When to use quotation marks:
* Referencing the title of a novel: You always use quotation marks for the titles of novels, short stories, poems, articles, songs, and other shorter works.
* Example: I just finished reading "The Great Gatsby."
* Directly quoting from a novel: When you include a specific passage from a novel, you enclose it in quotation marks.
* Example: In "Pride and Prejudice," Elizabeth Bennet famously says, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."
* Using the title as a modifier: If you use the novel's title to describe something else, you often use quotation marks.
* Example: The movie adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings" was a massive success.
When NOT to use quotation marks:
* General discussion of the novel: When talking generally about a novel, you don't need quotation marks.
* Example: "The Great Gatsby" is a classic American novel.
* Referencing the author's name: You don't use quotation marks around the author's name.
* Example: I love reading F. Scott Fitzgerald's novels.
* Using the novel title as a proper noun: In some cases, the novel title becomes a proper noun (like a place name), and you don't use quotation marks.
* Example: I visited the Gatsby Mansion in Long Island.
General rule of thumb: If you're unsure whether or not to use quotation marks, it's usually safer to err on the side of using them. It's better to be slightly overcautious than to be too casual.