The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary

Transcription

Al-Azhar University-Gaza
Deanship of Postgraduate Studies
Faculty of Education
Department of Teaching Methods
The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing
Literary Appreciation Skills among English Majors
at Al-Azhar University - Gaza
Submitted by
Najwa Fouad Mustafa Abusafi
Supervised by
Dr. Sumer Salman Abou Shaaban
Assistant Professor of Curricula&
Teaching Methods
Al-Azhar University -Gaza
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Curricula and Teaching Methods in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Education Master’s Degree
2014/2015
DEDICATION
To my husband who tolerated and permitted me to
continue my study
I
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
All praise and thanks go to Almighty Allah who donated me the health and wealth to carry
out this work.
I greatly acknowledge Dr. Sumer Abou Shaaban who paid patience upon me and devoted a
lot of her time to guide and assist me to bring this work to reality.
I would like to thank Dr. Abdullah Kurraz for his valuable pieces of advice and
recommendations, who also paid patience, guidance and great assistance to achieve this
work.
Special thanks are due to the examiners, Dr. Abdullah Kurraz, who kindly accepted to
examine my study. I am so grateful to my Teachers, Mr. Jihad AL-Mosallami and Nashaat
Al-Masri who supported me a lot and devoted a lot of their time and effort.
I highly appreciate my friend Dr. Salah Abu Khatla, who thankfully guided and directed
me to the best method of research.
My appreciation is paid to the referee committee who helped me in modifying the
instruments of my study and Thanks to Al-Azhar University with all its members.
Special thanks to English Major Students who cooperated with me to pass my experiment.
On the personal level, I feel strongly indebted to my Husband who encouraged me a lot
and I must not forget to thank my dear sister Hind who took care of my children while I
was busy studying.
II
The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary
Appreciation Skills among English Majors at Al-Azhar University in
Gaza
Abstract
This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of using Sparkntes for enhancing literary
appreciation skills among English majors at Al-Azhar university-Gaza. In order to achieve
the aim of this study, the researcher adopted a quasi-research design. The sample of the
study consists of (88) students which was purposefully chosen from the English majors.
The quasi-experimental group includes (88) students, (51) female, (37) male, who were
taught by using Sparknotes, the literary appreciation depended on the novel of Gulliver's
Travels by Jonathan Swift as a course for English majors at Al-Azhar University. The
experiment lasted for a month during the first semester (2014-2015).
Power Points Slides were designed by using Sparknotes website to enhance literary
appreciation skills. An achievement test was designed and served as a pre-posttest. The
validity of the test was refereed by the specialists, and the reliability of the test was
measured by Spilt-half and Kud-Richardson (K-R20) Techniques, after the application of
the test on an explanatory sample consists of (30) students from English majors level four.
The results of the achievement test were statistically analyzed by using T-test to
measure the differences between the performance of the quasi-experimental group
in the pre and the post tests. T-test independent sample was used to measure the
differences in literary appreciation skills at each six areas, plot, theme, characters,
setting, symbols, and point of view. One-way ANOVA and Scheffe were used to
show the highest effect of sparknotes on literary appreciation levels. Whereas,
The effectiveness of Sparknotes on the levels of the literary appreciation skills
III
was measured by Black Gain Ratio. The study results indicated that there are
statistically significant differences at (α≤ 0.05) between pre and posttest of the
quasi-experimental group in literary appreciation skills in favor of the post test.
The results also proved that there were significant differences at (α≤ 0.05)
between the levels of literary appreciation skills for the quasi-experimental group
compared with after and before using Sparknotes. Based on the findings, the
researcher recommended the teacher of English to adapt Sparknotes in teaching
English literature in general and in teaching novel in particular. She also
recommended the English department to hold training courses to train teacher on
using
websites
and
prepare
enrichment
materials
to
enhance
students'
role.
Finally, the researcher suggested that further researches should be conducted on
the effectiveness of using Sparknotes on different language skills and at different
levels and grades.
IV
‫فاعلية استخدام موقع سبارك نوتس في تنمية مهارة النقد األدبي لدى طلبة اللغة‬
‫االنجليزية في جامعة األزهر ‪-‬غزة‬
‫إعداد الباحثة ‪ /‬نجوى فؤاد أبو صافي‬
‫إشراف‬
‫د‪ .‬سمر سلمان أبو شعبان‬
‫ملخص الدراسة‬
‫هدفت هذه الدراسة إلى التعرف على أثر فاعلية استخدام موقع سبارك نوتس لتنمية مهارات النقد األدبي لدى طلبة‬
‫اللغة االنجليزية في جامعة األزهر بغزة‪.‬‬
‫ولإلجابة عن أسئلة الدراسة‪ ،‬استخدمت الباحثة المنهج التجريبي للمجموعة الواحدة‪ ،‬حيث وزعت عينة الدراسة والتي‬
‫تكونت من (‪ )88‬طالب و طالبة من قسم اللغة االنجليزية‪ ،‬حيث تم اختيار العينة بشكل قصدي‪ .‬طبقت التجربة في‬
‫الفصل األول من العام الدراسي )‪ .)4102-4102‬ولقـد قامـت الباحثة ببناء اختبار تحصيلي مكون من خمسة أسئلة‪ .‬وقد‬
‫استخدمت اختباراً قبليا و بعـدياَ للكشف عن فاعلية استخدام موقع سبارك نوتس في تنمية مهارات التذوق األدبي لدى‬
‫طلبة اللغة اإلنجليزية‪ .‬وتم التأكد من ثبات االختبار من خالل تحكيمه‪ ،‬و من ثم تطبيقه على عينة استطالعية قوامها‬
‫(‪ )01‬طالبا ً و طالبةً وتم حساب معامل صدق االختبار من خالل حساب معامل الصعوبة كوداك ريتشاردسون‬
‫وقد تم تحليل نتائج االختبار إحصائيا باستخدام اختبار تي إليجاد الفروق بين درجات الطالب قبل و بعد التجربة‪ ،‬و‬
‫قامت الباحثة بالكشف عن أعلى أثر لموقع سبارك نوتس على مستويات التذوق األدبي الست باستخدام أنوفا و شيفيه‬
‫و أظهرت النتائج أن أعلى أثر لصالح المستوى األول " العبرة" و تم قياس الفاعلية باستخدام بالك راتشيو بعد تحليل‬
‫البيانات ومعالجتها إحصائياً أظهرت النتائج وجود فروق ذات داللة إحصائية لصـالح التجربة تعزى لطريقة التدريس‬
‫باستخدام موقع السبارك نوتس‪ .‬هذا وقد أوصت الدراسة بأهمية استخدام موقع السبارك نوتس لتنمية مهارات التذوق‬
‫األدبي في الرواية اإلنجليزية إلعطاء نتائج أفضل في تحصيل الطلبة بمادة الرواية اإلنجليزية‪ ،‬واقترحت الباحثـة‬
‫اسـتخدام وتفعيـل هـذه الوسيلة وتطبيقها لتنمية مهارات أخرى في تدريس اللغة اإلنجليزية ‪.‬‬
‫‪V‬‬
Table of Contents
Dedication……………………………………………………………………………
I
Acknowledgement…………………………………………………………………...
II
Abstract in English…………………………………………………………………..
III
Abstract in Arabic…………………………………………………………………..
V
Table of Contents………………………………………………………………..….
VI
Figures List……… …………………………………………………………………
IX
List of Tables………………………………………………………………………..
X
Appendices……………………………………………………………………........
VIII
Chapter 1 (Background of the Study)
Background of the Study……………………………………………………………………2
Problem of the Study……………………………………………………………………….4
Statement of the Study……………………………………………………………………...6
Research Hypotheses………………………………………………………………………..7
Purposes of the Study……………………………………………………………………….8
Significance of the Study…………………………………………………………………...8
Definition of the Terms………………………………………………………………... …..9
Delimitations of the Study………………………………………………………………...11
Research Procedure……………………………………………………………………. …11
Chapter 2 (Theoretical Framework)
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….14
Definition of Novel………………………………………………………………………..14
VI
Elements of Novel…………………………………………………………………………15
The Genres of Novels……………………………………………………………………...18
Literary Appreciation Definition…………………………………………………………..21
The Benefits of Studying Literature…………………...…………………………………..23
Literary Appreciation Elements…………………………………………………………...25
Sparknotes Definition...........................................................................................................35
What is The Need of Using Website (Sparknotes)…………...……………………………37
Features of Sparknotes…………………………………………………………………….39
Chapter 3 (Previous Studies)
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..41
Studies Related to the Use of Websites………………………………………………..... .41
Studies Related to The Literary Appreciation……………………………………………..47
General Commentary on Previous Studies………………………………………………...51
Chapter 4 (Research Design and Methodology)
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..55
Research Design……...……………………………………………………………………55
Population of the Study……………………………………………………………...…….55
Sample of the Study…………...………………………………………………….……….56
Instrumentation……………………………………………………………………………57
Literary Appreciation Test………...……………………………………………………....58
Sparknotes…………………………………………………………………………………64
Sessions Plan………………………………………………………………………………66
Statistical Analysis ……………………………………………………..………………...70
Chapter 5 (Results, Discussion and Recommendations)
Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….73
The Test of the First hypothesis………………………………………………………...…73
VII
The Test of the Second Hypothesis…………………………………………………..…...74
The Test of the Third Hypothesis………………………………………………………….75
The Test of the Forth Hypothesis………………………………………………………….75
The Test of the Fifth Hypothesis…………………………………………………………. 76
The Test of the Sixth Hypothesis…….…………………………………………………... 77
The Answer of the Seventh Hypothesis…………………………………………………...78
The Answer of the Eight Hypothesis…………………………………………………...…80
Discussion………………………………………………………………………………....81
Recommendations…………………………………………………………………………82
References…………………………………………………………………………………87
Appendices
Instruments of Study……………………………………………………………….....…...98
Task Facility Paper……………………………………………………………..……..…...99
Literary Appreciation Test………………………………………………………..……...100
Power Point Slides………………………………..………………………………………118
Sessions Plans…………………………………………………………………………….133
Referee Committee……………………………………………………………………….144
VIII
No.
List of Figures
Page
1.
Figure of Plot
27
2.
Figure of Theme
29
3.
Figure of characters
31
4.
Figure of Setting
30
5.
Figure of Symbols
33
6.
Figure of Point of View
34
IX
No.
Name of Table
Page
4.1
The Distribution of the Sample
56
4.2
Description of Questions over the Levels Literary Appreciation Skills
59
4.3
Correlation Coefficient of every Items of the Test with the Score of The Test
60
4.4
Correlation Coefficient of every Items of the Test with the Score of The Test
61
4.5
Discrimination Coefficient for Each Items of the Test
62
4.6
Correlation Between Two Parts( even x odd) and Modified by SpearmanBrown
63
4.7
(k-R20) Coefficient for the Questions of the Test
64
4.8
Tables of the Lectures Plan
70
5.1
T-test- Paired Samples Differences between the Pre-and the Post-Test
(Theme).
73
5.2
T-test Paired Samples Differences between the Pre-and the Post-Test (Plot)
74
5.3
(Characters)
75
5.4
(Setting)
76
5.5
(Symbolism)
77
5.6
T-test- Paired Samples Differences between the Pre-and the Post-Test ( Point
of view)
78
5.7
One-way ANOVA Style Results of Differences between Six Levels
78
5.8
Scheffe Test to New the Direction of Differences between Groups
79
5.9
Black Modified Ratio
80
X
Chapter 1
Background of the Study

Introduction

Problem of the Study

Hypotheses of the Study

Purposes of the Study

Significance of the Study

Definition of Terms

Limitations of the Study
 Procedures of the Study
Chapter 1
Background of the Study
1.1
Introduction
The proliferation of new technologies and Internet tools fundamentally change the way
human beings live and work. The lifelong learning sector is no exception with technology
which has a major impact on teaching and learning. This in turn affects the skills of the
learning delivery workforce.
The use of technology, the Web in particular, has become an important skill for both
students and teachers to master teaching and learning process. The Internet has a vast
amount of information and infinitely many uses, but it requires to learn to effectively
navigate its resources, especially after the technological revolution advancement and the
wide spread use of the internet that what is emphasized by Glencoe (2005).
Nowadays it is becoming crucial for teachers to utilize technology in a variety of ways. No
doubt, teachers and students live in the era of knowledge explosion and technological
progress. Several tools or systems have been proposed to support various classroom
activities. Those tools are assistant restraint and facilitate learning process (Jou et al, 2010).
One of the factors driving the exploration and development of a new pedagogy and the use
of technology for learning is a concern that education becomes increasingly out of step
with the way that teachers and students use technology today specially for working and
learning.
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The era of Web 2.0 introduced several web applications that have been developed for free
and open use. Examples include SkyDrive, Ever Note, DropBox, and Google Apps. These
web applications provided friendly user interfaces and powerful functions, and were wellreceived by both instructors and students in their daily lives. Several literatures that
reviewed these features indicated that well-known web applications could be potentially
utilized in novel methods in engaging users in meaningful teaching and learning activities
(Alexander, 2006; Hughes, 2009; Schneckenberg et al, 2011; Thompson, 2007; Wang et al,
2012).
Furthermore, instructors and students would have the necessary technical skills required to
use applications such as web resources, and would therefore be more motivated to use
websites in educational contexts, in order to assist instructors in facilitating student
learning participation, improve student learning motivation and performance, and support
learning and teaching activities in class, a web application supported learning environment.
Learning literature in English has made a serious comeback into academic stage of our
university; it becomes the foremost task for the teachers to devise lessons creatively and
innovatively in order to engage students to interest in literary appreciation.
The previous studies also found that participants who took part in a web-enhanced class
outperformed those in a traditional lecture class (Crook et al, 2008). Effective use of web
applications could also soften the boundaries between formal and informal learning
(Bennett et al, 2012).
A website dedicated for developing literary appreciation skill is a one way for students to
begin the process of exploring the nature of criticism in any literary work. In more recent
years, there has been a definite move towards a focus on learning and teaching. This is
emphasized by those proposing a constructivist approach to critical thinking (Moon, 2008).
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To appreciate and criticize literary texts, students must analyze the elements of the literary
text and pore well in its symbols and components. Students still lack the criticism approach
in academic stage, which is what Cheanvichai (2002), and Kongprasert (2007), reveal in
their study. They mention that Thai students do not belong to a reading culture and Thais
are not book lovers. In a country where the majority of population isn’t keen for reading,
teaching and studying literature are one of the greatest challenges faced by both teachers
and students. For teachers of English literature, they have a hard time pushing their
students to read and appreciate the beauty of literary language, particularly if the students
are not majors in English literature. English literature can be made appealing by the use of
audio-visual devices, web resources, playing of movies or staged plays, online glossaries,
dictionaries, those devices can enhance interaction in an English literature class (Jain,
2012). It is possible to view each text as a collection of multivariate observations, in which
case we are immediately faced with the inherent difficulties of analyzing high literary
work. The usual questions are relevant: How can we visualize aspects of any literary work?
What are the significant features of the text? Are there any interesting structures? In this
situation, we also have the benefit of being able to rely on some immediate knowledge of
the subject matter to analyze and understand the text, which what Sparknotes can offer in
literary appreciation for any text.
1.2 Problem of the Study
The problem of the study emerges from the researcher's experience when the researcher
was studying her B.A. (Bachelor of art). The majority of students lack confidence in
literary appreciation skills, especially in criticizing literature aspects which include theme,
plot, characters, setting, style, irony, and point of view.
Furthermore, educational institutions may fail to meet the expectations of learners.
Ubiquity, accessibility, rapid feedback and ease of use are all features of learners' daily
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experience with using traditional way in teaching and learning literature. Traditional way is
hard, and it’s not exciting. But it is the method that experienced instructors rely upon till
now. For the same goal, the researcher had attended a novel lectures at different
Universities, the researcher noticed that the majority of teachers still use traditional method
in discussing literature, so the researcher look for suitable methods in teaching literature,
the researcher found that the UK National Union of Students has recently completed a
major report for the Higher Education Funding Council entitled ‘Student perspectives on
technology-demand, perceptions and training needs (2010).
A survey undertaken as part of the research found:
(72.8 %) of respondents used ICT for both fun and for their studies, and (43.3%) preferred
to use a combination of both printed and electronic resources for their work. (90.1%)
agreed that the internet has benefited their studies. As to whether ICT has improved their
learning experiences, (77.7%) agree versus only (5.2%) in disagreement. ICT skills (81 %)
agreed that their ICT skills were self-taught, while 88.6%agree that they were effective
online researchers. Opinion was divided over whether mobile phones or PDAs should be
used to assist learning. (37.3%) agree, (35.4%) disagree and (27.4%) remain neutral.
(42.9%) would like academics and teachers to use ICT more. There was a common request
for more skills training, particularly around how to effectively research and reference
reliable online resources.
According to the previous statistic results, the researcher looks deeply to adopt a method in
teaching literature that passed on using Technology of today, whenever there is little
research in methods of teaching literature or literary appreciation in the department of
curricula and methodology at Al- Azhar University. The researcher used a website
(Sparknotes) as a tool to help students appreciate any literary work to enhance and improve
students’ literary appreciation skills.
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1.3 Statement of the Study
The statement of the study can be stated in the following major question:
What Is the Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary Appreciation
Skills among English Majors at Al-Azhar University- Gaza?
Research Questions
The main question can be clarified through stating the following sub-questions:
1- Are there statistically significant differences at (α≤ 0.05) in the mean scores of the
experimental group who received teaching by Sparknotes between pre and post
application test on the level of theme analysis?
application test on the level of plot analysis?
application test on the level of characters analysis?
application test on the level of setting analysis?
application test on the level of symbolism analysis?
6- Are there statistically significant at (α≤ 0.05) in the mean scores of the
application test on the level of point of view analysis?
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7- Has Sparknotes the same effect on the six levels of literary appreciation skills,
theme, plot, characters, setting, symbols, and point of view?
8- Is there any effectiveness on the use of Sparknotes on a scale of Black Gain Ratio?
1.4 The Research Hypotheses:
1- There are statistically significant differences at (α≤ 0.05) in the mean scores of the
application test on the level of theme analysis.
application test on the level of plot analysis.
application test on the level of characters analysis.
application test on the level of setting analysis.
application test on the level of symbolism analysis.
application test on the level of point of view analysis.
7- Sparknotes has the same effect on the six levels of literary appreciation skills,
theme, plot, characters, setting, symbols, and point of view.
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8- There is significant effectiveness on the use of Sparknotes on a scale of Black Gain
Ratio.
1.5 The Purpose of Study
This study aims to:
1. Investigate the effect of using Sparknotes on enhancing theme's skill for English
Majors at Al-Azhar University- Gaza.
2. Explore how sparknotes has an impact on enhancing plot's skill for English Major
at Al-Azhar University-Gaza.
3.
Improve students' ability to criticize character in any literary text for English
majors at Al-Azhar University - Gaza.
4. Examine the effect of Sparknotes on students' ability to appreciate symbols in any
literary text for English Major at Al-Azhar University-Gaza.
5. Identify if sparknotes has an effect on point of view for English Major at Al-Azhar
University-Gaza.
6. Explore if sparknotes has the same effect on all literary appreciation skills for
English majors at Al-Azhar University- Gaza.
1.6 Significance of Study
1. This study may help teachers to improve their literature appreciation skills by using
technological resources in the explanation and discussion of many literature
courses.
2. This study may help teachers to adopt a high–ordered analysis of any literary work,
that by using analytical situation to help students express their own opinions and
evaluate situations.
-8-
3. According to the researcher's knowledge, this study is the first one conducted at AlAzhar University – Gaza, in English literature which may encourage other
researchers to conduct more studies in teaching English literature.
4.
The study may highlight the role of using Today's technology (websites) as a
method in teaching English Literature for English Majors at Al-Azhar UniversityGaza.
5.
This study may simulate literature teachers, the study may serve as an aid for
teachers in instructing their students on the positive and negative effects of novels
that have been made into Sparknotes.
6. Teachers can use Sparknotes as a springboard for subsequent literary analysis of
characters, setting, plot, etc. Moreover, adopting Sparknotes in conjunction with
reading books enables comparative analysis between books and sparknotes, which
will enable teachers to guide their students in understanding what literature is.
1.7 Terms Definition
Based on the related literature, the researcher adopts the following operational
definitions:
Effectiveness: is the degree of improvement in the learners' post-test of literary
appreciation skills as a result of implementing Sparknotes in teaching novel, as
measured by Black's Ratio.
Sparknotes: apart of a website called The Spark, Sparknotes expanded to provide
study guides for a number of other subjects, including math, health, physics,
biology, chemistry, economics and sociology. Also, Sparknots.com was a literary
website that consists of general information such as, context, plot overview,
character list, analysis of major characters, themes, motifs & symbols those are
literary appreciation elements.
-9-
Literary Appreciation: The researcher defines literary appreciation as the ability
to study, understand and evaluate the literary aspects and elements of novel. The
researcher works towards students' understanding of reading style of Gulliver's
Travels; and the literary devices, such as theme analysis, plot analysis, characters
analysis, setting analysis, style analysis, point of view analysis, symbolism or
imagery analysis.
Theme: the central or dominating abstract idea in a literary work.
Plot: the sequence of events or scenes of which narrative or dramatic work is
composed.
Setting: the geographic area in which the action of a narrative or dramatic work
takes place. Setting also includes the time of days, the seasons, the period in history
in which the action occurs.
Characterizations: the portrayal or delineation of characters. Most commentators
agree that there are two main methods of characterization: direct and indirect
presentation. In indirect presentation, the author relies on direct analysis to reveal
true nature of his fictional characters. Indirect presentation of characters is referred
to by critics as showing a process which involves the use of action, dialogue,
thought and external description as character reveals what kind of person he is.
Point of view: a term used in the analysis and criticism of novel to refer to the way
or the angle of vision from a story is told. The term also signifies the point from
which the author lets the reader see and follow the events of the novel. Authors
have developed many different ways to present a story, and many extended works
particularly novels employ several ways with in the single narrative.
Narrator: a person who tells the story, he may or may not be a character in the
story.
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First-person: narrator who participates in action but sometimes has limited
knowledge or vision.
Second Person: narrator addresses the reader directly as though she is part of the
story. (i.e. “You walk into your bedroom. You see clutter everywhere and…”)
Third person (Objective) Narrator: a narrator who is unnamed or unidentified (a
detached observer); who does not assume character's perspective and is not a
character in the story. The narrator reports the events and lets the reader supply the
meaning.
Omniscient - All-knowing narrator (multiple perspectives): the narrator knows
what each character thinks and feels, not just what they are doing throughout the
text. This type of narrator usually jumps around within the text, following one
character for a few pages or chapters, and then switching to another character for a
few pages, chapters, etc. Omniscient narrators also sometimes step out of a
particular character’s mind to evaluate him or her in some meaningful way.
1.8 Delimitation of study
The study was conducted on the second level male and female English majors at
Al- Azhar university- Gaza, in the first semester of the academic year (2014-2015).
The course is English novel in Eighteen century; it is also limited to one novel
which is Gulliver's Travels for Jonathan Swift. The text consists of four parts; every
part consists of eight chapters. The researcher chooses the first two parts of
Gulliver's Travels to conduct the research study.
1.9 Procedures of study
After the researcher had reviewed previous studies related to materials of using web
sites Sparknotes in teaching novels to enhance literary appreciation, she followed
these steps:
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1. Reviewing literature and previous studies related to literary appreciation skills.
2. Limited the sample.
3. Preparing literary appreciation test that contains elements of literary
appreciation exam took into account the main objects of the novel that the
researcher applied in the experiment.
4. Showing the test to the specialists in the field of literature to verify the
authenticity and the stability of the test.
5. Applying the test on the exploratory sample, the researcher tested the validity
and reliability of the test.
6. Preparing a time table of lectures to apply pre-test, and compute the results.
7. Implementing the experiment according to the researcher’s plan.
8.
Applying the post test and recorded the results.
9. Comparing the performances between the two tests by using t-test, the results
were analyzed statistically.
10. Measuring the effectiveness of Sparknotes by Black Gain Ratio.
Summary
The first chapter dealt with the background of the study. This chapter included the
introduction, problem, hypotheses, purposes and significance of the study. It also included
the definition of terms, delimitations and procedures of the study. The root of this study is
organized as follows:
Chapter 2: Theoretical Framework
Chapter 3: Previous Studies
Chapter 4: Methodology of the study
Chapter 5: Results, Interpretations, Recommendations, and Suggestions
-12-
Chapter Two
Theoretical Framework
Chapter Two
Theoretical Framework
Introduction
This chapter deals with the theoretical framework and consists of three sections:
Section one presents a novel as a literature course in the first semester for English majors
at Al-Azhar University- Gaza, then presents the novel definition with its major elements.
The second section covers the definition of literary appreciation, benefits, and the elements
of novel related to the elements of literary appreciation. The third section presents the
definition of Sparknotes, the contents of this website related to the current study.
Section 1
Novel during the 18th C. it an English course available in the first semester of the second
year BA English Language. The course serves as a university course in studying literary
criticism at Al- Azhar University-Gaza. One of the assigned novels is Gulliver's Travels
into Several Remote Nations of the World. For the purpose of this study, the researcher
presented different relevant definitions of novel.
2.1 Definition of Novel
There are many different definitions for novel as a literary work, as follows:
Margaret (1996, p.1) reviewed what Ian Watt said in The Rise of the Novel (1957) and
suggested that the novel came into being in the early 18th century. The genre has also been
described as "a continuous and comprehensive history of about two thousand years."
Walter Scott, (1992, p.129) in an introduction essay, defined it as "a fictitious narrative in
prose or verse; the interest of which turns upon marvellous and uncommon incidents", also
it is “the events are accommodated to the ordinary train of human events and the modern
state of society." Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World In Four
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Parts By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better
known simply as Gulliver's Travels (1726, amended 1735) is a novel by the Anglo-Irish
writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift. It is both a satire on human nature and a parody of
the "travellers' tales" literary sub-genre. It is Swift's best known full-length work, and a
classic of English literature. The book became popular as soon as it was published. John
Gay wrote in a 1726 letter to Swift that "It is universally read, from the cabinet council to
the nursery, (Palgrave, 1995 p.21.)
The researcher adopted the Palgrave's novel "Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote
Nations of the World."
2.2 Elements of Novel
There are six basic elements in any narrative: Plot, character, setting, point of view and
theme are all essential to creating a good novel, Angelia (2014).
2.2.1 Plot
Plot is a literary term defined as the events that make up a story, particularly as they relate
to one another in a pattern, in a sequence, through cause and effect, how the reader views
the story, or simply by coincidence. A plot highlights all the important points and the line
of a story, and therefore provides a more complete picture of how a fleshed-out story
works by a logical skeleton, (Ansen, 1999, p.5).
2.2.2 Theme
Griffith, (2010, p.40) said that "Themes can be divided into two categories: a work's
thematic concept is what readers "think the work is about" and its thematic statement being
what the work says about the subject.
The most common contemporary understanding of theme is an idea or point that is central
to a story, which can often be summed in a single word (e.g. love, death, betrayal). Typical
examples of themes of this type are a conflict between the individual and society; coming
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of age; humans in conflict with technology; nostalgia; and the dangers of unchecked
ambition (Kirszner et al, 2013, pp. 3-4).
2.2.3 Characters
Aston and Savona (1991, p.35) said that, “a character is a person in a narrative work of
arts." In literature, characters guide readers through their stories, helping them to
understand plots and ponder themes (Roster & Mariam, 2006 p. 548-559). Since the end of
the 18th century, the phrase "in character" has been used to describe an effective
impersonation by an actor, Harrison (1998, p. 51).
2.2.4 Setting
Rozelle (2005. p. 76) said that "setting includes the historical moment in time and
geographic location in which a story takes place, and helps initiate the main backdrop and
mood for a story. Setting has been referred to as story world."
2.2.5 Point of View
Narrative point of view or narrative perspective describes the position of the narrator (the
character of the storyteller) in relation to the story being told, James Oxford dictionary,
(2011). When students are reading or writing a scene in a book, they follow the character
almost like a camera on the character's shoulder or in the character's head. They look at the
character performing a specific set of actions or important actions in vivid detail, (Jenna,
2013, pp. 14-15).
2.2.6 Symbolism
Campbell & Heinrich (1969, p. 1-2) give a concise overview of the nature and perennial
relevance of symbols. They state that concepts and words are symbols, just as visions,
rituals, and images are; so are the manners and customs of daily life. Through all of these
rations a transcendent reality is mirrored. There are many metaphors that reflect and imply
something which, though thus variously expressed, is ineffable, though thus rendered
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multiform, remains inscrutable. Symbols hold the mind to truth but are not themselves the
truth; hence it is delusory to borrow them. Each civilisation, every age, must bring forth its
own. Dorling (2008, p.6) stated that “symbol is a visual image or sign representing an idea,
a deeper indicator of a universal truth."
Symbols are a means of complex communication that can often have multiple levels of
meaning. Human cultures use symbols to express specific ideologies and social structures
and to represent aspects of their specific culture. Thus, symbols carry meanings that
depend upon one’s cultural background; in other words, the meaning of a symbol is not
inherent in the symbol itself but is culturally learned (Womack, 2005).
The researcher adopted Doring definition of Symbols which is a visual image or sign
representing an idea or a deeper indicator of a universal truth.
The researcher can summarize that novel elements can clearly be tasted when the reader is
involved in the task of literary appreciation skills using her intellectual ability and the
appreciation skills of Plot, Characters, Theme, Setting, Symbolism, Point of view in
exploring the elements of a novel. The reader also has to identify his/her purpose in order
to be able to appreciate the novel according to his/her level and interests. Moreover, the
researcher believes that the teacher has an essential role in helping students understand
appreciation skills by adopting suitable strategies and creating suitable classroom
environment.
Questions should be asked before reading and writing novel, what is the genre of the
novel? Read the assignment carefully and consider its specific goals: do you need to
provide an entire life history or hone in on a few specific aspects? In light of the
assignment’s and course’s objectives, focus on how experiences in your life have impacted
your beliefs, opinions, and ambitions. Consider events in which you have participated,
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people you have met, places you have visited, and challenges you have faced. What
lessons have you gleaned from these various experiences? (The writing centre, 2010).
2.3 The Genres of Novel?
In order to approach a novel, it is very important to know its types otherwise readers
would fail to extract the value and pleasure from reading it. Therefore, it is very important
to distinguish different types of novel, also the students should know what the features of
novel are and to what genre it is related. Having done so, it will be easier for them to create
and appreciate a good discussion. There are many types of novel, the researcher mentioned
some types.
2.3.1 The Regional Novel
The Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History (2007) defined the regional novel as
“a novel that describes people and landscape of an actual locality outside the metropolis.
Early examples are set in Ireland (M. Edgeworth, Castle Rackrent) and Scotland (J. Galt,
The Provost) and are primarily studies of individual societies and characters. Sir W. Scott,
however, combined a historically informed feeling for local customs with an aesthetic
appreciation of natural scenery. By the mid‐19th century, the localities described are often
smaller, the focus being partly sociological, as in C. Bronte's Shirley, and in the rural
fiction of Mrs. Gaskell (Cheshire) and G. Eliot (the Midlands). Hardy set his works in a
fictive Wessex where an appreciation of both aesthetic and geological aspects of landscape
complements a concern with agricultural and economic issues. Thenceforward these two
approaches tend to diverge, e.g. Dickens's Hard Times, and Eliot’s Middlemarch.
2.3.2 Science Fiction
It is a genre of fiction that deals with imaginative content such as futuristic settings,
futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel, faster than light travel, parallel
universes, and extra-terrestrial life. It often explores the potential consequences of
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scientific and other innovations, and has been called a "literature of ideas"(Marg, 3003).
Adventure science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction with adventures such as
Gulliver's Travels (1726).
2.3.3 The Novel of Action
"The Novel Action is the mode fiction writers use to show what is happening at any given
moment in the story," (Marshall 1998, p. 142). According to Jordan E. Rosenfeld, action
scenes help the “reader to feel he is participating in the events “(Rosenfeld, 2008 p. 173).
Although action is widely used in fiction, the most-effective technique for its presentation
is a subject of ongoing discussion.
2.3.4 The Bildungsroman
Engel (2008, pp. 263–266) defined the Bildungsroman as a "novel of formation, education,
or culture" such as Daneil Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719). It is also a literary genre that
focuses on the psychological and moral growth of the protagonist from youth to adulthood
(coming of age), in which character change is extremely important.
2.3.5 The Social Novel
The social novel, also known as the social problem (or social protest) novel, is a "work of
fiction in which a prevailing social problem, such as gender, race, or class prejudice, is
dramatized through its effect on the characters of a novel". More specific examples of
social problems that are addressed in such works, include poverty, conditions in factories
and mines, the plight of child labor, violence against women, rising criminality, and
epidemics because of over-crowding, and poor sanitation in cities (Encyclopaedia
Britannica,2012). For instance, Bleak House by Charles Dickens (1853) focuses on the
corrupt, inefficient English legal system, and comments on the suffering of the poor.
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2.3.6 The Metafiction Novel
Metafiction is primarily associated with Modernist literature and Postmodernist literature,
but is found at least as early as Homer's Odyssey and Chaucer's 14th century Canterbury
Tales (Engler, 2004, p.4). The novels of Brian O'Nolan, written under the nom de plume
Flann O'Brien, are considered to be examples of metafiction.
2.3.7The Gothic Novel
Punter (2004, p. 178) said that Gothic Novel, is “a genre or mode of literature that
combines fiction, horror and Romanticism. Its origin is attributed to English author Horace
Walpole, with his 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto ".E.g. Christian August Vulpius's
Rinaldo Rinaldini, the Robber Captain (1797).
2.3.8 The Historical Novel
The historical novel is a literary genre in which the action takes place in the past. It is an
ambiguous term, because while it is frequently used as a synonym for the historical novel,
the term is often used to describe other narrative formats, such as those in the performing
and visual arts like theatre, opera, cinema, television, comics, and graphic novels. The
settings are drawn from history, and often contain historical persons. Works in this genre
often portray the manners and social conditions of the persons or times presented in the
story, with attention paid to period detail (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2013), e.g. Mammoth
Trilogy by Stephen Baxter.
2.3.9 The Picaresque Novel
The picaresque novel Spanish: "picaresca," from "pícaro" for "rogue" or "rascal” is a
popular subgenre of prose fiction which might sometimes be satirical and depicts, in
realistic and often humorous detail, the adventures of a roguish hero of low social class
who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. This style of novel originated in 16th-century
Spain and flourished throughout Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. It continues to
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influence modern literature (Tharall, et al 1960), e.g. Thomas Berger's Little Big Man
(1964)
Section 2
2.4 Literary Appreciation
This section deals with Literary Appreciation, It is not an attempt to provide an exhaustive
review of theorists' work on literature, rather it offers a discussion of some selected
definitions and topics, which are more relevant to this study.
Literary appreciation typically offers a methodical training in understanding, responding
to, and interpreting canonical literary work, inputting aesthetic autonomy and unity to the
work for the purpose of unity to the work for the purpose of such analysis and placing
relatively little emphasis on critical evaluation,( Rick,1996).
2.4.1 Literary Appreciation Definition
Ogenlewe (2006, pp.88-91) posted that "literary appreciation refers to the evaluation of
works of imaginative literature as an intellectual or academic exercise." For him, in this
process the reader interprets, evaluates or classifies a literary work with a view to
determine the artistic merits or demerits of such a work. According to this theory, it is the
understanding of literature values and the sensitivity to feel the meanings in the text.
Further, understanding the existing characters in a literature work is vital to the overall
evaluation of the work as well as getting the message of it.
Donelson and Nilsen (2009) echo this statement and add that "it is the process by which
one gauges one’s interpretive response as a reader to a literary work." For them, this means
that the reader is able to gain pleasure and understanding for the literature, understand its
value and importance and admire its complexity.
Abuan et al (2013) defined literary appreciation as “The ability to understand, enjoy and
evaluate works of literature." For them, this means that it is the ability to understand and
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evaluate any literary work. Fakoya, et al (2014) said that "literary appreciation can be
classified as the process by which the recipient of a work of literature acquires an
understanding of subject matter and obtains insights into the ways in which its formal
structure helps realize them." For them, the literary appreciation is a form of critique
including analytical process which is somehow similar to other forms of analysis.
According to their definition, themes, subject matter and structure require a high developed
capacity of literary appreciation, also they are considered as the main elements of any
literary work.
From previous definitions, the researcher can conclude, that literary appreciation is the
ability to study, understand, appreciate and evaluate the literature aspects and to taste
literary elements. The researcher works towards students’ understanding of reading style
of Gulliver's Travels, and the use of its literary devices, such as Plot ( structure), theme
analysis, characters analysis, setting analysis, point of view analysis, and symbolism.
2.4.2 The Benefits of Studying Literature
Roe, et al (2006, pp. 33-34) said that "literature is an important component of a total
language arts program at all grade levels because of the many benefits it offers." Here are
some reasons for integrating literature into your curriculum. Literature provides pleasure to listeners and readers. It is a relaxing escape from daily
problems, and it fills leisure moments. Making time for recreational reading and using
high-quality literature help to develop enthusiastic readers and improve achievement
(Block & Mangieri, 2002).
According to Rosenblatt (1995, p. 175), "The power of literature to offer entertainment
and recreation is still its prime reason for survival." Developing love of literature as a
recreational activity is possibly the most important outcome of a literature program. -22-
Literature supports all areas of the language arts curriculum. The chapter-opening
classroom (beginning of chapter) shows how literature brings together all of the language
arts. Listening to stories provides opportunities for honing listening skills, and discussion
allows children to express their thoughts, feelings, and reactions. When students read
literature, they practice their comprehension strategies in meaningful situations. Young
writers may use various genres of literature as models for their own writing, and literature
can be the basis for creative dramatics. Children can find stories to read and puzzles to
solve on the Internet, and the computer can serve as a word processor for creating stories
of their own (Giorgis et al., 1999). Literature helps establish career concepts for students who have limited knowledge of
occupations; literature expands their ideas for potential careers (Harkins, 2001). Peggy
Rathman's Officer Buckle and Gloria, about a police officer who shares information, and
Alexandra Day's Frank and Ernest on the Road, about truck driving, give insights into two
career choices. Literature improves reading ability and attitudes. Detuncq (2003) indicated that "students
benefited more from twenty minutes of daily trade book or short story reading instruction."
The researcher claimed that reading from trade books resulted in increased reading ability,
improved attitudes toward reading, and increased reading rate. Informational texts increase new knowledge domains. The ability to gain knowledge from
text is a critical one. Students need to develop the ability to understand the languages of
disciplines like mathematics, history, literature, and science. Furthermore, they need to
develop the critical reading abilities associated with thinking like a mathematician,
historian, or "scientist and critical analysis of text. The need to not only understand
information but also evaluate it is a necessity in today's world (Guthrie, Anderson, Alao, &
Rinehart, 1999).
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Vicarious Experience: others' experiences with literature give readers new perspectives on
the world. Good writing can transport readers to other places and other times and expand
their life space. Readers feel connected to the lives of others as they enter an imagined
situation with their emotions tuned to those of the story, (James 1968, p. 10).
Literature clearly plays an important role in all aspects of oral language development.
(Anne, 2003) said that Reading literature has also been shown to be powerfully connected
to later success in learning to read and in attitude toward reading.
Reading Literature improves writing. Walter, (1963, p. 75). Said that, "Those who read
well also write well; those who read poorly also write poorly."
Literature develops children’s imagination and helps them consider people, experiences, or
ideas in new ways. Mollie, (1992, p. 92) said that "To have one’s imagination carried
soaring on the wings of another’s imagination, to be made more aware of the possibilities
of one’s mind; to be thrilled, amazed, amused, awed, enchanted in worlds unknown until
discovered through the medium of language, and to find in those worlds one’s own petty
horizons growing ever wider, ever higher."
Insight into Human Behavior: Kornei, (1963, p.138) said that "The goal of every
storyteller consists of fostering in the child, at whatever cost, compassion and humanness,
this miraculous ability of man to be disturbed by another being’s misfortune, to feel joy
about another being’s happiness, to experience another’s fate as your own.” Literature
reflects life, yet no book can contain all of living. By its very organizing properties,
literature has the power to shape and give coherence to human experience. It might focus
on one aspect of life, one period of time in an individual’s life, and so enable a reader to
see and understand relationships that he had never considered.
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2.4.3 Literary Appreciation Elements
The literary appreciation of novel must take into consideration the skills that are
specifically applicable to them, as well as the more general rules that govern literary
appreciation generally. Elements such as plot, setting and character, which are very
significant to fiction, must be taken into consideration in the task of literary appreciation.
Knowledge of the events recounted in the novel, while essential, is not enough in itself. For
example, in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the subject matter only relates to the
events that are recounted in the novel. It is distinct from the novel’s theme(s), which is the
central idea(s) that emerges from an evaluation of its subject matter. Thus, the novel deals
with life, customs, traditions and way of life, but its main theme centres upon the
inevitability of change, the “falling apart” of the novel’s title. This theme is dramatized in
the changes which colonialism and Christianity bring to Umuofia. To take the example of
another African novel, The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born looks at the social and
political problems in post-independence Ghana, but its main theme is moral corruption.
Novels in particular may have more than one theme, usually made up of a central theme
around which are woven several sub-themes, (Fakoya et al, 2001, pp.350-362)
Literature in Teaching Syllabus Lower and Upper Secondary, Curriculum Planning &
Development Division Ministry of Education, Singapore (2013) pointed out that, “teachers
will lead students in analyzing and responding to these genres of literary texts in five areas
of study, The areas of study refer to the various elements that make up a literary text."
The Areas of Study from the Syllabus have been revised to reflect current understandings
of the disciplinarily of the subject. They are applicable to both Lower and Upper
Secondary, and the express and normal (Academic) courses. Curriculum Planning &
Development Division (2007) presented this Areas of Study comprise the following:
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Plot: This refers to how events are linked through cause and effect relationships within a
text.
Character: This refers to representations of a person, with motivations and intellectual,
moral and emotional qualities.
Setting and Atmosphere: Setting refers to the time, place, physical details and
circumstances in which a situation occurs. Atmosphere refers to the mood or emotional
quality of the writing; it usually creates through the setting.
Theme refers to the central idea(s) in a text.
Style refers to the writer’s purposeful use of language to achieve certain effects.
For Curriculum Planning & Development Division Ministry of Education, Singapore ( the
syllabus in teaching literature),it is very important in appreciating any literary work to
identify that literary work comprises elements of literary appreciation, the reader should
be aware of these elements. To understand and appreciate any course, reader is
required to study the elements of a literary work; novels, plays, poems and other
related materials.
Literary appreciation looks critically at a work of fiction in order to understand how the
parts contribute to the whole. When analyzing a novel or short story, readers need to
consider elements such as the context, setting, characters, plot, literary devices, and
themes, (University Writing Centre, 2011).
For the university centre, a literary analysis isn’t merely a summary or a review, but
rather criticizing and analyzing literary work, and an argument about it based on the text.
Depending on reader assignment in interpretation, the reader might argue about the work’s
meaning reactions by literary appreciation elements, this handout will help the reader
analyze novel. Accordingly, the researcher can conclude that literary appreciation elements
include plot, theme, characters, setting, symbolism, and point of view.
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2.4.3.1 Plot
Plot is a summary of a story, and composed of causal events, which means a series of
sentences linked by "and so." For instance, "the Princess runs after the Queen and so finds
the Queen" is a plot, whereas a story orders events from A to Z in time. Thus, "the Princess
runs after the Queen, and then the Queen conjures up an ice palace" is a story. A plot
highlights all the important points and the line of a story, and therefore provides a more
complete picture of how a fleshed-out story works by a logical skeleton, (Andsin, 1999,
p.5).
In addition, in a certain case, “Syuzhet,” literary phraseology, is translated as "Plot," that
this usage coexists alongside the definition that is determined by the causality. In short,
“Syuzhet” means how we know a sequence of discourse that is sorted out by the implied
author (Prinica, 2003, p. 73).
Gustav (2003) considered plot a narrative structure that divides a story into five parts, like
the five acts of a play. These parts are: exposition (of the situation); rising action (through
conflict); climax (or turning point); falling action; and resolution. The researcher marked
out a diagram to show plot's parts as the following.
(Figure2.1–plot)
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Exposition (beginning): it is the beginning of the story where the characters and the
setting are revealed.
Rising Action: This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict
in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).
Climax: This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader
wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?
Falling action: The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader
knows what has happened next and if the conflict is resolved or not (events between
climax and resolution).
Resolution: The Part of the plot that concludes the falling action by revealing or
suggesting the outcome of the conflict, this is the point where the story's conflicts are
worked out or resolved. The loose ends are tied together and the story comes to a
close. Quizlit (2014).
2.4.3.2 Theme
A theme is the central topic a text treats, Wikipedia (2012).
A theme is exemplified by the actions, utterances, or thoughts of a character in a novel. For
example, this would be the theme of loneliness in John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men,
wherein many of the characters seem to be lonely. It may differ from the thesis—the texts
or author's implied worldview (Wietz & Morris 2002, p.30).
Any story has several themes. Themes often explore historically common or crossculturally recognizable ideas, such as ethical questions, and are usually implied rather than
stated explicitly. An example of this would be whether one should live a seemingly better
life, at the price of giving up parts of one's humanity, which is a theme in Aldous Huxley’s
Brave New World. Along with plot, character, setting, and style, theme is considered one
of the components of fiction (Obstfeld, 2002, p.1, 65,115,171).
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There are often several related themes in any literary work, especially in novels, a theme
may be directly stated but more often is implied. The theme of a story or novel is a very
important aspect, but it is only one of many aspects. However, we don't read fiction just to
pick a theme, but a careful examination of the theme would enable us to move into the
heart of a work of fiction (Mousa, 1996).
Accordingly, the researcher concluded that themes give students (readers) a starting place
to analyze. Theme gives them a general topic. However, a theme is general, so readers
have to dig a little deeper to identify the author’s statement or attitude about that topic such
as, good vs. evil, human nature, religion, social structure, authority, coming-of-age, human
rights, feminism, racism, war, education, sex, friendship, love, compassion, and death. The
researcher marked out a diagram to show themes as the following.
Themes
Education
Humanrig
hts
Death
Religion
Racism
war
Feminism
Evil
Friendshi
p
culture
Love
Coming
passion
Authority
Goods
(Figure 2.2 themes)
2.4.3.3 Setting
When and where a story takes place can be profoundly significant. Consider where the
author’s story is placed and why the author makes that decision. In Shakespeare’s Othello,
for example, the setting is Italy, although Shakespeare wrote it in England, he set his play
elsewhere, in part, so he could make a social commentary about England without incurring
the wrath of English rulers.
Remember, many stories would be irretrievably altered if their settings were different and
setting is, therefore, integral for interpreting the story’s meaning. For instance, the setting
for Faulkner’s The American South after the Civil War is essential to his overall message.
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Faulkner’s characters are people who can’t move on, and through them he suggests that the
South similarly can’t get past the Civil War and the wrongs of slavery. University Writing
Centre (2011). The researcher marked out a diagram to show setting's parts as the
following.
period
Setting
place
(Figure 2.3 setting)
2.4.3.4 Characters
A character is a person depicted in a narrative or drama. Characters may be flat, minor
characters; or round, and major. The main character in a story is generally known as the
protagonist; the character who opposes him or her is the antagonist. Character is revealed
by how a character responds to conflict, by his or her dialogue, and through descriptions,
(Ginny, 2014). These basic types of characters are based on their qualities, functions, and
importance for the development of the novel, (Hoffman, et al 1996, p.36).
Flat character: Flat characters are two-dimensional, in that they are relatively
uncomplicated.
Round character: round characters are complex figures with many different
characteristics and undergo development, sometimes sufficiently to surprise the reader,
(Forster, 1927).
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Protagonist: is the main character (the central or primary personal figure) of a literary,
theatrical, cinematic or musical narrative, who has a conflict with the antagonist, (Hennery
& Robert, 2013).
Antagonist: is a character, or a group of characters, or institution that represents the
opposition against which the protagonist or protagonists must contend. In other words, an
antagonist is a person or a group of people who oppose the main character(s), (Online
literature, 2010 ).The researcher concludes that Characters are the driving force behind
stories, both major characters and minor ones are may be protagonist, antagonist, flat, or
round. Authors use them to broadcast their most important messages. Students (readers)
won’t be able to analyze every character, but pick out several important ones to consider.
Flat
character
Antagoni
st
Characters
Protagon
ist
(Figure 2.4 characters)
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Round
character
2.4.3.5 Symbolism
The word symbol is derived from "symballein," meaning to throw together, from the
Greek ‘symbolon’ and Latin ‘symbolism,’which means token, sign (Webster 2003, p.
1190). Although the school of symbolism appeared in France in 1880, people used
symbols for expressing their feelings and thoughts about phenomena, life and death. "The
founders of school of symbolism were three great poets, Stephan Mallarme, Paul Verlaine
and Arthur Rimbaud, who used symbols for expressing their thoughts" (Farshidvard, 1373,
p. 4). A symbol is defined in the online ‘Encyclopaedia Britannica’ as "a communication
element intended to simply represent or stand for a complex of person, object, group, or
idea." It is a kind of figures of speech used for increasing the beauty of the text
and
has figurative meaning besides its literal meaning,
symbolism (Rokni , 2009).
Shamisa (2004) classifies symbols into two types, those are "Arbitrary symbols and
personal symbols."
Arbitrary symbols: are those common and familiar ones that the reader simply can
recognize their meanings, like spring that is a symbol of youth and freshness.
Personal symbols: are those fresh and new ones which the writer or the poet newly
created, and contrary to arbitrary symbols, their recognition is difficult for the reader,
like Lion which is the symbol of God in Molana’s poems. because we know that this
poet longs for freedom, similar to the freedom that the birds and the clouds enjoy.
Another classification of symbol which is selected for this article is stated by Rokni
(2009).
Significative: Arbitrary symbols which are common in each particular field of study. For
instance, @ is a symbol used in email addresses.
Metaphoric: they are significant symbols used for natural phenomena, like lion which is a
symbol of courage.
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Simile: a phrase that uses the words like or as to describe someone or something by
comparing it with someone or something else that is dissimilar.
Sacramental: they are symbols used in myths and customs."
From the above different classification of symbols, the researcher adopted the Rokni
(2009) classification of symbols to this article; those are significant, metaphoric, simile,
and sacramental. The researcher designed a diagram to show symbols parts as the
following.
Significa
tive:
Sacram
ental
Symboli
sm
Metaph
oric
Simile
(Figure 2.5 symbolism)
2.4.3.6 Point of view
Narrative point of view or narrative perspective describes the position of the narrator (the
character of the storyteller) in relation to the story being told, James, ed. (2011).
Jenna, (2013, p. 14-15) divided point of view into "the first person narrative and the third
person narrative. In a first-person narrative, the story is revealed through a narrator who
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is also a character within the story, so that the narrator reveals the plot by referring to this
viewpoint character with forms of "I" or, when plural, "we". Often, the first-person
narrative is used as a way to directly convey the deeply internal, otherwise unspoken
thoughts of the narrator. In a third-person narration provides the greatest flexibility to the
author and thus is the most commonly used narrative mode in literature. In the thirdperson narrative mode, each and every character is referred to by the narrator as "he",
"she", "it", or "they.” The researcher marked out a diagram to describe the possession of
narrator as the following.
First
person
Point
of view
Third
person
(Figure 2.6 point of view)
Section 3: Sparknote
This section deals with Sparknotes definitions, and the need to use Sparknotes in literature
class, also the features of sparknotes. Ann (1997) reported that, “Trying to use the Web for
teaching is like trying to shoot at a target moving close to the speed of light." That’s mean,
having available the most appropriate, convenient and reliable technology (hardware and
software), and the necessary technical support may pose the greatest hurdles because they
depend on forces beyond faculty control, on institutional decisions which are generally
based on financial rather than pedagogical grounds.
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Kozma (2001, pp. 137-178) argues that “the particular attributes of the computer are
needed to bring real-life models and simulations to the learner; thus, the medium does
influence learning. However, it is not the computer per se that makes students learn, but the
design of the real-life models and simulations, and the students' interaction with those
models and simulations.” The computer is merely the vehicle that provides the processing
capability and delivers the instruction to learners (Clark, 2001, pp. 125-136)
Therefore, it is very important to activate technology, especially web in teaching
environment, in this article the researcher used the computer environment (Sparknotes) to
help create more dynamic communities of readers and interpreters of literature with classes
which involve each student in intense speaking, reading, thinking, writing activities yet
bring each into the larger community of readers and interpreters.
2.4 Sparknotes Definition
Many definitions were given to Sparknotes. Here are some definitions according to
different points of view.
Edgar Online, ( 2001)said that Sparknotes, originally part of a website called The Spark, is
a company started by Harvard students Sam Yagan, Max Krohn, Chris Coyne, and Eli
Bolotin in 1999 that originally provided study guides for literature, poetry, history, film,
and philosophy. Later, Sparknotes expanded to provide study guides for a number of
othersubjects,including math, health, physics, biology, chemistry,economics and sociology,
TheSpark.com was a literary website launched by four Harvard students on January 7,
1999. Most of the Spark's users were high school and college students. To increase the
site's popularity, the creators published the first six literature study guides called
"Sparknotes," (Borja & Lester, 2001).
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Bowman, (2003) reported that, Barnes & Noble purchased Sparknotes and selected fifty
literature study guides to publish in print format. When Barnes & Noble printed
Sparknotes, they stopped selling their chief competitor.
Sparknotes is a web site that provides study guides for literature and includes chapter
summaries; many teachers see the website as a cheating tool, (Simnauer, & Dumler 2007).
Sparknotes is suggested as a site which is used by students as a replacement for actually
completing reading assignments with the original material, it suggests that students read
the original material, and then check Sparknotes to compare their own interpretation of the
text with the Sparknotes analysis, (Eger 2008).
In conclusion, the above mentioned definitions focus on:

Sparknotes is a web site that provides study guides
for literature, poetry, history, film, and philosophy.

Sparknotes expands to provide study guides for a number of subjects,
including math, health, physics, biology, chemistry, economics and sociology.

The Spark.com is a literary website, which is used by high school and college
students.

Sparknotes is considered as literature study guides which include chapter
summaries

Many teachers see the website as a cheating tool

Sparknotes is suggested as a site which is used by students as a replacement for
actually completing reading assignments with the original material
2.4.1 The Need of Using Website (Sparknotes) in Teaching Literature
Technology is not a teaching method or theory, but rather it is a tool that aids
educators by improving access to different types of media already in use. Technology is
used to simulate real-lives intuitions and helps learners to have control over the learning
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process (O’Leary, 1998). For him, technology is a tool that aids educator in learning
process, as the researcher in this article use sparknotes as an aid to enhance literary
appreciation.
Utilize time efficiently; saving elements which introduced by web-based education
tools like Course Info apply to both the instructor and the student. Students benefit because
they have immediate access to course materials at any location. They do not have to spend
time walking across campus to the instructor’s office or searching for a reading in the
library. Instructors can minimize time spent in office hours, and address student concerns
online instead (Kubala, 1998).
Students can save and print items as needed for handouts and readings online. The
direct result is a reduced institutional expense for both the cost and time associated with
copying, collating, and distributing these materials, (Blackboard 1998).
Computer-Enhanced Language Learning enables learners to pool their knowledge in
effective ways and enhance peer correction and language repair work. Computers enable
learners to work their own pace (Hoven, 1999). Also, Hoven emphasizes the role of
computer in enhancing language by giving students a chance to do by their own selves
efficiency.
Computer-assisted language learning communication engages in literature devices to
provide new opportunities for learners. The teachers of English in colleges are stuffed
with literary theories as they pursue careers in commerce or science or engineering
colleges, they may feel like aliens on the earth so they can use computers in purpose of
courses, (Peterson, 2005).
Internet and websites make students interested. Krashen (2007) claims that "using
computers for Free voluntary surfing will encourage students to wander through the
Internet and read what interests them, and what is important to educational courses."
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Students’ use of technology is largely led by tutor recommendations and course
requirements. Beetham et al (2009,
p. 24) reported that "learners want meaningful
choices about how they learn, with technology, and that many learners use technology to
multi-task while some find being online a distraction from study." But within institutions,
students’ use of technology is largely led by tutor recommendations and course
requirements.
To give an example that came in handy, along with websites, is Microsoft's
Encarta Encyclopaedia.
Dilip (2009) said "After using websites for one year, I have come to conclusion that all the
teachers of English literature should make extensive use of such web-sites in the
classroom. Encarta made teaching and learning very easy because of its rich resources which
include multimedia and images. Similarly, while teaching any concept of literature or any
creative work, these e-resources helped to retrieve any sort of ready reference. The
literature class then becomes alive as all the students are gaining similar information at the
same time. Similarly, keeping internet connection while teaching literature has additional
advantages. For instance, while teaching modern critical theories like post- modernism,
post -colonialism, deconstruction, post structuralism, search engines like bing.com, and
google.com are incredibly helpful. Even if we wanted to discuss the latest in the field of
literature, we could click and find websites likewww.contemporarywriters.com and get upto-the-moment information to share with students. All difficulties of the 20thcentury are well
explained in Encarta and at www.reference.com. Thus, collective reading of websites, online
references, e-encyclopaedia, PowerPoint and Word files helped in learning."
From the previous opinions, the researcher concluded that, there is a need to use sparknotes
in literature class. The integration of web-based learning components with software like
Course information added a value to traditional education.
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2.4.2 Features of Sparknotes
Sparknotes is a site consists of modern and old novels, which refer to many centuries,
those novels were explained carefully by professional persons, focusing on literary
appreciation elements, also Sparknotes provides students with a course context with a pit
information about the author of the novel and his famous genres, and the time of
publication, also it provides students with plot overview, and the main motifs. Then it
follows by analysis of every chapter, also it provides students with characters that
describes characters psychologically (internal and external features), and it consists of may
related themes with much information and analysis.
Summary
The researcher divided this chapter in three sections. The first section presented definition
of novel, elements of novel and many types of novel. The second section presented literary
appreciation skills and meaning, the benefits of studying literature, and the elements of
literary appreciation. The third section introduced the definition of Sparknotes as a website
which is used in teaching English literature.
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Chapter Three
Previous Studies
Chapter Three
Previous Studies
Introduction
After reviewing previous studies, the researcher has selected a number of them
depending on their relationship to the core of the study problem. These previous
studies are classified into two domains. The first domain presents the studies related to the
use of web sites in teaching literature. The second domain presents the studies related to
literary appreciation. This chapter also includes a commentary on these studies. Such a
commentary is written according to different domains. How the previous studies benefit
the researcher and what distinguishes the current study from the others are also included in
this chapter.
3.1 Studies Related to the Use of Websites
Abdoulaye's (2014) study examined the use of technology to enhance the learning
experience of ESL Students. The purpose of this study is to investigate how technology
tools helped ELLs become more proficient in English. The tools are Data collection that
primarily focus on documents analysis obtained using ERIC and EBSCOHOST database
(McMillan, 2012). The sample are technology and second theories in teaching English
English, technology tools are used to help ELLs acquire English language to scrutinize
Theories of second language acquisition are used to understand how Krashen’s (1982)
comprehensive input theory delivered using new technology provides learners with
comprehensible materials leading to acquiring faster the language. The result is that
technology is an effective and efficient tool in helping ELLs become proficient in English.
The researcher see that there are several benefits, of using technology to enhance ELLs
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learning skills, quantitative data from various studies shows that factors such as costs and
trainings are of great importance in assessing how efficient technology tools are.
Michael's (2014) study integrated technology in to the curriculum and language
instruction to enhance EFL learning. The tools of the study were test (for long term) and
reports, the test was applied on particularly English class who learn English as a Foreign
Language by using technology for one year, with extensive meta-analysis of past studies,
the reports were used to sign success and failure. The sample of the study (Researchers in
the CALL profession). The result showed 1. Strategic instructional design means long-term
decision-making about the best interests of students. Trying something different each
semester or academic year, may be needed to identify affordances, but is no more than a
necessary evil. 2. All language learning technology design, are long-term or short-term
should use Task Based assignments, designed to give students positive experiences with
meaningful language use. This means: a. Carefully planned activities that students/groups
must accomplish using technology, b. Tasks require students to meet outcome goals with
short-term deadlines, in order to keep them engaged and progressing, c. Students should
not be expected to simply “muddling around.” Teachers too often abandon students to the
technology and do not monitor their progress, leaving students unsure about what they are
supposed to do and how they are supposed to do it. Students facing technology task
assignments need strong scaffolding, meaning that teachers must monitor their work at
every step, intervening as needed to keep them on track, particularly in the early phases of
the work. 3. The CALL field must come to accept that in the academic literature, the
reporting of problems is as valuable as the reporting of victory. Of course, strong theorybased instructional design is still important, but even the best design can still encounter
unanticipated problems due to the wide range is hidden variables we cannot control.
“Incomplete success” is not “failure” because we can still learn valuable lessons for the
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future. We only fail if we keep the problems secret. 4. The research timeline of a scholar
can be expected to begin with expedient short-term experimentation using available
populations. As an academic career progresses; however, the scholar’s research focus
should evolve to address a broader, more conceptual perspective. Senior faculty should
focus on deep conceptual understanding and strategic instructional design encompassing
complete academic programs, and on mentorship of younger scholars. The researcher
recommended that it is important to limit a sample or the grades and it is important to
apply the experiment in shorter time than a year.
Hew's (2013) study investigated the Use of Web 2.0 Technologies in K-12 and Higher
Education, two tools are used in this study, student self-report data questionnaire survey
and interview. The questionnaire is used to regard the impact of Web 2.0 technologies on
student learning of importance, whereas the interview is used to investigate the Opinions of
English Major Students about Their Departments' Websites. The web-practice is useful and
interesting to the educator in both k-12 and higher educators. The sample of the study was
purposely chosen by the researcher of about (K-12 students of literature class in Nanyang
Technological University).The results of review suggested that actual evidence regarding
the impact of Web 2.0 technologies on student learning is as yet fairly weak. Nevertheless,
the use of Web 2.0 technologies appears to have a general positive impact on student
learning. None of the studies reported a detrimental or inferior effect on learning. The
researcher recommended that it is very important to students to enter their departments;
students visit them to have an idea as to what it would be like to be a part of that university
and/or department.
Yen’s (2013) study integrated Popular Web Applications in Classroom Learning
Environments and its Effects on Teaching, student learning Motivation and Performance.
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The aim of this is study proposed a learning environment supported by well-known web
applications to supplement classroom teaching and learning activities, assist instructors in
facilitating student learning and participation, and help improve student learning
motivation and performance. Two data collections are used, questionnaires and interviews,
were utilized. The questionnaires were designed to gauge student learning motivation and
attitude, while interviews were used to investigate participant perception towards the entire
teaching and learning process. The sample of the study a course instructor and 40
university students participated in the experiment. The average age of the students was
20.the design was Experimental design, participants and procedure to investigate the
effectiveness of the proposed approach; a quasi-experimental research was conducted on
an industrial course on the subject of product design at a university in Taiwan. The result
of the experimental results revealed that students had higher learning motivation and
participation when using the proposed web application supported learning environment
during and after class as it gave them access to adequate learning support. The researcher
recommended the use of well-known web applications could be a potentially novel method
to engage instructors and students in meaningful teaching and learning activities.
Shona & Juleis's (2013) study tested the implementing task with interactive technology
in class room computer assisted language learning (CALL).This study aimed to simulate
teacher to use pedagogical innovations in to existing practice. The tools are data collected
by questionnaire, video, and interview, questionnaire to show teacher's opinion about the
use technology in their class, whereas video projector to allow the manipulation at the
board with a finger or stylus of any computer programme or internet application for
collective viewing. The sample of this study includes ten teachers of English as a foreign
or modern language in France in the course of a 28-month European Lifelong Learning
project. The results suggest three developmental stages: 1) restricted IWB use, little techno
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pedagogical development; 2) improvement in technical but not pedagogical skills; and 3)
high IWB fluency, greater pedagogical engagement, and some more task-oriented
teaching. The researcher recommended that a starting point for a developmental
framework, these findings also suggest need for more pedagogically oriented teacher
support.
Lung-Sheng's (2013) study described Technology Teachers’ Attitudes toward Nuclear
Energy and Their Implications for Technology Education, The tools that were used In
order to attain the purpose, a questionnaire survey was conducted. This study administered
a survey using a questionnaire modified from the ORC International (2011) and distributed
it. The sample of this study 323 high schools offering technology education courses. The
result as a sequence (1) most high-school technology teachers in Taiwan are keen on news
about Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster. (2) The majority of high-school technology
teachers oppose more nuclear power plants in Taiwan, are now “less supportive of
expanding nuclear power plants in Taiwan after Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster,
oppose to extend the operating lifespan of the operating nuclear power plants in Taiwan,
and oppose the construction of a new nuclear reactor within 80 kilometres of their homes.
(3) The majority of technology teachers in Taiwan are now more supportive than they were
before Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster of using clean renewable energy resources –
such as wind and solar – and increased energy efficiency as an alternative to more nuclear
power in Taiwan, and support a termination or moratorium on new nuclear power plant
construction in Taiwan if increased energy efficiency and off the shelf renewable
technologies such as wind and solar could meet our energy demands for the near term. (4)
Nearly a half of high-school technology teachers in Taiwan do not know the evacuation
route and what other steps to take in the event of the nearest nuclear power plant
emergency. (5) The majority of high-school technology teachers in Taiwan includes
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nuclear energy in their technology courses, and will enrich nuclear energy in their
technology courses. The researcher recommended that the researcher found that schools
numbers were too large. So, the researcher recommended limiting the school numbers and
creating three to five schools if it is needed.
Hamed's (2011) study investigated the level of implementation of web-based instructional
technology (WBIT). The sample of the study was (160) in-teaching faculties at selected
Islamic Azad Universities (IAU) across Iran. The data was collected through a
questionnaire, consisting of 70 questions, distributed in five multiple choice sections. After
deletion of cases with missing values for stages of concern, data from 482 participants
were available for analysis. The results Descriptive statistics provided the participants’
perception mean responses and standard deviations for the eight dependent factors (Ely‘s
conditions).
Huong's (2009) study examined Factors influencing EFL novice teachers’ adoption of
technologies in classroom practice. The tool of this research was conducted as a qualitative
study, using a questionnaire and a semi-structured individual interview. The questionnaire
items are the combination of both close-ended and open-ended components. The questions
were designed for teachers’ opinions about their beliefs in the benefits and ease of use of
technologies in classroom teaching, teachers’ self-efficacy, provided technological
professional development and technical support, interviews were used to mainly
triangulate the data collected from the questionnaire, which could help ensure the
credibility of this research. The sample (12) English language teacher teachers. The result
Was that without prompt technological professional development and timely technical
support for teachers, the teachers cannot fully adopt technologies in their classroom
teaching.
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The researcher recommended, the application of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) components such as audio and video players, computers with CDROMs, websites and the Internet has been proved very effective in English language
teaching, but those teacher need the confidence and a good planning to apply these
methods in their class.
Commentary
In accordance with the above-mentioned studies, the focus was on using new technologies
in teaching and learning English class, Abdoulaye (2014), Michael (2014) and Yen (2013)
study agrees with the current study in using technology in teaching English.Hew (2013)
and Shona & Julei (2013) studies came to support the current study and to recommend the
necessity of using web in teaching English literature class. Moreover, Lung-Sheng (2013)
reflected that the researchers always search for finding solutions for difficulties in teaching
English literature by using websites, this study emphasized the current study on selecting
the relevant web to the relevant lessons, that because not all website are benefit. Hamed
(2011), Huong (2009) reflected the effectiveness of using the Internet and websites in
English language teaching in examining the effectiveness of different approaches of
teaching reading such as using of technology, strategy of instructions, using higher-order
thinking skills and activating prior knowledge. This reflected to build strong foundation in
the studying literature to learn the necessary Knowledge, and skills. So, the current study
concentrated on the effectiveness of using Sparknotes website on enhancing literary
appreciation skills for the second level of in English majors at AL-Azhar University-Gaza.
3.2 Studies related to Literary Appreciation:
Rita (2012) study aimed to improve literary appreciation by producing a literature-based
instrument of literature, to examine the effectiveness of its use in developing student
character and describe the perceptions of students about the importance of teaching
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literature in college. The researcher followed the quasi-research design. The sample of the
study was (89) students of literature course at Sriwijaya University, Palembang, Indonesia.
The tools what used to obtain data, using data collection instruments included appreciation
tests, questionnaires, documentation, and interviews. The data dealing with the response or
the validity of appreciation test obtained from comments, suggestions, and conclusions of
the questionnaire were described and analyzed qualitatively, while the data obtained from
test were analyzed by presenting all the answers and calculated the sum. Moreover, the
students appreciated the short story entitled Sekar and Her Daughter (Sekar dan Gadisnya)
written by L. Rieke and it was analyzed by using guideline of literary appreciation. The
Results of this study produced a valid, effective, and reliable instrument for appreciating
literary works to develop the first semester students’ character at Sriwijaya University by
reading and appreciating certain kinds of literary works on the Personality Development
course. The literary appreciation’s instrument is able to increase the effectiveness of
students’ appreciation result by achieving very good category with the emerging of two or
more such indicator. Besides, by distributing questionnaire, 95.3% students indicates
positive attitude toward literary appreciation. The appreciation conducted by the students
makes them realize the importance of responding literary works to develop character and it
was positively perceived by 97% of the students.
Godwin et al (2012)study is a critical study which criticizes the relevance of Shona
People's Concept of Beauty to Their Literary Appreciation, also this paper seeks to show
that Shona literary appreciation is both inspired and informed by the people’s social
concept of beauty. This social-literary beauty interface will be explored using examples
and extracts from Shona folktales, proverbs, prose and poetry. The results of study
showed that Shona people like any other humanity, have their own conceptualization of
what is beautiful and what is not. To them, beauty is judged based on two parameters, the
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outward appearance of an object and then its significance in improving people’s lives. An
object which may be good looking but does not serve a specific commendable function in
society is deemed ugly and useless. A bad looking object which performs an important
function in the people's lives is admired. One that matches the two facets is the most highly
celebrated. This concept of beauty is quite different from that of the West where the
outside appearance of an object takes precedence over its value or purpose. Therefore, it is
from their concept of beauty that Shona critics get, and should get inspiration in their
analysis of works of art. Only works of art that serve important functions in society should
be accorded praise and not those which merely strive to bring out some recommendable
patterning or structure. Works of art that are a combination of the two beauties, the
physical and the social, the external and the internal are the best and it is literature of this
kind that Shona critics should urge writers to produce.
The researcher thinks that this study lacks sample, statistical analysis, but it is benefit in
criticizing the meaning of literature in many cultures.
Bunsom's et al (2011) study investigated teaching English literature in Thai Universities.
The sample of the study is The Reading Appreciation class consisted of 20 students from
different Engineering departments: Computer, Mechanical and Production. They were a
mixed crowd of second year, third year and fourth year students. Their English proficiency
ranged from average to very good. Note that second year students had a stronger command
of written and spoken English. The instruments of the study are exams, and materials.
Course Requirements the semester lasted 15 weeks and the course ran for 45 hours
altogether. Students were required to attend at least 80% of the classes. They assessed them
from attendance & participation (10%), small presentations throughout the semester (20%),
a mid-term examination (20%), online discussions on a Face book community page (20%),
a final oral presentation (20%) and a reflective journal submitted by the end of the
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semester (10%).The course materials came from a variety of sources carefully chosen by
the writers. The result showed that teaching English literature to Engineering students,
either in the book club or in the classroom for the past year, has been quite a journey and
an adventure for the teachers. One thing they learnt and would like others to know is that
Engineering or other Science students are not to be underestimated. For so long, Thai
universities, especially universities of science and technology have been reluctant to
employ literary texts because teachers have assumed that they are not the “right” type of
The researcher saw that the idea of employing literature in the classroom stemmed from
the teachers desire to see English literature students read texts that are familiar to them in
order to stimulate their literary appreciation skills.
Shao’s (2010) study aimed to motivate and justify teaching Western Literature This study
first examined the nature of teaching literature and the related theory of syllabus design
before describing Literature to EFL Students at a University of Science and Technology.
The sample of the study was 43 juniors from the department of Applied Foreign
Languages, who took a required literary course, Introduction to Western Literature (WL).
The tools that were used include, Questionnaires, achievement tests, quasi &GEPT tests,
and informal classroom observation were the research instruments used in this enquiry.
The results of the study indicate that the students were motivated; the course was
conducive to students’ language awareness and acquisition and contributed to students’
growth in literature learning and literary aesthetic appreciation. The team spirit of
cooperating and sharing among the students prevailed in this literature& language
classroom. The researcher recommended that study is very important to current study,
which showed the nature of teaching literature and the related theory of syllabus design.
Wen Su’s (2010) study explored ways of motivating Teaching Western Literature to EFL
Students at a University of Science and Technology. This study examined a literature
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course design and instruction (Introduction to Western Literature). The researcher followed
the quasi research design. The sample of the study was of 43 Chinese& speaking English
majors at a university of science and technology in Taiwan. The tools of study were used
statistical evidence. Questionnaires, achievement tests, quasi & GEPT tests, And informal
classroom observation were the research instruments used In this enquiry. The results of
the study indicate that the students were motivated; the course was conducive to students’
language awareness and acquisition and contributed to students’ growth in literature
learning and literary aesthetic appreciation. The team spirit of cooperating and sharing
among the students prevailed in this literature& language classroom
Commentary
In accordance with the above-mentioned studies, the focus was on improving teaching and
learning English literature. From the above display of the previous foreign studies, the
researcher concluded, that many researchers paid attention to the low levels of the students
at the basic schools and the secondary school, whereas little attention was paid to the
university level. So the current study focussed on the university stage. The researcher
found that foreign studies succeeded in justifying their hypotheses and had high statistical
significance; this was considered as a great indicator to adopt new techniques and methods
such as website to improve literary appreciation by producing a literature-based instrument
of literature for all and literature across curriculum.
General Commentary on the Previous Studies:
Concerning the aforementioned studies, it becomes obvious that the aims, methods,
samples, tools and results of the previous studies are varied. The researcher finds that
the obtained studies are beneficial for her study that occurred in many different country
and many different objectives. It is obvious that studies show that many EFL/ESL nonnative students struggle so much with these kinds of literary texts (literature) which
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revealed that students often face problems in appreciating native literary texts because they
are loaded with unfamiliar foreign culture. Another study carried out in a Thai university
also indicated that certain texts are full of complexities, so that students struggle to have a
full understanding of literature text. Students are not motivated to criticize literature
because of these stumbling blocks. Also, they might not be able to obtain the benefits
offered by the use of literary texts. On the other hand, teaching literature by using websites
allow student to live in atmosphere of native speaker culture and society. Websites help
student to be aware of real society of this novel and characters, students as non-native
speakers can gain language from those native characters in truly way. Also, websites allow
students to interact with and foster literary appreciation.
Benefits of previous studies:

The researcher can conclude from the previous studies that there is a need to a
study which joints the two domains (literary appreciation, and websites in one
domain by employing Sparknotes to enhance literary appreciation. Students will be
immersed in the practice of making analysis of novel aspects where they will hone
their literary appreciation skills.

Literary technique and devices utilized become significant. Since it is a work of
literature, the text being appreciated will make use of devices that make its message
more memorable, and thus make a lasting impression on the minds of its recipients,
so it is a useful way to use websites in appreciating any literary text. Among the
more common of such devices are the aspects of figurative language such as
metaphors, similes, personification and onomatopoeia. These devices rarely appear
in the text without reason because they are there for the purpose of helping to
convey its meaning and enhancing it as a work of art, so students need an aid to
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help them in pointing out where are the most important literary appreciation
elements.
 The researcher concludes that Sparknotes may be a helpful way for English Majors
for enhancing literary appreciation, If teachers carefully choose the materials ,
students become involved and feel that literature is relevant to their subject
matter. We have to use new technologies and new aids to improve students’ literary
appreciation skills.
Summary
The second chapter contains a number of previous related studies. These studies are
classified into two domains, the first domain about the previous studies in using websites,
the second domain about literary appreciation studies. Furthermore, a commentary on the
studies is presented clearly. Additionally, this chapter outline shows how the current study
is distinguished from the others and what is the benefit that the researcher gains from these
studies. The next chapter deals with methodology of the study.
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Chapter 4
Research Design and
Methodology
Chapter 4
Research Design and Methodology
Introduction
The key purposes of the current study include investigating the effectiveness of using
sparknotes for enhancing literary appreciation skill among English majors at Al-Azhar
University in Gaza. This chapter provides a full description of the following:
1) research design, 2) population, 3) sample, 4) variables, 5) tool and 6) statistical
methods of the study .
4.1 Research design
The researcher adopted the quasi-experimental design.
Quasi-experimental design: is a design used in purpose to test descriptive causal
hypotheses about manipulable causes and many structural details, such as the frequent
presence of control groups and pre-test measures, to support a counterfactual inference
about what would have happened in the absence of treatment (Campbell, et al., 1963, p.
34). The researcher used sparknotes to find its effectiveness on enhancing literary
appreciation skills on an experimental group, the group was pre-tested and then taught the
novel according to the use of sparknotes through the activities prepared by the researcher
in the form of PowerPoint slides and lecture plan. The post-test was attempted for the
group and the results were calculated.
4.2 Population of the Study
The population of the study conducted on the second level males and females
English majors at Al-Azhar university-Gaza enrolled in the first semester of the
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academic year (2014-2015). The population of the study consists of (500) males
and females students from Al Azhar University-Gaza.
4.3 Sample of the Study
The sample of (88) students was purposefully chosen from English majors second
level, males (37), and females (51). The (88) students studied as one experimental
group. The experimental group was taught according to the course of "Gulliver's
Travels" by using Sparknotes website, and it activated a variety of students’
intelligences in each lectures. The following table shows the study sample.
Table 4.1
The Distribution of the Sample
The
The Sample of the study
population
500
Females
Males
Total
51
37
88
4.3 Variables of the Study
1. The independent variable is Sparknotes, which is based on analysis of
major literary appreciation elements: plot, themes, characters, setting, point
of view, and symbols of Gulliver's Travels.
4.4 The dependent variable study is enhancing literary appreciation skills of
plot, theme, characters, setting, point of view, and symbols.
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4.5 Instrumentations
The researcher has used literary appreciation test to collect data and to achieve the
purposes of this study, i.e. to answer the main question and the other questions which test
the seven hypotheses of the study.
4.5.1 The Literary Appreciation Test
The literary appreciation test is based on literary appreciation skills of plot,
theme, characters, setting, symbols, and point of view. It is prepared by the
researcher to measure the students' achievement in literary appreciation skills
(Appendix 2).
a. The Aim of the Literary Appreciation Test
The literary appreciation test was carried out to examine whether there are statistically
significant differences on English majors' performance at pre- posttest or no, due to using
sparknotes in teaching novel.
b. The Sources of Designing Literary Appreciation Test
The researcher referred to many resources in designing the test. She reviewed the
related literature, checked the opinion of supervisors and experienced teachers,
and analyzed the previous tests of literary appreciation skills in Novel. Also, she
reviewed a critical book of Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, which served
many benefits to derive the test questions. These questions were distributed over
the six levels of literary appreciation skills.
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c. Description of the Literary Appreciation Test
The test contains six questions based on the six elements of literary appreciation
skills: Plot, theme, setting, characters, symbolism, and point of view. The total
marks on the test are (30) marks, five marks for every level.

The first Question is on Plot in a form of multiple choice questions which
contain five sentences, choose the right answer from a, b, c, and d sentences.
This question is based on the five elements of plot, those are, beginning,
rising action (conflict), climax, falling action, and resolution, every sentence
takes one mark, and the total marks on this question are five marks.

The second question on Theme is open end question (five marks)

The third question on Setting is open end question consists of two parts a, b
questions, the first part (a) takes three marks, whereas the second part (b)
takes two marks the total marks on this question is, (five marks).

The forth question on Characters which is open end question consists of
three questions a, b, c. the first part (a) takes three marks, whereas the second
part (b) takes one mark, the third one (c) takes one mark, the total marks on
this question are (five marks).

The fifth question on Symbolism is open end question, and consists of five
questions, a, b, c, d, e, every part takes one mark; the total marks on this
question are (five marks).

The sixth question on Point of View which is divided in to two parts, the
first part takes (2 marks), the second part takes (3 marks) the total marks on
this question are (five marks).
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The following table shows the number of questions and the total marks, with
the specific marks for every question.
(Table 4.2)
The Description of Questions over the Levels of the Literary Appreciation Skills
Number of
Question
Grades
the Items
The first question on "plot"
5
5
The second question on "Theme"
1
5
The third question on
"Characters"
The forth question on "Setting"
3
5
2
5
The fifth question on
"symbolism"
The sixth question on" Point of
view"
Total
5
5
2
5
18
30
4.6 The Validity of the Test
The content validity was checked as follows:
1. The Content Validity
Mackey and Gass (2005: p107) stated that “content validity refers to the representativeness
of our measurement regarding the phenomenon about which we want information.” In
other words, the test examines the content validity; the researcher introduced the test to a
group of specialists; including professors from different universities. According to their
valuable remarks, the test is modified. The final draft of the test is shown in Appendix (1).
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2. Structure Validity of the Test
Structure validity is the second statistical test that is used to test the validity of the test
structure by testing the validity of each question and the validity of the test. It is measured
by a piloting sample, which consisted of (30) students through measuring the correlation
coefficients between one question and all the questions of the test. Table (4.3) shows the
correlation coefficient for each question and the whole test.
Table (4.3)
Correlation Coefficient of Every Item of the Test with the Total Score of the Test
Pearson
No.
Pearson
Sig. level
Sig. level
No.
Correlation
Correlation
1
0.684
sig. at 0.01
11
0.741
sig. at 0.01
2
0.763
sig. at 0.01
12
0.800
sig. at 0.01
3
0.838
sig. at 0.01
13
0.795
sig. at 0.01
4
0.684
sig. at 0.01
14
0.819
sig. at 0.01
5
0.814
sig. at 0.01
15
0.728
sig. at 0.01
6
0.771
sig. at 0.01
16
0.786
sig. at 0.01
7
0.769
sig. at 0.01
17
0.823
sig. at 0.01
8
0.565
sig. at 0.01
18
0.877
sig. at 0.01
9
0.833
sig. at 0.01
19
0.651
sig. at 0.01
10
0.757
sig. at 0.01
r table value at df (28) and sig. level (0.05) = 0.361
r table value at df (28) and sig. level (0.01) = 0.463
As shown in table (4.3), the p-values (Sig.) are less than (0.05). So the correlation
coefficients of all the questions are significant at (α= 0.05). All of the questions had
good levels of validity. The correlation coefficients for the levels of the skills ranged
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between (0. 684) and (0. 838) and significant at (0.05) and (0.01). So, it can be
concluded that the test is highly valid to be used as a tool of the study.
Difficulty Coefficient
This means the percent of the failing students (who answered incorrectly on the
test) to the total student who answered the test; the researcher can calculate this from the
following equation :( O'dah, 2002, p.125):
No. of failing students
Difficulty Coefficient =
X 100
the total students who answered the test
Table (4.4) shows the difficulty coefficient for each items of the test:
Table (4.4)
Difficulty Coefficient for Each Questions of the test
No.
1
Difficulty
No.
Coefficient
0.63
11
Difficulty
Coefficient
0.44
2
0.69
12
0.50
3
0.31
13
0.38
4
0.44
14
0.44
5
0.44
15
0.50
6
0.30
16
0.44
7
0.27
17
0.38
8
0.28
18
0.34
9
0.29
19
0.27
10
0.63
Total Difficulty
Coefficient
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0.42
Table (4.4) shows that the difficulty coefficient ranges between (0.27 – 0.69) with total
average (0.42), this means that each of item is acceptable or in the normal limit of
difficulties according to view of point of assessment and evaluation specialist.
Discrimination Coefficient
This means the test ability to differentiate between the high achievers students and the low
achievers. (O’dah, 2002, p.127):
No. of the students who have
the correct answer from the
high achievers
Discrimination
Coefficient =
-
No. of high achievers students
No. of the students who
have the correct answer
from the low achievers
No. of low achievers
students
Table (4.5) shows the discrimination coefficient for each items of the test:
Table (4.5)
Discrimination Coefficient for Each Questions of the Test
No.
Discrimination
Discrimination
No.
Coefficient
Coefficient
0.75
0.63
1
11
0.63
0.75
2
12
0.63
0.75
3
13
0.63
0.63
4
14
0.63
0.75
5
15
0.60
0.63
6
16
0.54
0.75
7
17
0.44
0.69
8
18
0.58
0.38
9
19
0.75
10
Total Discrimination
Coefficient
0.64
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Table (4.5) shows that the discrimination coefficient ranges between (0.44 – 0.75) with
total average (0.64), each item is acceptable or in the normal limit of discrimination
according to view of point of assessment and evaluation specialist.
Reliability of the Test
The reliability of the test was measured by the Spilt-half and Kud-Richardson (K-R20)
Techniques.
Split half: Gutman
Abu Hattab & Sadeq (1980: 14) assert that “it relies on splitting the test into two parts, and
calculating the correlation between the parts, then making a correction for the correlation
coefficient by Spearman–Brown Prophecy Formula."
Table (4.6)
Correlation between the two parts (even X odd) and modified by Spearman-Brown
Test
Total
Total
19
Spilt – Half
Technique
0.970
Out of the Table (4.6), it is noted that the test is proved reliable. The Spilt- half coefficient
is (0.970) (after modification) which is above (0.7): This indicates that the test is reliable
to be used in the study.
Kud-Richardson (K-R20)
(K-R20) depends on calculating the percentages of correct answers of the test items, and
also on the variance of every item (O'dah, (2002: 176)
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Table (4.7)
(K_R20) Coefficients for the Questions of the Test
Total
(K_R20) Coefficient
19
0.935
The table assures that if the results show that the reliability coefficients are above (0.70) so
they are acceptable. And as (K_R20) coefficient = (0.935); that means that the diagnostic
test is reliable to apply.
4.5.2 Sparknotes
The
researcher
prepared
PowerPoint
slides
from
the
Sparknotes
website,
according to the sparknotes literary appreciation skills.
The Aim of Sparknotes
1. This website divided the novel into four parts, every part is divided into eight
chapters, every chapter consists of literary appreciation elements divided in to six
levels: plot, theme, characters, setting, symbolism, and point of view, those
elements are explained and analyzed critically. The researcher took two parts
from Gulliver's Travels as this course is taught at Al-Azhar University-Gaza.
2. The researcher made (354) PowerPoint slides, which are taken from the
sparknotes according to the aims of literary appreciation elements. They consisted
of question and answer according to every chapter's objectives. Also, these slides
consist of pictures which are cut from Gulliver's Travels according to the
sequence of events in every chapter. The researcher presented pictures to show
the plot of the novel, as the following slides:
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Part One - Chapter One - Gulliver's Travels Plot
Gulliver’s
Travels
Gulliver’s Travels was a
controversial work when it
was first published in 1726.
In fact, it was not until
almost ten years after its first
printing that the book
appeared with the entire text
that Swift had originally
intended it to have.
Part one : A voyage to
Lilliput.
Part Two : A voyage to
brobdingnag
Part Three : A voyage to
Laputa
Part Four : A voyage to the
country of the Houyhnhms
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4.5.3 Sessions’ Plan
The Researcher chose Gulliver's Travels as a course material in teaching
English majors, each novel read by students at home. Student answered the
discussion questions and took part in all activities individually and in pairs. Their
major assignment was presented in the class, the researcher presented the website
Sparknotes by using PowerPoint slides to encourage students to read and criticize
the most important points. They could discover the joy of reading literature and
became aware of new ways of perceiving sparknotes and the benefit of literary
appreciation in such a novel that Sparknotes offered to the students who
appreciated the literary text.
The researcher followed these steps:
1- Objectives
2- Activities

The role of the researcher

The role of students
3- Aids
4- Organization
5- Evaluation
4.5.3.1 Objectives
1. Interpreting and engaging with the text.
2. Developing and communicating responses.
3. Reading and appreciating a wide series of the text.
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Standard (1): Interpreting and engaging with the text

To apply the processes of making meaning in the areas of the study (plot,
character, setting and atmosphere, theme and style symbolism, and point of
view), to explore the contexts in which texts are written and read, and to make
connections with self, other texts and the rest of the world.

To demonstrate understanding the way of plot contributes to the meaning of texts, e.g.
identify
the
various
conflicts
in
a
text
and
explain
how
they
move the plot forward.

To demonstrate understanding of the way character contributes to the meaning of
texts, e.g., evaluate characters’ actions, motivations and decisions.

To demonstrate understanding of the way setting and atmosphere contribute to the
meaning of texts, e.g., describe the setting and atmosphere (e.g., time, place, physical
details, and situations).

To
demonstrate
understanding
of
the
way
theme
contributes
to
the
style
contributes
to
the
meaning of texts, e.g., identify the themes of a text.

To
demonstrate
understanding
of
the
way
meaning of texts, e.g., demonstrate appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of language
used in a text to achieve certain effects.

To demonstrate understanding of the relationships between the Area and its
symbolism within texts, e.g. analyze how the Areas of Study (plot, character, setting
and atmosphere, theme and style) synthesis to create a connotation meaning and figure
of speech in a text.

To
demonstrate
understanding
that
texts
are
written
and
read
in
specific contexts, e.g., historical, cultural, economic, political, social, e.g.,
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Demonstrate
recognition
of
the
contexts,
e.g.,
cultural,
historical,
social, economic, political in which a text is written.

To make meaningful connections between texts and the point of view of the narrator,
e.g., demonstrate recognition the way narrator’ personal experiences, beliefs and
values may influence students' understanding and interpretations of a text.

Read and critically appreciate texts independently, e.g., apply skills of critical
appreciation to other literary texts independently.
Standard (2): Developing and communicating responses
Apply the processes of forming and articulating responses to texts and respond to different
views.

To develop personal and critical responses to texts.

To construct and effectively communicate arguments.

To respond to different views and perspectives.
Standard (3): Reading and appreciating a wide Variety of the text.
Develop love for Literature, broaden exposure to literary texts and develop the ability to
engage with texts diverse issues and genres.

Read and appreciate the novel “Gulliver’s Travels."
4.5.3.2 Activities
The general role of the teacher includes

Identify students’ learning gaps and needs so that teaching strategies and
activities can be changed or modified to improve their learning.

Provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate their skills and
abilities through meaningful tasks/ activities so that students’ development and
progress can be monitored.
-68-

Provide rich, qualitative and formative feedback, framed in terms of what
students can and need to do, to help them determine the steps to improve their
learning.

Involve students actively in learning to assess themselves and each other, i.e.,
self and peer assessment respectively, using clear assessment criteria that are made
known to students.
The role of students
-
To answer questions of PowerPoints-slides.
-
To comment on some reading points.
-
To discuss literary appreciation elements in every chapter.
-
To report in a short paragraph.
-
To present some of slides.
-
To do homework.
4.5.3.3 Aids
-
LCD
-
PowerPoint slides
-
Pictures
-
Pieces of music
4.5.3.4 Organization
-
In pairs
-
Individually
4.5.3.5 Evaluation
The researcher evaluated students orally by asking questions in every slide (formative
evaluation), and summative evaluation by using literary appreciation test.
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The following table shows the lecture's plan:
Tables of Sessions
Sessions
No.
2
Time
Teaching Aids
An hour
2
An hour
Chapter 5-6-7-8
2
An hour
Part two chapter 1-2-3
2
An hour
Chapter 4-5-6
2
An hour
Chapter 7-8
2
An hour
L.C.D. PowerPoints slides
Gulliver's Travel, piece of
music, and pictures
L.C.D. PowerPoints slides,
pictures, and Gulliver's Travel
novel
music, and pictures
music, and pictures
music, and pictures
L.C.D. Power points slides
music, and pictures.
6
12
6
Topics
Literary appreciation
elements , general
information about Swift
Part one, Chapter 1-2-3-4
4.6 Statistical analysis
-
The researcher used the (SPSS) Statistical Package for the Social Science for
analyzing the data, the following statistical analyses were used to collect the data:
-
Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to confirm the test validity, and Kuder
Richardson-20 equation to find the reliability.
-
Spilt half to calculate the correlation between the parts, then making a correction
for the correlation coefficient by Spearman–Brown Prophecy Formula.
-
T-test Paired Sample was used to measure the differences in achievement between
the pre-test and the post-test of the experimental group.
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-
One- way ANOVA and Scheffe were used to measure the highest and the lowest
impact of Sparknotes on the level of literary appreciation.
-
To count the effectiveness of using Sparknotes for enhancing literary appreciation
skills among English majors, Blake Modified Gain Rank equation was used.
Summary
This chapter showed the procedures of designing and applying the instrument, the sample
and the statistical analyses. The next chapter (chapter five) deals with study results,
discussion and recommendations.
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Chapter 5
Results, Discussion and
Recommendations
Chapter 5
Results, Discussion and Recommendations
Introduction
The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effectiveness of using sparknotes for
enhancing literary appreciation skills among English majors at Al-Azhar University-Gaza.
This chapter includes the study results, answering the questions of the study, testing the
hypotheses as well as the discussion of the results. Also, it includes the recommendations
the researcher's suggests.
5.1 Test of the First Hypothesis
The first hypothesis was “there are statistically significant differences (α≤0.05) in the mean
scores of the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre and posttest at
the level of theme analysis."
To answer this hypothesis, the mean scores of the experimental group results of the
pre- and post-tests were computed. T-test Paired Samples statistics was used to analyze the
data statistically.
Table (5.1)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre- and the Post-Test
Skill
Group
N
Mean
Std.
t
Deviation
Sig.
Value
Sig.
Level
Theme
Analysis
Pre test
88
2.364
0.776
0.000
Post test
88
4.568
0.828
sig.
0.01
17.733
at
Results of table (5.1) indicate that the T. computed value in theme analysis skill is
(17.733) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test, which means there
are significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test
in theme analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the post-test. This result
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confirms the result of Hew's (2013), Yen's (2013), and Hamed's (2011) who proved the
effectiveness of websites in teaching learning process. Therefore, the hypothesis is
accepted.
5.2 The Test of the Second Hypothesis
The Second hypothesis was “there are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) at the
level of performance in the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre
and posttest at the level of plot analysis."
To answer this hypothesis, the mean scores of the experimental group results of the
pre- and post-tests were computed. T-test Paired Samples statistics was used to analyze the
data statistically.
Table (5.2)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre- and the Post-Test.
Skill
plot analysis
Std.
GROUP
N
Mean
Pre test
88
1.011
1.106
Post test
88
3.716
1.144
Deviation
t
14.913
Sig.
sig.
value
Level
0.000
sig.
at
0.01
Results of table (5.2) indicate that the T. computed value in plot analysis skill is
(14.913) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test, which means that
there are significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the pre-test and
post-test in plot analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the post-test.
The result of this study confirms the results of Shona & Juleis's (2013) study which tested
the implementing task with interactive technology in class room computer assisted
language learning (CALL) toward a development frame work. Therefore, the hypothesis is
accepted.
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5.3 The Test of the Third Hypothesis
The third hypothesis was “there are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) in the
mean scores of the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre and
posttest at the level of characters analysis." To answer this hypothesis, mean scores of the
experimental group results of the pre- and post-tests were computed. T-test Paired Samples
statistics was used to analyze the data statistically.
Table (5.3)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre and the Post-Test
Std.
Skill
Group
N
Mean
Sig.
Sig.
Value
Level
0.000
sig.
t
Deviation
Characters
Pre test
88
1.722
1.337
Analysis
Post test
88
4.511
1.561
13.135
at
0.01
Results of table (5.3) indicate that the T. computed value in characters analysis skill
is (13.135) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test. This result means
that there are significant differences at (α≤0.05) mean scores of the pre-test and post-test in
characters analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the post-test. The result of
this study agrees with the results of Rita (2012) study that literary appreciation can increase
the effectiveness of students’ appreciation of characters by achieving a very good category
on the level of characters. Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted.
5.4 The Test of the Forth Hypothesis
The forth hypothesis was "There are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) at the
level of performance in the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre
-75-
and posttest at the level of setting analysis." To answer this hypothesis, mean scores of the
Table (5.4)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre and the Post-Test.
Std.
Skill
GROUP
N
Mean
Sig.
Sig.
Value
Level
0.000
sig.
t
Deviation
Setting
Pre test
88
1.591
1.247
Analysis
Post test
88
3.966
1.360
12.127
at
0.01
Results of table (5.4) indicate that the T. computed value in setting analysis skill is
(12.127) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test, which means that
there are significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the pre-test and
post-test in setting analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the post-test. The
result of this study agrees with the results of Godwin et al (2012) in criticizing the
relevance of Shona People's Concept of Beauty to their literary appreciation. Also, this
paper seeks to show that Shona literary appreciation is both inspired and informed by the
people’s social concept of beauty. Therefore, the hypothesis is accepted.
5.5 The Test of the fifth Hypothesis
The fifth hypothesis was "There are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) in the
mean scores of the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre and
posttests at the level of symbolism analysis." To answer this hypothesis, mean scores of the
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Table (5.5)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre and the Post-Test.
Std.
Skill
Group
N
Mean
Sig.
Sig.
Value
Level
0.000
sig.
t
Deviation
Symbolism
Pre test
88
2.250
1.889
Analysis
Post test
88
4.523
0.982
10.608
at
0.01
Results of table (5.5) indicate that the T. computed value in symbolism analysis
skill is (10.608) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test, which
means that there are significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the pretest and post-test in symbolism analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the
post-test. Shao's (2010) study results agreed to the current study in confirming the
effectiveness on motivating and justifying teaching Western Literature. Therefore, the
hypothesis is accepted.
5.6 The Test of the Sixth Hypothesis
The sixth hypothesis was “There are statistically significant differences at (α≤0.05) in the
main score of the experimental group who receive teaching by Sparknotes, pre and posttest
at the level of point of view analysis." To answer this hypothesis mean scores of the
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Table (5.6)
T- Test Paired-Samples Differences between the Pre- and the Post-Test.
Skill
Group
point of view Pre test
analysis
Post test
Std.
N
Mean
88
0.693
1.097
88
3.761
1.373
Deviation
t
16.993
Sig.
Value
0.000
Sig. level
sig.
at
0.01
Results of table (5.6) indicate that the T. computed value in point of view analysis skill is
(16.993) and it is larger than T. tabled value which is (1.98) in the test, which means there
are significant differences at (α≤0.05) between the mean scores of the pre-test and post-test
in point of view
analysis skill for the experimental group in favor of the post-test.
Bunsom's et al (2011) and Shona & Juleis’s (2013) studies results agreed with the current
study to stimulate the use of pedagogical innovations in to existing practice. Therefore, the
hypothesis is accepted. From the above statistical analysis, the researcher concluded that
the highest achievement on the theme level is (17.733), whereas the lowest achievement on
the symbolism level (10.608). this means that Sparknotes has a highly affected on students
ability to appreciate literature.
5.7 The Test of the Seventh Hypothesis
The seventh hypothesis was “Sparknotes has different effect on the six skills of literary
appreciation, theme, plot, characters, setting, symbols, and point of view." To answer this
question the researcher used One-way ANOVA style as the following table shows that:
Table (5.7) One-Way ANOVA Style Results of Differences between the Six Levels
Variance
Resource
Between Groups
Within Groups
Total
Sum of
Squares
71.652
794.318
865.970
DF
5
522
527
-78-
Mean
Square
14.330
1.522
F
Sig.
Sig.
Level
9.417
0.000
sig. at
0.01
Table (5.7) showed that there are statistical significant differences between the six
levels of literary appreciation skills. To determine direction of the differences the
researcher used Scheffe test table (5.8) shows that:
Table (5.8)
Scheffe Test on the Direction of the Differences between Groups
Theme
Plot
Characters Setting
Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis
4.568
3.716
4.511
3.966
Theme Analysis
4.568
Plot Analysis
3.716
Characters Analysis
4.511
Setting Analysis
3.966
Symbolism Analysis
4.523
Point of View
Analysis
3.761
Symbolism
Analysis
4.523
Point of view
Analysis
3.761
0
*0.852
0
0.057
*0.795
0
0.602
0.250
0.545
0
0.045
0.807
0.011
0.557
0
*0.807
0.045
*0.750
0.205
0.761
0
* sig. at ( ≤ 0.05)
It is obvious from the table (5.8) that there are statistical significant differences between
theme analysis, plot analysis and point of view analysis in favor of theme analysis. Also,
there are statistical significant differences between plot analyses, characters in favor of
characters. The table also, shows that there are statistical significant differences between
characters analysis and point of view analysis in favor of characters analysis. That means
that sparknotes has the highest effect on the level of theme analysis.
-79-
5.9 The Test of Eighth Question
The eighth question was “Is there any effectiveness of the use of Sparknotes on a
scale of Black Gain Ratio” By testing the hypotheses of the study, the researcher answered
this question. The hypothesis was “There is effectiveness on the use of Sparknotes on a
scale of Black Gain Ratio.” To explore the effectiveness of using Sparknotes for enhancing
literary appreciation skills among English majors, Blake Modified Gain Rank equation was
used as follows: Blake Modified Gain Rank = μ2 - μ1 + μ2 - μ1 N - μ1 Nμ1= mean of
posttest, μ2 = mean of pretest, N = the total score of the literary appreciation skills, μ2 - μ1
ratio acquiring, μ1- N degree acquiring Afana (2001, p.31).
Table (5.9)
Black Modified Ratio
μ1
μ2
N
μ2 - μ1
μ1- N
μ1- μ2/N-μ2
μ1- μ2/N
Blake
Theme analysis
2.364
4.568
5
2.20
2.64
0.836
0.441
1.28
Plot analysis
1.011
3.716
5
2.70
3.99
0.678
0.541
1.22
Characters analysis
1.722
4.511
5
2.79
3.28
0.851
0.558
1.41
Setting analysis
1.591
3.966
5
2.38
3.41
0.697
0.475
1.17
2.250
4.523
5
2.27
2.75
0.826
0.455
1.28
Point of view analysis
0.693
3.761
5
3.07
4.31
0.712
0.614
1.33
Total
9.631
25.045
30
15.41
20.37
0.757
0.514
1.27
Symbolism
analysis
Results of table (5.7) indicate that Black values in all Appreciation Skills are larger
than (1.2) in the test, which means that Using Sparknotes for enhancing literary
appreciation skills among English majors has a large effect size to improve the ability of
students to appreciate any literary text.
-80-
5.10 Discussion
In the light of the findings of this study, it can be stated that main result was that
Sparknotes was highly effective in the students' levels of literary appreciation skills in the
experimental group compared before and after the literary appreciation test application.
Returning to the research hypotheses of the study, statistical data and analyzing the
students' performance pointed out that a relatively substantial amount of achievement has
occurred along different areas of the six levels of literary appreciation skills. No doubt,
such an advance would become both indicative and meaningful to all those concerned
about teaching English literature or promoting teaching English as a foreign language.
Similarly, students achieved progress in the point of view level more apparently than the
other five levels; plot, themes, characters, setting, and symbolism. This may be due to
clarity of the ideas including in the text or the sparknotes analysis or due to high thinking
skills needed for the others five levels rather than the point of view level.
Another important point that needs to be clarified here is that students may have some
possible test experience which turn influence to their results. In fact, the practice effect
means students might have benefited from having taken the pre-test before then they took
the same test as a post test. This may passively or negatively affect the results. Actually, it
does not seem likely that this practice effect will account for any consideration or
substantial in performance. That is because there was an interval of four weeks between
the two tests administrations. In addition, the researcher did not tell the students that they
are going to retake the same test.
It is worthwhile to remember that the progress and development in students'
performance in the different levels of literary appreciation skills cannot be attributed solely
to the teaching and practice of using Sparknotes. It may be due to the social environment
and atmosphere created by the teacher when she distributed activities and asked students to
-81-
work in pairs and individually. In addition, the impact may be due to the well-organized
lectures plan where each plans leads to another. It may be a result of the variety of
techniques which meet individual differences among students accompanied by clear
instructions and guidance of the teacher.
Moreover, Sparknotes makes classroom modern and more interactive and students
more active and responsible. I carefully planned lectures to guarantee that students are
actively involved in building their own knowledge. Sparknoets have positive effects on
mutual concern and care among students. Sparknoets promoted higher achievement than
ordinary methods. Sparknotes can be a very effective tool to help learners of English
literature to have real chances to have explanation and analysis of every literature course.
5.11 Recommendations
In the light of the results, the researcher recommends for the curriculum designers and
decision makers, recommendations for the school administrations and supervisors:
5.11.1 Recommendations to Curriculum Designers and Decision Makers
In this domain, the researcher suggested the following recommendations to the curriculum
designers and decisions makers because she thinks that they play a great role in activating
methods of teaching:
1. Developing teacher's abilities in teaching English by holding training courses
based on using websites such as Sparknoets.
2. Increasing the number of the weekly lectures devoted for English majors enable
teacher to cover the course efficiently.
3. Supporting English department with all effective aids such as English club
which is provided with visual and audio instruments, Websites which is
relevant to any literature course, and computers to facilitate teachers'
implementation of the new strategies in the lectures.
-82-
4. Modifying the system of assessment and evaluation in the University to suit the
innovative Aids as Sparknotes.
5.
Re-designing all literature syllabuses based literary appreciation Skills.
5.11.2 Recommendations to English Department and Supervisors
In this domain, the researcher recommends the following:
1. Providing teachers with lesson plans and modern strategies for teaching
literature focusing on literary appreciation.
2. Encouraging teachers to exchange visits and hold periodical meeting to discuss
new methods of teaching literature.
3. Linking universities with local society especially universities and educational
centres to hold competitions for literary appreciation skills.
4. Providing universities with such websites (Sparknotes).
5. Accomplishing more effective and student-centred presentation of useful
information and open questions about literary appreciation especially in
literature.
6. Comparing and negotiating ideas by sharing more websites such as Sparknoets,
Shampoo, Clliftnotes, and E. notes.
5.11.3 Recommendations to English Teachers
Teachers are the people who are in the field of teaching so, the researcher
recommended them to:
1. Adopting modern techniques that enhance students' participation and interaction
such as Sparknotes.
2. Providing students with information, open questions, connections and contexts
that can be done very effectively with the computer.
3. Allowing students to access a wealth of materials on their own.
-83-
4. A teacher can electronically post texts, learning materials, and context-in short,
offer “pearls” for students to browse and study at their own paces. In particular,
enhancing literary and literary appreciation skills.
5. Increasing student’s positive feelings towards literary appreciation skills as they
are not receptive skills, otherwise they are interactive skills.
6. Encourage students at the end of the semester to post their comments on a home
page accessible from their opinions about such a websites, how it is a benefit to
their course.
5.11.4 Recommendations for Further Studies
In order to extend the findings of this study, the researcher recommended the
following:
1. Conducting studies based on using Sparknotes to enhance literary appreciation
skills not only on novel but also on other courses as poetry, science, and maths.
2. Movies can be used to show educational concepts in a compelling manner. By
understanding the potential value of movies, educators can make use of a
learning tool which can aid students in appreciation and understanding courserelated concepts.
3. Drama can be a high way in teaching literature, which helps students to live in a
real situation.
-84-
Summary
This chapter presented the answers of the questions of the study, tested the hypotheses as
well as the discussion and the results. Also, it included the recommendations, suggested by
the researcher, to curriculum designers and decision makers, to school administrations and
supervisors, to teachers of English and for further studies.
-85-
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Appendices
Appendix (1
Al-Azhar University-Gaza
Deanship of Postgraduate & Studies
Faculty of Education & Teaching Methods
Dear Mr. /Mrs.……………………… The researcher is conducting a study entitled:
"The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary Appreciation Skills
among English Majors at Al-Azhar University in Gaza"
So as to obtain a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Methodology. In order to achieve the
purpose of the study, the researcher prepared the following instruments:
1- Literary appreciation test
2- Power points slides (366) are taken from Sparknotes as an explanation to the novel
according to the level of literary appreciation.
3- Lectures plans for Part one and part two of "Gulliver's Travels” consists of 16
chapters.
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Appendix (1)
Literary appreciation test
The researcher is conducting a study entitled " The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for
Enhancing Literary Appreciation Skill Among English Majors at Al-Azhar University in
Gaza ", to obtain a Master's Degree in Curriculum & English Teaching Methods .One of the
requirements of this study is to conduct a pre/posttest based on the most important
literary
appreciation skills in reading novel for English majors. You are kindly requested to look carefully
at the items of the list so as to:
The instructions:
1- Determine the degree of suitability for English majors.
2- To modify the language if necessary.suggest ideas or issues to enrich the test.
3- Your notes and responses will be highly appreciated.
The test should examine the students' ability to:

Identify the main elements of plot .

Inform the main theme of “Gulliver’s Travels " novel.

Characterize the main characters, scene, and setting.

Inform what the symbols reflection is.

What is the point of view?
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Items
Degree of Suitability
Low
Average
1
f

1
The test items reflect the objectives.
2
The test reflects the elements of literary appreciation.
√
3
There is coherence between the test domains and test
questions.
√
4
The layout is acceptable.
√
√
5
The questions of the test are clear.
6
The time assigned is suitable.
√
7
The distribution of marks is suitable
√
The Arbitrators:

Professor: …………………………………..

Professor: ………………………………….

Professor:………………………………….

Professor:………………………………….
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High
Appendix (2)
Dr. Abdullah Kurraz
Head of English Department
Al-Azhar University
Thursday, 21 May 2015
Dear Dr. Abdullah,
According to the laws of scientific research at Al Azhar University , the researcher
prepared literary Appreciation test which
is one of the study instruments " The
Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary Appreciation Skill Among
English Majors at Al-Azhar University in Gaza "The test had been arbitrated by many
professors, Dr. Basil skaik, Dr. Akram Habeeb, Dr. Wisam Shawa, and Dr. Abdullah
Kurraz. After the edition of the test according to the recommendations and the arbitration
on the test , the researcher will apply the test on exploratory sample from English Majors (
level 4) . I appreciate your agreement to apply this test.
The researcher: Najwa Fouad Mustafa Abusafi
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Appendix (3)
Literary Appreciation Test
Dear Student,
This test is designed as a data collection tool for academic research purposes. It is intended to be
applied to Al –Azhar University English Language majors. The researcher confirms that the
student's grade on the test has no relation to the student's academic average. Students are expected
to follow the test instructions and show seriousness in dealing with the test items.
Test Instructions
1. The number of pages is 9.
3. The number of questions is 5.
4. The first question consists of 5 items; the second one consists of 1 item.
5. The third question consists of one items; the forth one consists of 1 items
6. The fifth question consists of 5 items; the last one consists of two items.
7. Students must follow the lecturer’s instructions when starting the test.
Thank you for your cooperation,
The Researcher
Najwa Fouad Mustafa Abusa
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Literary Appreciation skills test:
English Majors
Time / 90 minutes
Mark / 30
Name: ……………….…………
Class: ……………..…
Date: ………………..
Question 1 : ( Plot ) " 5 marks "
Choose the correct answer from the following sentences:
1. How does Gulliver end up stranded in Lilliput?
(A) He survives a shipwreck.
(B) His crew abandons him.
(C) He is dropped there by an enormous eagle.
(D) He stops there for provisions and is trapped while he sleeps
2 . Instead of killing him outright, the Lilliputians decide on which of the following
punishments for Gulliver?
(A) Blinding him and slowly starving him to death.
(B) Exiling him.
(C) Cutting off his hands.
(D) Poisoning him.
3 . What is the line of doctrine over which the Blefuscudians and Lilliputians differ?
(A) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the small end.”
(B) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the big end.”
(C ) “All true believers shall break their eggs as they see fit.”
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(D) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end.”
4. Who is Gulliver’s main enemy in the royal court of Brobdingnag?
(A) The dwarf.
(B) The king.
(C) The queen
(D) Reldresal
5 . How does Gulliver leave Brobdingnag?
(A) He builds himself a sailboat
(B) He is exiled
(C) He is carried away by a giant eagle
(D) He is taken back to England by Don Pedro.
1
2
3
4
5
Question 2 : ( Theme ) " 5 marks "
1-
Themes are the fundamental and universal ideas which are explored in
literary work. In the light of your reading Gulliver's travel, highlight briefly about three
themes from Gulliver's Travels themes?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Question 3: (Setting) “5 marks”
1- Swift's Travels into several remote nations of the world by Lemuel Gulliver .
Narrate briefly where those travels took place ? (3 marks )
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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……………………………………………………
2- Indicate the time of novel publication? (2 marks)
…………………………………………………………………………………….........
Question 4 (Characters) “5 marks”
a. Is Gulliver an everyman figure or does he have a distinctive personality of his own?.
(3mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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b- Criticize Reldersal character, indicating which kind of character is he? (1 mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
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………………………………………………………………………… ……………………
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c- Indicate the protagonist and the antagonist in the first two parts of Gulliver's Travel? (1
mark)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Question 5 (Symbolism ) “5 marks”
1-
What is the significance of portraying Lilliputians in six-inch inhabitants?
……………………………………………………………...............................................................
..........................................................................................................................................................
2-
Lilliputians named Gulliver with mountain-man, what does it symbolize?
...........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................................................
3-
What do the low heels symbolize?
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
4-
“The country round appeared like a continued Garden." Comment.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
5-
"I viewed the Town on my left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city
in a theater.” Comment.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
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Question 6 (Point of view) 5marks:
1-
In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift adapted a method to narrate this novel,
Identify this
method?(2 marks )
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...............................................................................................................................................
2-
Examine Swift's use of Lemuel Gulliver as both a narrator and an observer? Write at
least 200 words; try to substantiate your answer with example and reasons. (3 marks)
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The Test Answers
Literary Appreciation skills test:
English Majors
Time / 90 minutes
Mark / 30
Name: ……………….…………
Class: ……………..…
Date: ………………..
Question 1 : ( Plot ) " 5 marks "
Choose the correct answer from the following sentences
1. How does Gulliver end up stranded in Lilliput?
(E) He survives a shipwreck.
(F) His crew abandons him.
(G) He is dropped there by an enormous eagle.
(H) He stops there for provisions and is trapped while he sleeps
2 . Instead of killing him outright, the Lilliputians decide on which of the following
punishments for Gulliver?
(A) Blinding him and slowly starving him to death.
(B) Exiling him.
(C) Cutting off his hands.
(D) Poisoning him.
-108-
3 . What is the line of doctrine over which the Blefuscudians and Lilliputians differ?
(A) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the small end.”
(B) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the big end.”
(C ) “All true believers shall break their eggs as they see fit.”
(D) “All true believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end.”
4. Who is Gulliver’s main enemy in the royal court of Brobdingnag?
(A) The dwarf.
(B) The king.
(C) The queen
(D) Reldresal
5 . How does Gulliver leave Brobdingnag?
(A) He builds himself a sailboat
(B) He is exiled
(C) He is carried away by a giant eagle
(D) He is taken back to England by Don Pedro.
1
2
3
4
5
A
A
D
A
C
Question 2 : ( Theme ) " 5 marks "
2-
Themes are the fundamental and universal ideas which are explored in
literary work. In the light of your reading Gulliver's travel, highlight briefly about three
themes from Gulliver's Travels themes?
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Might Versus Right
Gulliver’s Travels implicitly poses the question of whether physical power or moral
righteousness should be the governing factor in social life. Gulliver experiences the
advantages of physical might both as one who has it, as a giant in Lilliput where he can
defeat the Blefuscudian navy by virtue of his immense size, and as one who does not have
it, as a miniature visitor to Brobdingnag where he is harassed by the hugeness of
everything from insects to household pets. His first encounter with another society is one
of entrapment, when he is physically tied down by the Lilliputians; later, in Brobdingnag,
he is enslaved by a farmer.
The Individual versus Society
Like many narratives about voyages to non-existent lands, Gulliver’s Travels explores the
idea of utopia—an imaginary model of the ideal community. The idea of a utopia is an
ancient one, going back at least as far as the description in Plato’s Republic of a city-state
governed by the wise and expressed most famously in English by Thomas
More’s Utopia. Swift nods to both works in his own narrative, though his attitude toward
utopia is much more sceptical, and one of the main aspects he points out about famous
historical utopias is the tendency to privilege the collective group over the individual. The
children of Plato’s Republic are raised communally, with no knowledge of their biological
parents, in the understanding that this system enhances social fairness. Swift has the
Lilliputians similarly raise their offspring collectively, but its results are not exactly
utopian, since Lilliput is torn by conspiracies, jealousies, and backstabbing.
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The Limits of Human Understanding
The idea that humans are not meant to know everything and that all understanding has a
natural limit is important in Gulliver’s Travels. Swift singles out theoretical knowledge in
particular for attack: his portrait of the disagreeable and self-centered Laputans, who show
blatant contempt for those who are not sunk in private theorizing, is a clear satire against
those who pride themselves on knowledge above all else. Practical knowledge is also
satirized when it does not produce results, as in the academy of Balnibarbi, where the
experiments for extracting sunbeams from cucumbers amount to nothing. Swift insists that
there is a realm of understanding into which humans are simply not supposed to venture.
Thus his depictions of rational societies, like Brobdingnag and Houyhnhnmland,
emphasize not these people’s knowledge or understanding of abstract ideas but their ability
to live their lives in a wise and steady way.
The Brobdingnagian king knows shockingly little about the abstractions of political
science, yet his country seems prosperous and well governed. Similarly, the Houyhnhnms
know little about arcane subjects like astronomy, though they know how long a month is
by observing the moon, since that knowledge has a practical effect on their well-being.
Aspiring to higher fields of knowledge would be meaningless to them and would interfere
with their happiness. In such contexts, it appears that living a happy and well-ordered life
seems to be the very thing for which Swift thinks knowledge is useful. Swift also
emphasizes the importance of self-understanding. Gulliver is initially remarkably lacking
in self-reflection and self-awareness. He makes no mention of his emotions, passions,
dreams, or aspirations, and he shows no interest in describing his own psychology to us.
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Question 3 : ( Setting ) " 5 marks "
1-
Swift's Travels into several remote nations of the world by Lemuel Gulliver .
Narrate briefly where those travels took place?

The voyage to Lilliput in part one :
In the voyage to Lilliput, religious and political division is humorously burlesqued. The
folly of political and religious fanatics is exposed with reference to the constant quarrels
between the high-heels, and between the Big-Indians and the Little –Indians.

The voyage to Brobdingnag in part two :
In the Brobdinnag, Swift turns the opposite end of the telescope, and shows us in what
manner a people of immense stature, and gifted with a sound and cool judgment, look at
the principles and politics of Europe.

The voyage to Laputa in part three:
In the voyage to Laputa, the satire is aimed at the abuses of science. The targets here are
those projectors who, leaving their common sense behind them, wander into the vast
regions of the speculative philosophy. It must be borne in mind that the satire is not aimed
at true science but its abuses.

The voyage to the land of the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos in Part four :
This voyage exhibits mankind in the light too degraded for contemplation, and the satire is
too exaggerated.
Question 4 (Characters) “5 marks”
4. a. Is Gulliver an everyman figure or does he have a distinctive personality of his
own? (3 marks)
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In many ways, Gulliver’s role as a generic human is more important than any personal
opinions or abilities he may have. Fate and circumstance conspire to lead him from place
to place, while he never really asserts his own desires. By minimizing the importance of
Gulliver as a specific person, Swift puts the focus on the social satire itself. At the same
time, Gulliver himself becomes more and more a subject of satire as the story progresses.
At the beginning, he is a standard issue European adventurer; by the end, he has become a
misanthrope who totally rejects human society. It is in the fourth voyage that Gulliver
becomes more than simply a pair of eyes through which we see a series of unusual
societies. He is, instead, a jaded adventurer who has seen human follies—particularly that
of pride—at their most extreme, and as a result has descended into what looks like, and
probably is, a kind of madness.
b. Indicate the time of novel publication? (2 marks)
At the end of October. 1726, and within a moth the book was in everybody's
hands.
c. - Criticize Reldersal character, indicating which kind of character is he? (1
mark) The Principal Secretary of Private Affairs in Lilliput, who explains to
Gulliver the history of the political tensions between the two principal parties in the
realm, the High-Heels and the Low-Heels. Reldresal is more a source of muchneeded information for Gulliver than a well-developed personality, but he does
display personal courage and trust in allowing Gulliver to hold him in his palm
while he talks politics. Within the convoluted context of Lilliput’s factions and
conspiracies, such friendliness reminds us that fond personal relations may still
exist even in this overheated political climate.
d. Indicate the protagonist and the antagonist in the first two parts of Gulliver's
Travel? (1 mark)
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The Lord High Treasurer of Lilliput, who conceives a jealous hatred for Gulliver
when he starts believing that his wife is having an affair with him. Flimnap is
clearly paranoid, since the possibility of a love affair between Gulliver and a
Lilliputian is wildly unlikely. Flimnap is a portrait of the weaknesses of character to
which any human is prone but that become especially dangerous in those who
wield great power.
Question 5 (Symbolism) “5 marks”
1- What is the significance of portraying Lilliputians in six-inch inhabitants?
The Lilliputians symbolize humankind’s wildly excessive pride in its own puny existence,
even those people are small they work quite effectively on the naïve Gulliver. The
Lilliputians symbolize misplaced human pride, and point out Gulliver’s inability to
diagnose it correctly.
2- Lilliputians named Gulliver with mountain-man, what does it symbolize?
That symbolize Gulliver as a stranger creature, that Lilliputian humbly conceived him
might be something belonging to the Man-mountain; and if his Majesty pleased, they
would undertake to bring him with only five Horses. He is great man
3- What do the High- heels and low heels symbolize?
The High-Heels and Low-Heels represent the political parties of Tories and Whigs; the
Big-Indians and the little-Indians represent the religious sects of Catholics and Protestants.
The Emperor heels are described as the lower than those of anybody else at the court, the
reference is to the preference shown by King Georg I to the Whigs by Whigs.
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4- " The country round appeared like a continued Garden " comment
It symbolize beauty, a wonderful land, an organization, and perfect system
5- "rope-dancing and the creeping under a string"
We know that Swift is here satirizing the sycophancy of politicians in their efforts
to win royal favor.
Question 6 (Point of view) 5marks:
1- In Gulliver’s Travels, Swift adapted a method to narrate this novel, Identify
this method?
(1 mark)
The first person narrative method.
2- Examine Swift's use of Lemuel Gulliver as both a narrator and an observer?
Write at least 200 words; try to substantiate your answer with example and
reasons. (4 marks)

Gulliver as a detach and impartial character.
Lemuel Gulliver is a fictitious character invented by Swift to serve his satirical
purposes in the book Gulliver's Travel. The book was not intended as a personal
memoir. Swift's object in writing it was to express his ideas about mankind in
general and about England and English political and religious institution of the time
in particular. One method of doing so would have been to write this book in first
person using "I". But that method would have been inclined to question the validity
of the story which is largely improbable and incredible. The account of various
voyages given by a fictitious character called inclined to look upon Gulliver as
detached and imperial person and we easily fall under his spell.
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
Gulliver's four roles in the book.
Gulliver is primary an observer and a narrator. He has extraordinary powers of
observation he narrates all that he has observed and experienced in such a skillful
manner as to hold our attention throughout. He also a commentator and a medium
through whom Swift convey to us his criticism of mankind and his reactions to
English institutions and English politicizations of his own time. Thus Gulliver has a
fourfold role or function in the book.

Gulliver, swift's mouthpiece, but not to be fully identified with Swift. Nor it be
doubted, that at most points in course of the story Gulliver serves as a mount piece
or spokesman of swift whenever they are a part swift speak and comment through
Gulliver.

The general traits of Gulliver's character: Gulliver is the narrator and the principal
actor in the book. We look at things through his eyes; we feel his feelings; and we
share his thought. We remain in his company from the beginning till the end.

Gulliver as an observer in Lilliput. Gulliver's powers of observation are made
manifest to us in his accounts of the entire four voyages. he himself described all
details surrounded him such as living, style, laws, customs, the habits and beliefs of
all people who he faced and watched .

Gulliver as a narrator.
He shows a good deal of skill as a narrator .This skill enables him to maintain our
interest in the story throughout, and to what our curiosity, sometimes by dramatic
incidents and sometimes by humorous episodes.
-116-

Gulliver as a commentator and a moral judge. He is not only a man of actions but
also one who is endowed with a capacity for thought and reflection, he can drew
and ponder the conclusions from his experiences.

Gulliver, as the medium of satire.
Gulliver is the medium through who swift communicates his points and purposes to
us. When Gulliver dwells upon the conflict between the big endian and the little
Indian we can see that swift is giving us a satirical account of the conflict between
the Roman Catholics and the Protestants, and the party strife of his time. When
Gulliver describes the rope-dancing and the creeping under a string, we know that
Swift is here satirizing the sycophancy of politicians in their efforts to win royal
favor.
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Appendix (4) Power points Slides
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Appendix (5)
sessions plans
Please, check the lecture plan then you are kindly invited to rate them in the terms of the
following:
1 . The clarity of instructions ...........................................................................................
2. Meeting the study purposes ........................................................................................
3. Suitability to the students level....................................................................................
4. The time of the sessions ................................................................................................
5. The Suitability to literary appreciation elements..........................................................
Any further comments are highly appreciated
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Session Plan ( 1)
Level of literary appreciation Analysis
Day: Sunday. Date 30/11/2014. Chapter: Preface. Time: an hour
Objectives
1- To identify
literary
appreciation.
Activities
1
2-To know
what is literary
appreciation
elements ?
3-To inform
who is
theAuthor
(Jonathan
Swift.)
Reinforcemen
t
Assignments
1
Role
of
teacher
Ask students
to read some
context to
identify some
elements of
literary
appreciation.
Role of the
students
aids
Answer
questions
L.C.D
Ask students
to mention
some of
Write a report
Jonathan's
swifts literary
work
1
Organization
Observing the
student's
ability to
Individually
extract the
meaning of
literary
appreciation
Observing the
student's
ability to
Individually distinguish the
elements of
literary
appreciation
Observing the
student's
Individually
ability to
justify Swift's
work.
Chocolate
Keep every chapter vocabularies, make a short paragraph about Swift's life.
Summative evaluation


Define literary appreciation.
Define the elements of literary appreciation.
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Evaluation
Session plan (2)
Elements of Literary Appreciation
Day: Monday. Date 1/12/2014. Part one, Chapter: 1-2-3-4 . Time: an hour
Objectives
1Interpreting
and Engaging
with Texts
a- To demonstrate
the structure( plot)
of the novel
Activitie
s
teacher
role
Student
role
Aids
1
The
teacher
presented a
short film
as a plot
summary,
then asks
student in
plot
elements to
demonstrat
e
recognition
of the
elements
of plot
(e.g.,
exposition,
rising
action,
climax,
falling
action and
resolution)
and
explain
their
significanc
e
-students
Identify the
various
conflicts in a
text and
explain how
these move
the plot
forward, also
they explain
the effects of
plot devices
(e.g.,
flashback,
foreshadowin
g)
L.C.D,
PowerPoint’s
slides (spark
notes).
Gulliver's
travel novel
(1),
Short piece of
music, and
Pictures,
Short film
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Orga
Evaluati
nizat
on
ion
Indivi
dually
Observing
the
student's
ability to
Realize
elements
of plot.
b- To
demonstrate
understanding of
how character
contributes to the
meaning of the
text.
2
- Make
inferences
about
characters
based on
both direct
characteriz
ation
(e.g.,
authorial
description
s) and
indirect
characteriz
ation (e.g.,
characters’
actions,
words,
thoughts,
motivations
,
perspective
s)
• Trace and
analyze how
characters
develop and
change, both
round and
flat
characters.
• Analyze
similarities
and
-Writing
short
paragraph
about one
character
Indivi
dually
Differences
between
characters
(e.g.,
personalities,
Antagonists,
Views,
behaviour).
c- To
demonstrate in
how setting and
atmosphere
contribute to the
meaning of the
text
Reinforcemen
t
Assignment
Chocolate
Keep new vocabularies




Identify the structure of plot?
Identify the main characters (The protagonist and the antagonist in the
novel?
Distinguish between the flat character and the round character?
Identify the setting and clarify the first voyage time and place?
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Session Plan ( 3)
Day: Tuesday. Date 4/12/2014. Part one, Chapter 5-6-7-8. Time: an hour
Objectives
Activi
ties
The
teacher
role
-Teacher
c. To demonstrate
of how the theme
1
contribute to the
meaning of the text.
pay
students
attention and
awareness
that the
writer’s
development
of themes
represents
a particular
view or
comment on
The
students
role
Identify the
themes of a
text
- Analyze and
explain how
the themes are
developed to
bring out the
main
concerns
of
the novel
2
e. To make
meaningful
connection between 3
the narrator point of
view and the novel.
Students
analyze how
the Areas of
The teacher
Study (plot,
asks students
character,
how
setting and
elements of
atmosphere,
literary
theme and
appreciation
style)
create the
synthesis to
meaning.
create
meaning in the
novel.
-The teacher
indicates the
students
understandin
g of
narration
methods.
Organizatio
Evaluation
n
-
life
d. To study with
text
Aids
- Students
inform the
using of
pronoun (I,
we) how refer
to the types of
narration.
-137-
L.C.D
Gulliver'
s travel
novel
(1),
PowerPo
int's
slides,
Short
piece of
music,
and
Pictures,
In pair
In pair
Individually
Observing
the student's
ability to
Conclude the
themes,
Observing
the student's
ability to
Appreciate
the novel ,
- Observing
the student's
ability to
Distinguish
methods of
narration in
any novel.
f. To read and
critically
appreciate text
independently.
1
2. To develop
and
communicate
the text by
using
symbolism.
a. To construct
and effectively
communicate.
1
The teacher
asks students
to apply skills
of critical
analysis to
other literary
texts
independently,
such as
Crusoe's novel
The teacher
Formulate
students
responses
(e.g., thoughts,
feelings,
opinions) to a
text by
making
connections
between it and
prior
knowledge,
personal
experiences
The researcher
asks students
to express their
points of view
by
commenting
on many
episodes.
students
evaluate the
literary merits
of other texts
by applying
skills of
critical
analysis
Gulliver's
travel novel
(1),
PowerPoint's
slides(
sparknotes)
Short piece
of music, and
Pictures,
The students
Criticize and
analyze
symbols
refining
personal
interpretation,
evaluation,
and synthesis
of textual
evidence
Students
articulate a
consistent
viewpoint
expressing
their
responses in a
variety of
ways (e.g.,
notes,
creative
writing.
The teacher asks the students to answer the following question.
 What is the technique of narration in Gulliver's Travels?
 Indicate what is the kind Gulliver's Character?
 Select a theme and talk about it briefly?
 Identify characters?
 Identify the point of view?
 Identify symbolism?
-138-
In pair
Observing
the
student's
ability to
appreciate
the novel ,
Observing
the
students
ability to
appreciate
( taste)
Individually
using
figures of
speech,
and
symbolism
in a text
Session Plan (4)
Day: Sunday. Date 7/12/2014. Part Two, Chapter 1.2.3. Time: an hour
Objectives
1Interpreting
and Engaging
with Texts
Student
role
Aids
Orga
Evaluatio
nizati
n
on
1
The teacher
presented a
short film as
a plot
summary for
the second
part of novel,
then asks
student in
plot elements
to
demonstrate
recognition of
the elements
of plot (e.g.,
exposition,
rising
action,
climax,
falling action
and
resolution)
and explain
their
significance
-students
Identify the
various
conflicts in a
text and
explain how
these move
the plot
forward, also
they explain
the effects of
plot devices
(e.g.,
flashback,
foreshadowin
g)
L.C.D,
PowerPoint’s
slides (spark
notes).
Gulliver's
travel novel
(1),
Short piece of
music, and
Pictures,
Short film
Observing
the
student's
Individ
ability to
ually
Realize
elements of
plot.
2
- Make
inferences
about
characters
based on both
direct
characterizati
on
(e.g.,
authorial
descriptions)
and indirect
characterizati
on (e.g.,
• Trace and
analyze how
characters
develop and
change, both
round and
flat
characters.
• Analyze
similarities
and
differences
between
characters
teacher
Activities
role
a- To demonstrate
the structure( plot)
of the novel
b- To demonstrate
understanding of
how character
contributes to the
meaning of the
text.
-139-
- Writing
short
Individ paragraph
ually
about one
character
characters’
actions,
words,
thoughts,
motivations,
perspectives)
(e.g.,
personalities,,
Antagonists,.
Views,
Behavior).
c- To demonstrate
in how setting and
atmosphere
contribute to the
meaning of the text
Reinforcement
Assignment
3
Chocolate
Memorize new vocabularies




Identify the structure of plot?
Identify the main characters ( The protagonist and the antagonist in the
novel?
Distinguish between the flat character and the round character?
Identify the setting and clarify the first voyage time and place ?
-140-
Session Plan ( 5 )
Day: Monday. Date 8/12/2014. Part Two, Chapter 4-5-6. Time: an hour
Objectives
Activi
ties
The
teacher
role
Aids
Organizatio
Evaluation
n
-Teacher
c. To demonstrate
of how the theme
1
contribute to the
meaning of the text.
d. To study with
text
2
e. To make
meaningful
connection between 3
the narrator point of
view and the novel.
pay
students
attention and
awareness
that the
writer’s
development
of themes
represents
a particular
view or
comment on
life
The
students
role
Identify the
themes of a
text
- Analyze and
explain how
the themes are
developed to
bring out the
main
concerns
of
the novel
-
Students
analyze how
the Areas of
The teacher
Study (plot,
asks students
character,
how
setting and
elements of
atmosphere,
literary
theme and
appreciation
style)
create the
synthesis to
meaning.
create
meaning in the
novel.
-The teacher - Students
indicates the inform the
students
using of
understandin pronoun (I,
g of
we) how refer
narration
to the types of
methods.
narration.
-141-
L.C.D
Gulliver'
s travel
novel
(1),
PowerPo
int's
slides,
Short
piece of
music,
and
Pictures,
In pair
Observing
the student's
ability to
Conclude the
themes,
In pair
Observing
the student's
ability to
Appreciate
the novel ,
Individually
- Observing
the student's
ability to
Distinguish
methods of
narration in
any novel.
f. To read and
critically
appreciate text
independently.
1
2. To develop
and
communicate
the text by
using
symbolism
1
a. To construct
and effectively
communicate.
Assignment
The teacher
asks students to
apply skills of
critical analysis
to other literary
texts
independently,
such as
Crusoe's novel
The teacher
Formulate
students
responses (e.g.,
thoughts,
feelings,
opinions) to a
text by
making
connections
between it and
prior
knowledge,
personal
experiences
students
evaluate the
literary merits
of other texts
by applying
skills of
critical
analysis
Gulliver's
travel novel
(1),
PowerPoint's
slides(
sparknotes)
Short piece of
music, and
Pictures,
The students
Criticize and
analyze
symbols
refining
personal
interpretation,
evaluation,
and synthesis
of textual
evidence
Students
articulate a
consistent
The researcher
viewpoint
asks students to
expressing
express their
their
points of view
responses in a
by commenting
variety of
on many
ways (e.g.,
episodes.
notes,
creative
writing.
New vocabularies.
The teacher asks the students to answer the following question.




What is the technique of narration in Gulliver's Travels?
Select some themes and talk about them briefly?
Criticize the main characteristics of characters?
Identify the point of view?
 Identify the reflection of symbolism?
-142-
In pair
Observing
the
student's
ability to
appreciate
the novel ,
Individually
Observing
the
students
ability to
appreciate
( taste)
using
figures of
speech,
and
symbolism
in a text
Session Plan (6)
Day: Thursday. Date 11/12/2014. Part Two, Chapter 7-8 Time: an hour
Objectives
Reading and
Appreciating
A Wide
Variety Of
Texts
Reminder
Assignment
Activities
The
teacher
role
The
students
role
1
Asks
students
to read
some
paragraph
to
comment
on the
main
literary
techniques
Student’s
response to
the teacher
question by
commenting
on the
paragraphs,
focusing on
the main
elements of
literary
appreciation.
Aids
Organization Evaluation
In pairs
Observing the
students
ability to
appreciate.
The
novel "
Gulliver
Travels"
The
Students
teacher
should
asks
indicate the
student if
Insure if the
difficulties
they need
students
that they
Individually
1
any
understood the
need the
comments
novel.
teacher to
on any
clarify and
part of the
explain it.
novel.
Keep new vocabularies.
Write about the main( them, characters, setting, symbolism, and point of view in the
novel
Summative


Summarize the main events according to the structure of the novel (plot).
Produce sustained orally responses that convey critique points related to the way of writing
novel.
-143-
Appendix (6)
Referee Committee
No
Name
Qualification
Institute
1.
Dr. Sammer Abu
shaaban
Ph. D in Methodology
Al- Azhar University
2.
Dr. Basil Skaik
Ph. D, Assistant
Professor in TEOSL,
Teacher Education and
Material Design
3.
Dr. Mohammed
Hamdan
Ph. D in Methodology
Al- Aqsa University
4.
Dr. Marwan Hamdan
Ph.D in Literature
Al-Azhar University
4.
Dr. Jameel Al Asmar
Ph. D in Literature
5.
Mr.Jihad Al mosallami
M.A. in English
Al- Quds Upen
University
6.
Dr. Wesam Shawa
Ph. D in Literature
Al- Quds Upen
University
7.
Dr. Abdullah Kurraz
Ph. D in Literature
Al-Azhar University
8.
Mr. Nashat
Ph.D Methodology
Almasri
Al-Quds Open University
9.
Dr. Hassan Abu Jarad
Ph. D inLinguistics
10.
Akram Habeeb
Ph.D in Literature
Islamic University
-144-

The Effectiveness of Using Sparknotes for Enhancing Literary

Transcription

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