As a brief conclusion, Foster clarifies that his intent in writing an instructional guide for students of literature is not to identify all the codes/conventions by which literature is written and understood. The literary features he analyzes in this book are only a few of a variety of tropes, motifs, and literary tools employed by writers and seen in texts. The book instead hopes to provide a general template and guide that can enable the reader to begin to look for and use literary codes on their own. He also states that one does not need to know or read all conventions - enough familiarity with the basics can eventually enable the identification of patterns and symbols to become second nature during reading. Foster also offers suggestions for further reading in his Appendix, but encourages the reader to find works that resonate particularly with them and which allow them to enjoy literature above anything else.
Foster's reading list is divided into Primary Works of Literature, Fairytales, Movies, Secondary Sources of Literature, and Master Class.
