This book gives you a complete examination of John Steinbeck's novella,
The Pearl
. It analyzes the plot showing the connectedness of events, then examines the characters showing how they are fashioned and what the writer intends by them - their role. The book also discusses the various themes and the elements of style to give a total picture of the novel. The book goes further to examine how the reader of the novel should approach both excerpt and essay questions set on the novel. The book uses questions drawn from the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education - the examination through which candidates matriculate to mid-level colleges and universities. Anyone studying for a different exam should use the ideas given here as a platform for understanding the expectations of examiners, then adjust according to the length and requirements of the particular exam one is required to sit for. The book also gives a catalogue of literary terms with examples drawn from
so that the reader can easily use them in own writing. Though this book is a comprehensive guide, booklets that examine various elements such as plot, character, theme or style are available. This is in cognizance of the fact that some examiners - especially in coollege - only require students to ocus on particular elements. Many other books by the same writer are available for cross-referencing.