Book excerpt: This is an idea book. It was designed for you, the literature teacher, as a time-saver that brings together key ideas, background information, and suggestions for teaching the novel successfully. Choose from the suggestions in the book to suit your style; adapt and expand on activities as they suit your students. Above all, this book is meant to be a tool to assist you in intensifying your students' involvement with the text and with the way literature helps to make sense of our world.