ºÝºÝߣ

ºÝºÝߣShare a Scribd company logo
Writing a One-Paragraph
Summary of a Novel



  A template and guide
  using Gary Paulsen's
  Hatchet as an example
  novel.
Writing a Summary

      When you are writing a response
to literature essay or a book review,
you should summarize the action of
the book, but that should not be the
entire report. One big mistake
student's make on an essay or report is
to just write a big, long, boring
summary.
Writing a Summary

     To keep from ruining your essay
with a too-long summary, follow this
template to keep your plot events in
order, show that you read the story,
and lead the rest of your essay into
what is important, the analysis of the
story.
Summary Template

In the (genre) novel (title) by (author),
(protagonist name)
learns/changes/grows through (theme).

               Example:
In the adventure novel Hatchet by Gary
Paulsen, Brian grows through
perseverence.
Summary Template
• In the exposition of the novel,
  (character name) is a (age) (gender)
  who is (a character trait or situation).

                Example
• In the exposition of the novel, Brian
  is a teenaged boy who is flying to
  meet his newly divorced father.
Summary Template
As the conflict develops, (character
name faces the challenge of (name
the major conflict of the story).

                Example
As the conflict develops, Brian faces
the challenge of survival when the
pilot of the plane has a heart attack
and dies.
Book Report Summary
• In the rising action of the story,
  (character name) (what the character
  does). Then (something else happens).
  Later, (one more event).
                  Example
• In the rising action of the story, Brian
  crash-lands the plane into a lake. Then,
  he eats too many berries and drinks too
  much water and gets sick. Later, he
  builds a shelter and learns to fish and
  hunt for food.
Summary Template
• The climax of the story happens
  when (character name) faces the
  greatest challenge when (event that
  turns the story around).

                Example
• The climax of the story happens as
  Brian faces the greatest challenge
  when a tornado destroys everything
  he has created and stored for
  survival.
Book Report Summary
• The falling action tells of (character
  name) (action).

                Example
• The falling action tells of Brian being
  rescued after turning on a
  transmitter that he finds in the
  plane’s survival kit.
Book Report Summary

• In the resolution, (character name)
  (how he is at the end of the story).

                Example
• In the resolution, Brian returns home
  a stronger person mentally and
  physically, and adjusts to his parents
  divorce.
Summary Put Together
• In the exposition of the novel, Brian is a teenaged boy
  who is flying to meet his newly divorced father. As the
  conflict develops, Brian faces the challenge of survival
  when the pilot of the plane has a heart attack and dies. In
  the rising action of the story, Brian crash-lands the plane
  into a lake. Then, he eats too many berries and drinks too
  much water and gets sick. Later, he builds a shelter and
  learns to fish and hunt for food. The climax of the story
  happens as Brian faces the greatest challenge when a
  tornado destroys everything he has created and stored for
  survival. The falling action tells of Brian being rescued
  after turning on a transmitter that he finds in the plane’s
  survival kit. In the resolution, Brian returns home a
  stronger person mentally and physically, and adjusts to
  his parents divorce.

More Related Content

book report summary

  • 1. Writing a One-Paragraph Summary of a Novel A template and guide using Gary Paulsen's Hatchet as an example novel.
  • 2. Writing a Summary When you are writing a response to literature essay or a book review, you should summarize the action of the book, but that should not be the entire report. One big mistake student's make on an essay or report is to just write a big, long, boring summary.
  • 3. Writing a Summary To keep from ruining your essay with a too-long summary, follow this template to keep your plot events in order, show that you read the story, and lead the rest of your essay into what is important, the analysis of the story.
  • 4. Summary Template In the (genre) novel (title) by (author), (protagonist name) learns/changes/grows through (theme). Example: In the adventure novel Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, Brian grows through perseverence.
  • 5. Summary Template • In the exposition of the novel, (character name) is a (age) (gender) who is (a character trait or situation). Example • In the exposition of the novel, Brian is a teenaged boy who is flying to meet his newly divorced father.
  • 6. Summary Template As the conflict develops, (character name faces the challenge of (name the major conflict of the story). Example As the conflict develops, Brian faces the challenge of survival when the pilot of the plane has a heart attack and dies.
  • 7. Book Report Summary • In the rising action of the story, (character name) (what the character does). Then (something else happens). Later, (one more event). Example • In the rising action of the story, Brian crash-lands the plane into a lake. Then, he eats too many berries and drinks too much water and gets sick. Later, he builds a shelter and learns to fish and hunt for food.
  • 8. Summary Template • The climax of the story happens when (character name) faces the greatest challenge when (event that turns the story around). Example • The climax of the story happens as Brian faces the greatest challenge when a tornado destroys everything he has created and stored for survival.
  • 9. Book Report Summary • The falling action tells of (character name) (action). Example • The falling action tells of Brian being rescued after turning on a transmitter that he finds in the plane’s survival kit.
  • 10. Book Report Summary • In the resolution, (character name) (how he is at the end of the story). Example • In the resolution, Brian returns home a stronger person mentally and physically, and adjusts to his parents divorce.
  • 11. Summary Put Together • In the exposition of the novel, Brian is a teenaged boy who is flying to meet his newly divorced father. As the conflict develops, Brian faces the challenge of survival when the pilot of the plane has a heart attack and dies. In the rising action of the story, Brian crash-lands the plane into a lake. Then, he eats too many berries and drinks too much water and gets sick. Later, he builds a shelter and learns to fish and hunt for food. The climax of the story happens as Brian faces the greatest challenge when a tornado destroys everything he has created and stored for survival. The falling action tells of Brian being rescued after turning on a transmitter that he finds in the plane’s survival kit. In the resolution, Brian returns home a stronger person mentally and physically, and adjusts to his parents divorce.