Short Story - Mrs. Hartnett's Blog

Short StoryNOTES & EXAMPLES

Explain this paradox

“Art is a lie,” Picasso said, “that leads to truth.”

How to read literary short fiction

It should be read twice◦ First time:

◦ Enjoy

◦ Become familiar with it

◦ Second time:◦ Slowly & deliberately

◦ Understand its full artistic significance and achievement

◦ Expect the unexpected, an unusual angle, an unsettling ending

Ask yourself the following questions◦ Why is the story constructed in this way?

◦ Why does the author explore the particular characteristic on which the story focuses?

A Respectable Woman vs. The Most Dangerous Game

Character Development Log

Story/CharacterBEGINNING

Quote/Summary & EmotionMIDDLE

Quote/Summary & EmotionEND

Quote/Summary & Emotion

MDG/Rainsford

MDG/ Zaroff

Resp Wm/Mrs. B

Resp Wm/Gaston

Resp Wm/Governail

Fiction: Escapist & Interpretive

Escapist (or commercial fiction) – written purely for entertainment; takes the reader away from reality

Interpretive (or literary fiction) – written to broaden, deepen and sharpen our awareness of life◦ Takes us deeper into the real world

◦ May increase pleasure or understanding

The difference between these two types of literature does not lie in:◦ Presence/absence of “facts”

◦ Presence/absence of romance

◦ Presence/absence of fantasy

Fiction: Escapist & Interpretive Notes (Cont’d)

Common features of escapist literature:◦ Plot relies on contrivances for reader diversion

◦ Sympathetic hero – reader identifies, shares triumphs

◦ Exciting, suspenseful, plot always underway

◦ Happy or “good” outcome

◦ Theme that confirms reader’s world view

Is it bad to like escapist literature or movies? ◦ No! I like escapist movies. I like to teach and read

interpretive literature, but I hate being feeling depressed after watching a film.

◦ Also, I hate it when animals die. Even if they’re old.

Fiction: Escapist & Interpretive (Cont’d)

A story is interpretive to the extent that it truly illuminates some aspect of human life or behavior.

Interpretive writers are like explorers who take us into complex human situations, and go behind the scenes.

It provides an insight – large or small – into the nature and condition of our existence.◦ Success is less common than failure

◦ Resonates truth and leads to contemplation

◦ Indeterminate ending … no conclusion reached

Artistic Unity◦ Nothing irrelevant; everything contributes to total meaning

Journal: Escapist vs. Interpretive

TASK: Prove whether The Most Dangerous Game is an escapist or interpretive story. Use your notes to guide you.

“A Respectable Woman” is an interpretive story because it illuminates the struggle that some face with monogamy. Mrs. Baroda’s situation is complex for her in that her struggle initially drives her away from home and ultimately takes 6 months or more for her to resolve. “However, before the year ended, she proposed, wholly from herself, to have Governail visit them again.” The outcome, Mrs. Baroda promising, “This time I shall be very nice to him,” foretells the failure of her marriage to Gaston. It leads the reader to contemplate why someone who, “besides being a respectable woman … was a very sensible one,” would make a decision to ruin her own reputation, her marriage and the friendship between her husband and the college friend. However, we do not know if this actually happened. Governail could reject her advances, resulting in an even more precarious for Mrs. Baroda.

Short Story Literary elements

Conflict – clash of actions, ideas, desires or wills. The conflict is typically the driving force behind the plot.◦ Character vs. Character ◦ Character vs. Society ◦ Character vs. External force

(nature, fate, spiritual forces)◦ Character vs. Self

Protagonist – central character

Antagonist – force(s) against protagonist◦ Person, thing, convention, his/her own traits

Elements of Plot

Exposition

Inciting

Force /

Conflict

Rising Action

Crisis

Climax

Falling

Action

Resolution

Short Story Literary ElementsExposition - The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents

the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.

Inciting Force - The event or character that triggers the conflict.

Conflict - The essence of fiction. It creates plot. The conflicts we encounter can usually

be identified as one of four kinds. (Man versus…Man, External Force, Society, or Self)

Rising Action - A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting

force and ends with the climax.

Crisis - The conflict reaches a turning point. At this point the opposing forces in the story

meet and the conflict becomes most intense. The crisis occurs before or at the same time as the climax.

Climax - The climax is the result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader.

Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can be predicted.

Falling Action - The events after the climax which close the story.

Resolution (Denouement) - Rounds out and concludes the action.

Elements of Plot

Exposition

Inciting Force /

Conflict Rising Action

Crisis

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

Now you try it!

Determine elements of

plot for:

A Respectable Woman

& The Most

Dangerous Game

Sex Education by Dorothy Canfield






Sex Ed/Aunt Minnie

GREAT SHORT ANSWERS1. Give a complete answer.

2. Use complete sentences.

3. Write to the best of your ability regarding varying sentence structure and incorporating advanced vocabulary.

4. Repeat key words from the question

5. Prove your response using either:◦ At least two quotes if a passage is available,

OR

◦ At least two specific examples

Don’t leave your reader wondering if you truly know what you’re talking about!

Great short answer exampleHow does Ponyboy view his brothers’ and his own personality in this excerpt?

“Darry’s … grown up too fast. Sodapop’ll never grow up at all. I don’t know which way’s the best. I’ll find out one of these days.” (pg 2, para 2)

Ponyboy is thinking about the differences between his two brothers. One seems too serious, and the other one is not serious at all. Ponyboy says Darry “hardly grins” and Sodapop “never cracks a book.” Ponyboy isn’t like either of them, and he isn’t sure which one he’d rather take after. While Pony admires the way Darry “uses his head,” he also likes that Sodapop “understands everyone.” There are commendable and inadvisable parts to both of their personalities. Ponyboy isn’t sure of his personality yet. He wonders how he will turn out.

Okay short answer example

How does Ponyboy view his brothers’ and his own personality in this excerpt?

“Darry’s … grown up too fast. Sodapop’ll never grow up at all. I don’t know which way’s the best. I’ll find out one of these days.” (page 2, para 2)

Ponyboy is thinking about the differences between his two brothers. One “grew up too fast,” and the other one “will never grow up at all.” There are good and bad parts to both of them. Ponyboy isn’t sure if he will turn out like Darry or Sodapop. He wonders how he will turn out.

Inadequate short answer example

How does Ponyboy view his brothers’ and his own personality in this excerpt?

“Darry’s … grown up too fast. Sodapop’ll never grow up at all. I don’t know which way’s the best. I’ll find out one of these days.” (page 2, paragraph 2)

Ponyboy is thinking about the differences between his two brothers. He thinks that Darry “grew up too fast.” Sodapopmight die and not grow up. Ponyboy isn’t sure whose he gonna turn out like.

Sex Education – D. Canfield

1. DISCUSSION: What does it mean to “darn stockings?” How does this help you to identify a time period in which this story was written? When do you think people stopped darning stockings?

2. THINK/PAIR/SHARE: On the first page and again on the second page, the following sentences were left unfinished:

a. “In fact, probably one of those ministers that all the women …”

b. “There are plenty of men in this town that wouldn’t like anything better than …”

◦ Why didn’t Minnie finish these sentences? What was she probably going to say? Why didn’t she say it? In terms of writing, is this a more or less effective way of getting her point across? Why or why not?

Sex Education (cont’d)3. WRITE RESPONSE USE GREAT SHORT ANSWERS METHOD:

◦ Page 3: The first time Minnie told the story, the narrator notices that Minnie became “strangely agitated,” her hands shook and “her face was crimson.” Why did she respond that way, 14 years after the incident?

4. THINK/PAIR/SHARE: What does the narrator mean by “we went forward into life, just as if we had never been warned not to?”

5. WRITE RESPONSE USE GREAT SHORT ANSWERS METHOD:◦ What literary device is demonstrated in this passage: “we had already

had enough experience of life so that we were not quite blank paper for Aunt Minnie’s frightening story?” What is meant by this comparison?

Sex Education (cont’d)

6. WRITE RESPONSE USE GREAT SHORT ANSWERS METHOD:◦ Page 4: What does “morass” mean? Look at the context and

give specific examples of what Jake did, and then give a general definition for the word morass.

7. DISCUSSION: The narrator says that there had been a “desperate openness” between the mother and son (p.4) and that “[Aunt Minnie] has learned from [her experiences with rescuing Jake].” How do the problems between Jake and Aunt Minnie impact the retelling of her tale about Pastor Malcolm?

8. THINK/PAIR/SHARE: What’s a layette? Why do you think the baby was “not-especially welcome?

Sex Education (cont’d)9. DISCUSSION What exactly does Aunt Minnie mean when she admonishes the adult women in her family that if you don’t tell young girls about sex that “they’ll lose their heads and run around like crazy things, first time they take one step away from the path?” (p.5) What does she mean by the word path? Is she still talking about the cornfield?

10. WRITE RESPONSE USE GREAT SHORT ANSWERS METHOD:◦ Describe three events that happened in Aunt Minnie’s life that made her appear

stooped, slow-footed and shrunken. (p. 7)

11. THINK/PAIR/SHARE: What was it that attracted Aunt Minnie to her cousin Malcolm even though his mouth and eye was horribly scarred on one side? (p. 7-8)

12. THINK/PAIR/SHARE: At what intervals and occasions did Aunt Minnie tell her story about the encounter with Cousin Malcolm (how old was she each time, where was she and who was listening)?

13. WRITE FULL PARAGRAPH RESPONSE – A MINIMUM OF 4 SENTENCES:◦ What education, through her life experiences (not just the incident with Cousin

Malcolm), did Aunt Minnie receive about sex? What did she learn?

The Guest by Albert Camus






Guest/Daru

Guest/ Balducci

Guest/ Prisoner

NOTES: “The Guest” by Albert CamusExistentialism◦ a European philosophy distinguished by its emphasis on lived human existence

◦ Søren Kierkegaard-Christian version, Martin Heidegger, Karl Jaspers, Jean-Paul Sartre-Atheist version, Simone de Beauvoir, Albert Camus

Fundamental premise: “existence precedes essence,” meaning humans have no given essence or nature but must forge our own values and meanings in an inherently meaningless or absurd world.

Obliged to make our own choices, we can either confront the anguish of this responsibility or evade it by claiming obedience to some determining convention or duty (acting in bad faith). Paradoxically, we are “condemned to be free.”

The absurdity of existence could be redeemed through the individual’s decision to become engaged within social and political causes.

“The Guest” reflects Camus’ existentialist philosophy that man’s life is difficult and without ultimate meaning but that nevertheless a man defines himself during life by the quality of his moral decisions and his courage in acting on them.

What moral decisions were made in The Guest?

Which decisions took courage?

Camus’ story is about the difficulty, the agony, the complexity, the necessity, the worth and the thanklessness of moral choice.

Name a choice that was agonizing.

Name a choice that was thankless.

Moral choice is a burden that man would willingly avoid if he could, but also that it is part of the human condition that man cannot evade and remain man.

What burden did a character want to avoid?

“The Guest” notes (cont’d)

IRONY

Roadside Ironies

Weed is a real town in California, whose people implore the public to stop stealing their signs

IRONY - DEFINITION

The word IRONY comes from the Greek eiron meaning “dissembler in speech.”

In modern English, the term refers to speech incidents in which the intended meaning of the words is contrary to their literal interpretation, OR the opposite what is intended to happen happens.

IRONY - Types

Verbal irony – what is said is opposite of what is meant

Dramatic irony – discrepancy between what a character says and what the reader or audience knows to be true

Situational irony – incongruity between appearance and reality or between expectation and fulfillment or between actual situation and what would seem appropriate

Cosmic irony – idea that fate, destiny, or a god controls and toys with human hopes and expectations; also, the belief that the universe is so large and man is so small that the universe is indifferent to the plight of man

Which type of irony is prevalent in The Guest?


Daru represents the moral man

Desert represents the world

Life has no overarching meaning ◦ “This is the way it was; bare rock covered three

quarters of the region. Towns sprang up, flourished, then disappeared; men came by, loved one another or fought bitterly, then died. No one in this desert, neither he nor his guest, mattered.”


Main conflict◦ Daru’s conscience vs. Daru’s loyalities

◦ Daru is required to have the courage to make a moral decision between alternatives, neither of which is entirely right

◦ Daru does not evade making a decision. He is not paralyzed by inaction. He gives the Arab ultimate freedom: to make his own choice.

◦ Throughout the story, the prisoner is passive, though anxious, and is resigned to his fate. His final attempt to communicate with Daru--“Listen”– is best interpreted as a repetition of this earlier request. He doesn’t want to be left alone in a hostile world. He wants the man to come with him who has treated him as a human being.

Literary Element: Theme

Theme – a controlling idea, central insight, stated in a complete sentence usually containing a cause and effect relationship.

** Not all stories have a theme!**

Theme exists only:◦ When an author has seriously attempted to record life

accurately or to reveal some truth about it◦ When an author has deliberately introduced as a unifying

element some concept or theory or life that the story illuminates

Whatever central generalization about life arises from the specifics of the story constitutes theme. Theme is what gives a story its unity. Theme is often implied.

THEME ≠ MORAL

How to explain a theme1. Which literary work are you analyzing?

2. What is the subject matter of this literary work?

3. What does a main character experience in relation to that subject matter or literary perspective reveal about that subject? (specific)

4. What does this story reveal about that subject matter? (generalize)

5. Finally, tie the theme back to the literary work.

1. A Respectable Woman

2. Societal expectations, fidelity, monogamy, sexual freedom

3. Frustration, temptation, restraint, recklessness, boldness

4. When frustration over societal expectations peaks, in rebellion, people make bold and reckless decisions, as when Mrs. Baroda decides to go after her husband’s best friend in “A Respectable Woman” by Kate Chopin.

Group Activity

Complete: “Four Corners – POV for Sex Education”

Four Corners – Thematic Start

When it comes to learning, with which character do you most closely relate?

Niece -learn from elders,

Aunt -learn from mistakes,

Pastor -learn through disaster,

Son -live and don’t learn

Go to that Corner

Niece

Pastor

Aunt

Son

Four Corners – Theme

With your group, create a thematic statement regarding your character’s perspective.

Write the thematic statement.

Choose one person to present it.

Niece

Pastor

Aunt

Son

1.What is the subject matter of this literary work?

2.What does a character experience in relation to that subject matter or literary perspective reveal about that subject? (specific)

3.What does this story reveal about that subject matter? (generalize)

4.Finally, tie the theme back to the literary work.

Now you try writing a theme

Sex Education The Guest

1. What is the subject matter of this literary work?

2. What does a main character experience in relation to that subject matter or literary perspective reveal about that subject? (specific)

3. What does this story reveal about that subject matter? (generalize)

4. Finally, tie the theme back to the literary work.

In folders

Symbolism Definition – The consistent use of specific objects, images, characters or parts of the setting to represent abstract ideas in a literary work.

A symbol must be something tangible or visible while the idea it symbolizes must be something abstract or universal.

Literary Element: Symbolism

Hills Like White Elephants






HLWE/ The Man

HLWE/ The Woman

Hills Like White ElephantsSetting is crucial◦ Railway station – they are waiting

at a juncture. They can change the direction of their lives.

◦ On one side – “The hills across thevalley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there wasno shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun.”

◦ On the other side – “fields of grainand trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees.”

Hills Like White Elephants (cont’d)

Setting tied to symbolism:◦ When Jigg looks at the river side, she says “And we could have

all this.”

◦ The hot arid side of the decision that this girl is being asked confirm symbolizes sterility.

◦ The other side, with the water in the river and the cloud, a hint of coolness in the cloud’s moving shadow and growing things along the river banks, symbolizes fertility.

“Hills like white elephants”◦ White elephant – something no one wants to talk about, but

everyone is aware of it, aka “elephant in the room”

◦ White elephant party – give gifts no one wants (clear out your attic – for laughs)

Literary Element: Symbolism

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James MayTop Gear Grand Tour

Hills Like White Elephants (cont’d)

Not every object with deeper meaning in a story is a symbol, but all parts are still significant in artistically unified interpretive literature.

Tags on bags◦ Indicate their rootless, pleasure-seeking existence without

responsibility

◦ It is evidence of their past, but it is NOT a symbol

Symbolism Analysis

Following your symbolism notes in the MIDDLE of your folder, please write one (to two) complete sentence(s) that points out and explains a symbol in Hills Like White Elephants.

What is the symbol? (name it)

Where is it used? (quote the context)

What does it represent?

How does it tie to overall meaning in the story?

IF you need help writing this:

In Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, ___________ (pick out a symbol) symbolizes ________________. When (the woman/the man) says _____ …. OR When the narrator describes _______ , ______ (the item, object) represents ___________ (meaning).

Literary Device: TONE

Tone is the expression of attitude, the writer’s (or narrator’s) implied attitude toward his subject and audience.

The writer creates tone by selection (diction) and arrangement (syntax) of words and by the purposeful use of details and images.

Tone sets the relationship between the reader and writer.

As the emotion growing out of the material and connecting the material to the reader, tone is the hallmark of the writer’s personality.

Understanding tone is requisite to understanding meaning.

Before next slide: split into 4 groups with each group having a white board and a marker

Hills Like White Elephants: TONEMain force of story: TONE

◦ There are almost no adjectives to indicate the emotional state of the characters.

◦ All emotional states are indicated through dialog and action. What emotions do the quotes indicate?

QUOTE EMOTION?

'They look like white elephants,' she said.'I've never seen one,' the man drank his beer.'No, you wouldn't have.’

1.

'Yes,' said the girl. 'Everything tastes of liquorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for, like absinthe.''Oh, cut it out.''You started it,' the girl said. 'I was being amused. I was having a fine time.’

2.

The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on. 3.

'I know you wouldn't mind it, Jig. It's really not anything. It's just to let the air in.’ The girl did not say anything. …'Then what will we do afterwards?''We'll be fine afterwards. Just like we were before.''What makes you think so?’

4.

Hills Like White Elephants: TONE

QUOTE EMOTION?

'If I do it you won't ever worry?''I won't worry about that because it's perfectly simple.''Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me.’

1.

The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. 2.

'We can have the whole world.' (He)'No, we can't.' (She)'We can go everywhere.' (He)'No, we can't. It isn't ours any more.' (She)'It's ours.' (He)'No, it isn't. And once they take it away, you never get it back.' (She)'But they haven't taken it away.’ (He)'We'll wait and see.’ (She)

3.

'I'd do anything for you.''Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?'He did not say anything but looked at the bags against the wall of the station. There were labels on them from all the hotels where they had spent nights.

4.

Hills Like White Elephants: TONE

QUOTE EMOTION?

'I'll scream,' the girl said. 1.

'I'd better take the bags over to the other side of the station,' the man said. She smiled at him.

2.

He picked up the two heavy bags and carried them around the station to the other tracks. He looked up the tracks but could not see the train.

3.

They were all waiting reasonably for the train. He went out through the bead curtain. She was sitting at the table and smiled at him.'Do you feel better?' he asked. 'I feel fine,' she said. 'There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.’

4.


Answer 4 of the 8 questions (all parts!) on the back of the story.

In addition to including 1 quote per question group, do not forget to include a quote anywhere you see a “Q.”

1. Pick the depiction of a fairy tale that appeals to you like the most. 2. Explain why. 3. Which story does it remind you of? 4. What are key characteristics of each depiction?

A

C

B

D

Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer

How your paper should look:

Your namePer 8

jehartnettMonday, November 11, 201910:19:51Body paragraph – Google Docs

1. Pick one: A B C D2. Explain why

3. This story reminds me of …

4. A. Key Characteristics …B. Key Characteristics …C. Key Characteristics …D. Key Characteristics …

Visualizing – back of paper Fold the piece of paper in half, hamburger style (so you have two wide columns).

Get several differently colored pencils, crayons or markers.

At the top, label each side with these titles:◦ Narrator’s home

◦ The family’s home

Narrator’s home Family’s home

Once Upon a Time QuestionsCLASS DISCUSSION: (story begins on page 231)

1. The opening section of the story is told by a writer who is awakened by a frightening sound in the night. What two causes for the sound does she consider? Ultimately, which is the more significant cause for fear? How do these together create an emotional background for the “children’s story?

THINK, PAIR, SHARE:

2. What elements of children’s stories are part of this story (which has definitely NOT been written for children!)?

GREAT SHORT ANSWERS: Put your response in the middle part of your folder –right after your symbolism response

3. To what extent does the story explore the motives for the behavior of the wife and husband, the husband’s mother, the servants and the people who surround the suburb and the house? What motives can you infer for these people? What ironies (what happens is the opposite of what you would expect – situational, or what they deserve - cosmic) do they display in their actions?

Short Answers #3 & #53. To what extent does the story explore the motives for the behavior of the wife and husband, the husband’s mother, the servants and the people who surround the suburb and the house? What motives can you infer for these people? What ironies (what happens is the opposite of what you would expect – situational, or what they deserve - cosmic) do they display in their actions?

◦ The wife’s actions are motivated by her ________. The husband is similar to the wife, and he is also motivated by ________. The servants concern come from their knowledge about _______. The people who are in the streets begging and lying the gutters are motivated by their need for ______. It is ironic that _____ does _______ because what actually turns out is _____. This outcome is ______ irony.

5. Who is possibly to blame for the calamity that befalls the child? Name at least three culprits and explain why. What are the possible meanings for the repeated phrase “YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED”?

◦ ______ could be blamed for the child’s death because _____. In addition, _____ is a fault because of _____. Finally, _____ bears some of the blame for the boy’s death because _____. The phrase “you have been warned” meant __________ to the parents, but it also could mean ________ because ______________.

Once Upon a Time Questions (cont’d)

CLASS DISCUSSION: (story begins on page 231)

4. Why do the wife and husband keep increasing the security devices of their home? What is ironic about the conclusion of the story? What type of irony is this?

GREAT SHORT ANSWERS: Put your response in the middle part of your folder – right after your first Once Upon a Time response

5. Who is possibly to blame for the calamity that befalls the child? Name at least three culprits and explain why. What are the possible meanings for the repeated phrase “YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED”?

THINK, PAIR, SHARE:

6. What details in the introductory section and in the children’s story imply the nature of the social order in which both occur?






OUaT/ Narrator

OUaT/ Mother

OUaT/ Father

Once Upon A Time – Narrative Narrative frame – Sometimes when we're watching a film or reading a book, a character will start to tell a story to another character or perhaps a character will sit down to write a novel. When we go inside this second narrative, or this story within a story literary technique, it's called a frame narrative (or frame story, frame tale.) ◦ Forced by publisher to write a children’s story.

◦ In Once Upon a Time, the frame begins like a children’s story, with sing-song repetition sounding very much like “The House that Jack Built” or “The Napping House”

◦ Frame conclusion: foreshadows the fear, violence and pain of children’s story

Literary Element: Narrative Voice

Narration: Telling a story

Point of view: position or vantage-point from which the events of a story seem to be observed and presented to the reader.

God’s eye view –knows all

“god-like” knowledge –some superior knowledge

Participant’s view –very limited

Narrative Voice (cont’d) First-person: Told by a character who is taking part in the story, using the personal pronouns to demonstrate the narrator’s involvement (I, me, we); the story is restricted to his/her partial knowledge and experience and therefore will not give us access to other characters’ hidden thoughts. First Person Major: Main character tells

his/her own story. (Anthem or Life of Pi)

First Person Minor: A minor character (his/her actions do NOT drive the plot) tells the story. (Dr. Watson in Sherlock Holmes, or Nick in The Great Gatsby).

Let me tell you a story that I was involved in!

Narrative Voice (cont’d)

Third-person omniscient: Narrator shows an unrestricted knowledge of the story’s events from outside or “above” them; Narrator knows the thoughts of all the characters in the story.

Third-person limited omniscient: confines reader’s knowledge of events to whatever is observed by a single character or a small group of characters


3rd Person Objective: In this more telling, authors are like a single movie camera that can see, hear and record, but only from one perspective (there aren’t multiple cameras at multiple locations). They are not in any character’s head but function more as a reporter. However, they can still choose an angle.


Multiple Points of View: Many modern authors have also used “multiple points of view,” in which we are shown the events from the positions of two or more different characters.

Here’smy

version

Here’s the way I

saw it

Now you identify narrative voice

NarrativeTypes:

1st 3rdMultiple

POVMajor MinorOmni-scient

Limited Omn.

Objective

Stories: Type: Proof: (MUST BE A QUOTE)

The Most Dangerous Game (67)

A Respectable Woman(in class example)

3RD LIMITED OMNISCIENT

“She was looking forward to a period of unbroken rest.”

Sex Education (handout)

The Guest (356)

Hills Like White Elephants(278)

Once Upon a Time (233)

Independent Reading

ALL STORIES

CharacterizationWhen you are providing a characterization of an individual in a literary work, you are using adjectives to describe the type of person – trustworthy, deceptive, determined, playful, etc.

Characterization is what the reader learns about a character in a book through the author’s revelations using: Direct methods – qualities are told outright through description or commentary

Indirect methods – readers infer qualities from character’s actions, speech or appearance

So then, characterization of an individual in a story can be revealed through: Physical appearance (e.g., disheveled)

Speech/dialog (how things are said)

Actions (what the individual does)

Inner thoughts (reading what is on this character’s mind)

Reactions of others to the character (do other characters cower and tremble when this character enters the room?)

Static/Flat & Dynamic/Round Characters

Flat/two dimensional/static – simple and/or unchanging (character does not become significantly different in the course of the story)

Round /complex/dynamic - (character becomes significantly different in the course of the story –matures, changes his/her mind about an important decision or behavior)

Stock – recurrent character, e.g., damsel in distress, wicked stepmother, etc.

Now you identify character type

Flat/Static Round/Dynamic Stock

Rainsford

General Zaroff

The Most Dangerous Game

Mrs. Baroda

Gaston

Governail

A Respectable Woman

Aunt Minnie

Jake

Sex Education

The Teacher

The Guard

The Prisoner

The Guest

The character remained _______ despite _______ ORThe character changed from ______ to ______ because _____ .

For one character from eachstory, complete one sentence:

Now you identify character type

Flat/Static Round/Dynamic Stock

The Man

The Woman (Jig)


The Mother

The Father

The Grandmother

Once Upon a Time

Protagonist: ____________________

Antagonist/Char: ________________

Indep Rdg: _____________________

For each character state: The character remained _______ despite _______ ORThe character changed from _______ to _______ because _____ .

Once Upon A Time – Irony & Theme

Irony – where, what type, why, how does it relate to meaning?◦ What was the purpose of the safety measures?

◦ What was the outcome of these measures?

◦ Who received the blame for the outcome?◦ Who completed the action?

Cause and Effect◦ Fear & hatred

◦ Where and how does it begin?

◦ What are the Implied relationships and attitudes between the family and the poor people?

Review: Thematic Statement Practice◦ When ______________________ , no one lives happily ever after.

◦ Inequality leads to ___________________________________ .◦ (e.g., brutality and self-destruction)

Irony Ties to Short Stories

1. Even though General Zaroff saw himself as ______________ , ironically, in the end ___________________ .

2. While Mrs. Baroda saw herself as a “respectable woman,” ironically, she decided to ____________________ .

3. Although Aunt Minnie initially told her story of the corn fields to scare her younger female relatives regarding men’s intentions, as she reconsidered and retold the story, she ironically determined that the culprit for the situation was _______________ not _______________ .

4. Despite Daru’s efforts to __________________ , ironically, the Arab chose _____________ instead of ____________ , and this choice ended up depicting Daru as __________ instead of ________.

Rewrite and complete these sentence in your folders (middle part) to solidify your ability to identify and comprehend irony. Use details or quotes from the story to prove your understanding.

Hallway Thematic Application

Our hallways are filled with hanging banners containing sayings about life.

Considering our 6 stories (The Most Dangerous Game, A Respectable Woman, Sex Education, The Guest, Hills Like White Elephants, and Once Upon a Time) and find a saying that relates to ONE of these stories and write it down, word for word.

Then, return to the classroom and write one paragraph that explains how this saying relates to the stories’ theme, conflict, or character arc. The truth of this quote is shown/exemplified/depicted [pick one] in

_____ [name of story]. In ____ [story], _______ [tell what happens – a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

Hallway Thematic Application – cont’d

PARAGRAPH 1: Then, return to the classroom and write one paragraph that explains how this saying relates to the stories’ theme, conflict, or character arc.

The truth of this quote is shown/exemplified/depicted [pick one] in _____ [name of story]. In ____ [story], _______ [tell what happens – a specificmoment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

PARAGRAPH 2: Write one more paragraph explaining how this saying relates to another moment in the story (conflict, crisis, denouement) or to a different character, etc. Similarly, Likewise, In the same way, [pick one] when ______ [tell

what happens – a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next,in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

In contrast, Unlike _____ , [pick one] when ______ [tell what happens –a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

Pick one

Hallway Thematic Application – THE QUOTE

Reread the quote you chose. What does it mean? Using the following format, explain the quote. _____ [name of person] once said “ ______________________ “ [put the quote]. This

quote means __________________ [explain the meaning in your own words]. The intent of _______’s [last name of person] words are also exemplified in the short story ___________ [name of story] by __________ [author]. Through ________ and ______ [briefly give the characters or categories of your previous two paragraphs] , ____________ [add tied back to quote that also links to characters or incident within the story].

J.K. Rowling once said “It’s not our abilities that truly define us – it is the choices we make.” This quote means that while a person may be gifted or talented in a particular area, such as understanding math, it is what they do with that gift that matters, like becoming a medical researcher, not the fact that they simply have that ability. The intent of Rowling’s words are also exemplified in the short story “Roman Fever” by Edith Wharton. Through Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley, the ability of one woman to be an influential A-lister while another takes a secret but truer path in life demonstrates this difference between a person who may have abilities but does not act on them versus the person who translates those abilities into action.

Hallway Thematic Application – Final ¶

Reread all three paragraphs you have written about the quote you chose and how it relates to one of the short stories. You are now going to write a brief, final paragraph tying those three paragraphs together.

_______ (pick or phrase a word that summarizes the TOPIC of the quote) matters (counts, is crucial, is significant). It matters because ______ and ______ (rephrase/categorize your points), but even more so, it _____________________ (add a unifying point).

OR A (disconnect/connection) exists between ______ (pick a word or phrase

that summarizes the TOPIC of the quote) and _____ (pick a word or phrase that summarizes the conflict or topic of the short story). (go on to explain the connection or disconnect in more detail without repeating)

J.K. Rowling once said “It’s not our abilities that truly define us – it is the choices we make.”

Choices matter. They matter because the things that people do and the paths people take tell who they are, but even more so, they reveal people’s moral and ethical inclinations.

OR

A connection exists between choices and judging the value of one’s life as it nears its end. People will mourn their wasted potential but will find satisfaction in their accomplishments.

YOU MAY NOT

USE THE WORDS

WOULD, IF,

WOULDN’T, NOT

HAVE, ETC.

Instead, tell what

did happen.

SS Paragraphs – Final Step

TYPE the paragraphs: 12 point font, 1” margins, full heading at top of paper (name, date, section, Short Story Thematic Essay)

Order of paragraphs:

Paragraph 3 – introduces and explains quote, tying it to short storyParagraph 1 – example 1 from short story with specific detailsParagraph 2 – example 2 from short story with specific detailsParagraph 4 – conclusion

_____ [name of person] once said “ _________________ “ [put the quote]. This quote means ____________ [explain the meaning in your own words]. The intent of _______’s [last name of person] words are also exemplified in the short story ___________ [name of story] by ________ [author]. Through ________ and ______ [briefly give the characters or categories of your previous two paragraphs] , ____________ [add tied back to quote that also links to characters or incident within the story].

The truth of this quote is shown/exemplified/depicted [pick one] in _____ [name of story]. In ____ [story], _______ [tell what happens – a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

Similarly, Likewise, In the same way, [pick one] when ______ [tell what happens – a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].In contrast, Unlike _____ , [pick one] when ______ [tell what happens – a specific moment that relates to this saying]. [Next, in 2-4 sentences, explain how that moment relates to the quote].

_______ (pick or phrase a word that summarizes the TOPIC of the quote) matters(counts, is crucial, is significant). It matters because ______ and ______ (rephrase/categorize your points), but even more so, it _____________________ (add a unifying point).A (disconnect/connection) exists between ______ (pick a word or phrase that summarizes the TOPIC of the quote) and _____ (pick a word or phrase that summarizes the conflict or topic of the short story). (go on to explain the connection or disconnect in more detail without repeating)

3rd para

you

wrote

1st para

you

wrote

2nd para

you

wrote

(pick 1)

4th para

you

wrote

(pick 1)

LITERARY

DEVICES

Role of Literary Devices

Authors make specific writing choices for particular reasons. Each time he or she employs a literary device, it will contribute to that moment in the literary work.

Communicate positive or negative effect:◦ Experience

◦ Emotional state

◦ Psychological state

◦ Conflict

◦ Character development

Literary Devices: MetaphorMETAPHOR:

A direct comparison where one thing or idea substitutes for another where it is said that one thing is another without the use of the words like, as or than.

Usually two dissimilar objects are compared to draw attention to a particular likeness.

Example + / - Effect

The pile of rags suddenly moved. To his surprise, the mound was an old woman.

Canfield – p.5/6 ¶8/1Camus – p.1 ¶3, p.1 ¶4

Literary Devices: Simile

SIMILE:

An indirect relationship where one thing or idea is described as being similar to another. Similes usually contain the words “like,” “than,” “similar to,” or “as.”


The moon appeared crimson, like a drop of blood hanging in the sky.

Canfield – p.2 ¶2Camus – p.1 ¶2

Literary Devices: AnalogyANALOGY:

DEFINITION: Compares two things, which are alike in several respects, for the purpose of explaining or clarifying some unfamiliar or difficult idea or object by showing how the idea or object is similar to a easier understood, familiar one.

While simile and analogy often overlap, the simile is generally a more artistic likening, done briefly for effect and emphasis, while analogy serves the more practical end of explaining a thought process or a line of reasoning or the abstract in terms of the concrete, and may therefore be more extended.


“Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.” –Forrest Gump

Camus – p.5 ¶3 (starting “In the middle …)Gordimer – p.2 ¶2

Literary Devices: AllusionALLUSION:

A causal and brief reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event:

Notice in this example that the allusion is to a very well known character and event, not to an obscure one. The best sources for allusions are literature, history, Greek myth, and the Bible. Also note that the reference serves to explain or clarify or enhance whatever subject is under discussion, without sidetracking the reader.


“Plan ahead: it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.” --Richard Cushing

Connell – “He hummed a snatch of song from the Folies Bergere.”Three days hence we can discuss it over a bottle of Veuve Cliquot, unless—”

(cabaret music hall in Paris)

(premium French champagne)

Literary Devices: ImageryIMAGERY:

Language which describes something in detail, using words to substitute for and create sensory stimulation, including sight (visual), sound (auditory), smell (olfactory), taste(gustatory), touch (tactile), movement (kinesthetic), physical response such as hunger, thirst, increased heart rate (organic) or emotional imagery.

The impact of imagery is two-fold:Helps the reader to experience the event/scene

Creates a certain emotional atmosphere - positive (happy, delightful, soothing, etc.) or negative (angry, miserable, painful, etc.)


Plants, bushes, trees-all strong, in sweet black moist earth whose guardian was old Dekran.

Chopin – p.1, ¶6, p.2 ¶2, 9Hemingway – p.1 ¶1, “The woman …” p.2 “The girl …”

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