A contributory cause is one that may produce an effect but cannot produce the effect by itself. A sufficient cause is one that can produce an effect by itself. Therefore, I did not do my best on the test. The heavy rain affected the crops. In a well-written novel, events don't happen by chance.
Events cause other events or cause characters to react in a certain way.
Figuring out characters' motivations requires analyzing causes and effects. To answer some of these questions, you will have to make inferences. You should be able to recognize causes and their effects in a novel. Don't forget to use quotes from the novel to support your ideas. Use in-text notes to show the page number information.