the writer sets, or places, his story, his characters.

e.g. The setting is London in the 1920s.

The novel/story is set in London of the '20s.

Most of Stan Barstow's stories have a contemporary North Country setting. Where is the novel /story set?

The author has set his novel in a large modern city.

4. Characters

Adjectives applied to literary characters from the point of view of a writer’s skill in creating them are as follows:

well-drawn poorly-drawn

vividly-drawn superficial

true-to-life lifeless

realistic too good to be true

convincing unconvincing

complex lacking in depth/complexity

subtle They never come to life.

To draw, portray, depict, represent characters

e.g. He draws his characters from life / with great skill / insight / care.

main/minor character

hero/heroine one main character who is also admirable

sympathetic/unsympathetic character In literary criticism, it means ‘arousing the reader’s liking’.

Negative/positive are not applied to literary characters. Some specific words are used such as:

admirable despicable

virtuous wicked, immoral

strong weak

honest dishonest

unselfish selfish, etc.

e.g. He has many good/fine/admirable qualities.

It is this quality of compassion that makes him such a sympathetic character.

Characterization is the art of creating literary characters.

e.g. The characterization is good/weak.

5. Relationship is the way in which literary characters react to each other.

e.g. Andrew had a very happy relationship with his parents.

Brenda found it difficult to form serious relationships.

The book is about Julia's relationships with her family, friends and colleagues.

Family relationships are one of the book's main themes.

The author's main interest is in human relationships, especially within the family.

Graham Green's treatment of human relationships shows great insight.

The following adjectives are widely used with relationship:

close complex

permanent difficult

lasting (un)happy

(un)successful

Syn.: relations (pl)

e.g. Relations between them were rather strained.