LANG2000 _____ Selected English Novels Student ID ___________ Name _____________ Date _____

Opening Scene/Paragraphs of a Novel

Part 1 The Opening Scene/Paragraphs
Directions: Read the questions and discuss in a group of 3-4. Read carefully through the opening scene
(pages 3-7 [cf. page 3-8]). Organize the great ideas (yours or your partners’) and write them down in
complete sentences or in a short paragraph.

1. Who is telling the story? Is the

narrator a character in the story?

2. What elements of setting Place: Movement/Direction through place:

establishes the opening scene of Time:
the novel?

3. Who is the main character in the

opening chapter?

4. What urgent current and

impending actions are introduced
in the opening scene?

5. What tension is presented in the

dialogue of Alice and John?

Part 2 The Starting Chapter

Directions: Review September 2003, Still Alice carefully and discuss in group what you have learned
about the main character, the conflicts (or challenges) the protagonist encounters, and the mystery in
the opening chapter .

6. Is there a leap in time over days

or years, or even back to earlier
times?

7. What opposing forces (e.g., the

antagonist) push up against Alice
and create tension?

8. What captures your attention to

or sympathy for Alice?
What interesting facts have you
discovered about Alice?

9. What suspense or mystery is

posed in September 2003 of Still
Alice?

1 prepared by Vicky Hsu

 a. How does the main character
react internally?

b. How does the main character

react externally?

10. What do you think is Alice’s

greatest desire at the end of
September 2003?

Self-evaluation of your contribution  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

Part 3 A Reader’s Reflection
Directions: Based on what you have read and discussed, you are expected to share your ideas and
feelings of reading the opening chapter of Still Alice. Write your ideas in complete sentences or a short
paragraph. Avoid copying words or sentences from the novel or simply scribbling an illegible or
incomprehensible note.

11. What is the most memorable

vivid image of Alice in September
2003 of Still Alice?

12. After reading the opening chapter

(September 2003), what do you
think is the main character’s best
personality traits?

13. How are these traits

demonstrated in the opening
scene or chapter? What words or
descriptions help you get the
impression? (hints: her words,
thinking, and actions)

14. When or where do you start getting bored, confused?

15. When or where do you start getting engaged?

16. What has been the biggest challenge of reading the novel so far?

2 prepared by Vicky Hsu