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Other Forms of Writing About Literature

Have you ever gotten lost in a book? Everything around you disappears, and you are immersed in the story. You hang out with the main characters, see what they see, and do what they do. Literature lets you enter a second life. When you reflect on literature, you relive it again. You can go back as many times as you like, and when you write about it, you invite others to come along for the ride.

This chapter shows you how to reflect on literature in three different ways. You’ll write a review of a book, a letter to an author, and a response to a literary prompt. The best way to succeed in any of these forms is to think about characters, conflicts, plot, imagery, and what they all mean—or themes. Each time you look, you’ll see something new!