I Get It Now!: A Guide to Teaching and Understanding Novels using Centerline as an Example

Using simple, direct language and clear examples lifted from the pages of an action-adventure novel accessible to young adults and mature readers alike, I Get It Now! teaches readers to understand and explain good literature. It lays out the fundamentals of literature in general and novels in particular, and then applies the words and concepts in a scene by scene, chapter by chapter analysis of the companion novel CENTERLINE. What makes this guide absolutely unique is that both the guide and the novel it addresses were written by the same author, a former English Literature and Composition instructor at West Point, and a 25 year veteran of graduate and undergraduate classrooms. He wrote the novel with teaching in mind, and wrote the guide with an understanding of how authors weave the parts of a novel together to achieve its effect. Additionally, he explains these concepts in a way that will help students improve grades in essays and classroom discussions. The worst four words a literature teacher or home-school parent can hear are these: "I don't get it." This means the reader/student does not understand how authors use form, structure, terms, tools and techniques to shape and deliver their ideas. When readers "don't get it," they cannot do well in school, prepare for advanced education, or enjoy the rich life that quality writing provides. Alone among all the many teaching aids available today, this one uses the skills of a professional teacher and the insights of an award winning author to turn "I don't get it" into I Get It Now!