A good novel and play asks to be made sense of. At home, we usually choose our books because they already make sense to us (Dr Seuss, Harry Potter, fantasy, princess stories); at school, many teachers and readers before us have already made SOME SENSE of the books; but a hope remains that
a glimmer of hope remains that you and I will fix on a new "whole" that has not been too carefully discovered, not too thoroughly explored, ornlike a gold mine, not exhausted of "nuggets".
As we read, we might ne lucky to discuss something every day. Our job is to leave with a "nugget" from every book conversation, and that nugget belongs in our journal. When those paper assignments come, we "mine" our journals for those "nuggets" that have the greatest interest for us, hold more energy, or which can sustain our prolonged attention over weeks.

my binoculars search the whole wetland ... there are bound to be many birds out there ... but with this lens I am only detecting herons.
It is the same with a novel or play. A major literary text can be read several key ways: it reveals things about the author, about a time period, about social world, spiritual landscape, about values people have, and about things words can do in our imaginations.

As we read we MIGHT watch MAINLY for those moments or long threads that connect a search for companionship. How is Walton seeking it? Frankenstein? The creature?

Why do they seek it?

Imagine, if people saw ONLY the creature, who is deadly, they would run from it, and blame Dr Victor Frankenstein for setting it loose on the world.

what does the book mean, and more importantly HOW does it mean?

For instance, if the book means that humans are lonely without compassionate friends and understanding, how does it shape that meaning? through letters and narratives? through metaphors and imagery?

Frame sentences are tools.

Thinking tools.

Even though ON ITS SURFACE this books SEEMS TO BE about X, it is REALLY about Y.

Even though Mary Shelley wrote a "ghost story", this book is less about being haunted by ghosts themselves as as it is about being haunted by the spectre of __________________.

(insert anything in tjere that is even Potentially interesting) ... my past, our society's prejudice, my own respknsibility to the environment, )

This story seems to be about a monster searching for his father, a scientist searching for a friend, an explorer seeking a trade route. It is more about searching for understanding: all three storytellers in the book seek tobe understood.

brainstorm
versions of hero
love of language
social critique
enjoyment of people and community
poetry
periods change
contrasts
pride
conflicts
An age of surfaces or depths?

Gen 2:18-25