The Elements of Fiction

Name: ______________________________________ Date: ________________ Period: ____

Elements of Fiction Brain WarmerQuick Write and Write Around

What makes a book “good”? Write as much as you can in three minutes. Use the back for more space.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: _____________ Your response to the person above (write as much as you can in two minutes):

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: _____________ Your response to the people above (write as much as you can in two minutes):

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Setting

1. What is setting?

the place where the story occurs

2. What does setting include?

The geographical location

o Ex.: Pennsylvania, Paris, Greenland, Chile

The time period

o Ex.: 1895, During WWI, present day

The socio-economic characteristics of the location

o Ex.: wealthy suburbs, depression dustbowl

The specific building, room, or place of the moment

o Ex.: a prep school, a log cabin, a bus, a military base

3. How does setting function?

Can be used to tell readers about the characters

o Ex.: excerpt from “Antaeus” by Borden Deal

That evening T.J. smelled the air, his nostrils dilating with the odor of the earth under his feet. “It’s spring,” he said, and there was a gladness rising in his voice that filled us all with the same feeling.

“It’s mighty late for it, but it’s spring”….We were all sniffing at the air, too, trying to smell it the way that T.J. did, and I can still remember the sweet odor of the earth under our feet. It was the first time in my life that spring and spring earth meant anything to me.

Can be used to set the atmosphere for the story

o Ex.: excerpt from “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundlessday in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tractof country.

Name: __________________________________________

Setting

1. What is setting?

the ______________ where the story occurs

2. What does setting include?

The ________________________ location

o Ex.: Pennsylvania, Paris, Greenland, Chile

The ___________ period

o Ex.: 1895, During WWI, present day

The _________________________________ characteristics of the location

o Ex.: wealthy suburbs, depression dustbowl

The _________________ building, room, or place of the moment

o Ex.: a prep school, a log cabin, a bus, a military base

3. How does setting function?

Can be used to tell readers about the ______________________

o Ex.: excerpt from “Antaeus” by Borden DealThat evening T.J. smelled the air, his nostrils dilating with the odor of

the earth under his feet. “It’s spring,” he said, and there was a gladness rising in his voice that filled us all with the same feeling.

“It’s mighty late for it, but it’s spring”….We were all sniffing at the air, too, trying to smell it the way that T.J. did, and I can still remember the sweet odor of the earth under our feet. It was the first time in my life that spring and spring earth meant anything to me.

Can be used to set the ____________________ for the story

o Ex.: excerpt from “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundlessday in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tractof country.

Name: __________________________________

Analyzing Setting

Setting encompasses a variety of elements. Not all stories contain all elements, but many literary works contain several setting elements within a single piece.

1. Time Period – When did this event happen in history?2. Location – Where does this story take place? 3. Time of Day – When in the day does this story take place?4. Season – Does the story occur in the fall, winter, spring, or summer?5. Weather – What type of weather is present? Does it have an impact on

the story? 6. Mood – What emotional atmosphere did the author create for this

story? (joyous, angry, hilarious, frightening, etc.)

Read the following excerpt from “The Cage” by Martin Raim. Below, write down at least two words that could describe the mood (emotional atmosphere) that the setting creates.

There was no way out. The walls of his cell were built of thick cement blocks. The huge door was made of steel. The floor and ceiling were made of concrete, and there were no windows. The only light came from a light bulb that was covered by a metal shield. There was no way out, or so it seemed to him.

1. Mood created/How the setting makes you feel:

______________________ ________________________

2. Circle/highlight the words that caused you to write down your responses for question 1.

Name: ________________________________

Analyzing Setting, Continued

Read the following poem and answer the questions below. For each response, circle/highlight the words that caused you to respond the way you did.

OctoberRobert Frost

O hushed October morning mild, Thy leaves have ripened to the fall;

Tomorrow’s wind, if it be wild, Should waste them all.

The crows above the forest call;Tomorrow they may form and go. O hushed October morning mild, Begin the hours of this day slow,

Make the day seem to us less brief. Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know;Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;One from our trees, one far away;Retard the sun with gentle mist;Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!For the grapes’ sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost, Whose clustered fruit must else be lost—

For the grapes’ sake along the wall.

1. Where is the location of this poem?

2. What is the time of day?

3. What is the season?

4. What is the weather like in this poem?

5. What is the mood of this poem?

Characters

1. Who are characters?

The people (or animals, things, or ideas presented as people) appearing in a literary work

2. How can one describe characters?

Round Characters

o Convincing , true to lifeo Have many different and sometimes even contradictory

personality traitso Think of a beach ball: it is round and has air within it to

createits shape; there is dimension within it. In the same way, round characters have dimension to them; their personalities, or what’s on the inside, give them shape and make them layers more real and believable to the reader.

o Think of an onion: it is round and has. In the same way, round characters are often complex because their many layers that are shared with the reader.

o R is for real

Flat Characters

o Are one-dimensional, often a stereotypical character, shallow, and many times symbolic

o Have only one or two personality traitso Think of pancakes: they are flat and straightforward, similar to

flat characters

Dynamic Characters

o Undergo some type of change or development in the story, often because of something that happens to them

o Think of dynamics in music: the volume changes depending on what the dynamics tell the musician to do, whether to get louder or softer or to do something different. In the same way, a dynamic character changes in some way, whether for the better, the worse, or the different.

o D is for different or development

Static Characters

o Do not change in the course of the storyo Think of static cling: clothes from the dryer stick or stay on

each other. In the same way, static characters stick to the way they were at the beginning of the story; they stay the same from beginning to end.

o S is for stay the same

3. What types of characters exist?

Protagonist

o The central character in a literary work

o Not necessarily the “good” character, just the character around which the story is told

o Ex.: Cinderella in “Cinderella” (a “good” character based on her hard work and perseverance)

o Roger in “Thank You, Ma’am” (a “bad” character based on the fact that he tried to steal someone’s purse)

Antagonist

o The character who opposes the protagonisto Not necessarily the “bad” character, just the one who works

against or in opposition towards the protagonisto Ex.: the wicked stepmother and stepsisters in “Cinderella”

(“bad” characters based on their meanness)o Ex.: Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M’am” (a “good” character

based on the fact she was almost a victim of Roger’s crime and also her desire to teach Roger some important life lessons)

Name: __________________________________

Characters

1. Who are characters?

The _____________ (or animals, things, or ideas presented as people) appearing

in a literary work

2. How can one describe characters?

_____________ Characters

o ___________________ , true to ________

o Have many different and sometimes even contradictory personality traits

o Think of a _________________: it is round and has air within it to

create

its shape; there is dimension within it. In the same way, round

characters have _____________________to them; their personalities, or

what’s on the inside, give them shape and make them layers more real

and believable to the reader.

o Think of an _____________: it is round and has. In the same way, round

characters are often _________________because their many

_____________ that are shared with the reader.

o R is for ___________

____________ Characters

o Are __________________________, often a stereotypical character,

shallow, and many times symbolic

o Have only one or two personality traits

o Think of ________________: they are flat and

_____________________________, similar to flat characters

__________________ Characters

o Undergo some type of _______________ or development in the story, often because of something that happens to them

o Think of dynamics in _______________: the volume changes

depending on what the dynamics tell the musician to do, whether to

get louder or softer or to do something different. In the same way, a

dynamic character changes in some way, whether for the

_____________, the _______________, or the different.

o D is for __________________ or development

_____________ Characters

o Do _______ change in the course of the story

o Think of static ___________: clothes from the dryer stick or stay on each

other. In the same way, static characters ___________ to the way they

were at the beginning of the story; they ___________ the same from

beginning to end.

o S is for stay the ___________

3. What types of characters exist?

________________________

o The _________________ character in a literary work

o Not necessarily the “good” character, just the character around which the story is told

o Ex.: Cinderella in “Cinderella” (a “good” character based on her hard work and perseverance)

o Roger in “Thank You, M’am” (a “bad” character based on the fact that he

tried to steal someone’s purse)

________________________

o The character who _______________ the protagonist

o Not necessarily the “bad” character, just the one who works against or in opposition towards the protagonist

o Ex.: the wicked stepmother and stepsisters in “Cinderella” (“bad” characters based on their meanness)

o Ex.: Mrs. Jones in “Thank You, M’am” (a “good” character based on the fact she was almost a victim of Roger’s crime and also her desire to teach Roger some important life lessons)

Methods of Characterization

1. What is characterization?

An author creates a believable character who has unique traits and characteristics

2. What are methods of characterization?

Direct Characterization

o The author develops the personality of a character by direct statements.

o Ex.: Furlough—1944 by Harry Mazer Jack had been in basic training in Florida, and Dottie was there on vacation with her parents. They’d met on the beach and struck up a conversation. Dottie was the talker, the outgoing one—the extrovert. Jack was too shy around girls to say much at all.

Indirect Characterization

o The author reveals a character’s personality through The character’s thoughts, words, and actions The comments of the other characters The character’s physical appearance

o Example of indirect characterization through thoughts:Moonbeam Dawson and the Killer Bear by Jean OkimotoMoonbeam closed his eyes and pretended to sleep the rest of the way to Bamfield. He couldn’t believe what he had gotten himself into. How had this happened? He’d never held a gun in his life, much less gone hunting for animals.

o Example of indirect characterization through words:Here There Be Tygers by Stephen KingIt was Kenny Griffen, smiling complacently. “Miss Bird sent me after you ‘cause you been gone six years. You’re in trouble…yer constipated!” Kenny chortled gleefully. “Wait’ll I tell Caaathy!”

o Example of indirect characterization through actions:I Spy by Graham GreeneThe boy held his breath; he wondered whether his father would hear his heart beating…Through a crack in the counter he could see his father where he stood, one hand held to his high stiff collar.

o Example of indirect characterization through appearance:Here There Be Tygers by Stephen KingMiss Kinney was young and blonde and bouncy and had a boyfriend who picked her up after school in a blue Camaro.

Name: ____________________________________

Methods of Characterization1. What is characterization?

An author creates a _____________________ character who has unique

__________ and characteristics

2. What are methods of characterization?

______________ Characterization

o The author develops the personality of a character by direct

____________________.

o Ex.: Furlough—1944 by Harry Mazer Jack had been in basic training in Florida, and Dottie was there on vacation with her parents. They’d met on the beach and struck up a conversation. Dottie was the talker, the outgoing one—the extrovert. Jack was too shy around girls to say much at all.

_____________ Characterization

o The author reveals a character’s personality through

The character’s _______________, ___________, and

_______________

The _________________ of the other characters

The character’s physical ____________________

o Example of indirect characterization through thoughts:Moonbeam Dawson and the Killer Bear by Jean OkimotoMoonbeam closed his eyes and pretended to sleep the rest of the way to Bamfield. He couldn’t believe what he had gotten himself into. How had this happened? He’d never held a gun in his life, much less gone hunting for animals.

o Example of indirect characterization through words:Here There Be Tygers by Stephen King

It was Kenny Griffen, smiling complacently. “Miss Bird sent me after you ‘cause you been gone six years. You’re in trouble…yer constipated!” Kenny chortled gleefully. “Wait’ll I tell Caaathy!”

o Example of indirect characterization through actions:I Spy by Graham GreeneThe boy held his breath; he wondered whether his father would hear his heart beating…Through a crack in the counter he could see his father where he stood, one hand held to his high stiff collar.

o Example of indirect characterization through appearance:Here There Be Tygers by Stephen KingMiss Kinney was young and blonde and bouncy and had a boyfriend who picked her up after school in a blue Camaro.

Name: ____________________________________

Characterization Practice

Read the following excerpts from “The Japanese Quince” by John Galsworthy. Then, answer the questions below.

1. Mr. Nilson took up an ivory-backed handglass and scrutinized his face. His firm, wellcolored cheeks, with their neat brown mustaches, and his round, well-opened, clear grey eyes, wore a reassuring appearance of good health.

From this description, we can tell that Mr. Nilson is in good health. What kind of characterization did the author use to tell us this?

a. Indirect characterizationb. Direct characterizationc. First-person point of viewd. Dénoument

2. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 1? _________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. He was on the point of resuming his walk, when a blackbird close by burst into song,and, looking up, Mr. Nilson saw at a distance of perhaps five yards a little tree, in the heart of whose branches the bird was perched….It was covered with young blossoms, pink and white, and little bright green leaves both round and spiky; and on all this blossom and these leaves the sunlight glistened. Mr. Nilson smiled…instead of passing on, he stayed there smiling at the tree.

Based on Mr. Nilson’s reaction to the tree, what can we infer about Mr. Nilson?

a. He wanted to cut the tree down. b. He was thinking of ways to sell more of these trees. c. He enjoyed the sight of this tree. d. He wished that the bird would get out of the way.

4. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 3? _________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Read the following excerpt from “Defender of the Faith” by Philip Roth. Then, answer the questions below.

5. The next day, while I was playing softball over on the parade ground, I decided to askBob Wright, who was in charge of Classification and Assignment, where he thought our trainees would be sent when their cycle ended, in two weeks. I asked casually, between innings, and he said, “They’re pushing them all on the Pacific coast. Shulman cut the orders on the men in your camp the other day.”

The news shocked me, as though I were the father of Halpern, Fishbein, and Grossbart.

What does the narrator’s reaction to the news say about him?

a. He is not on good terms with these particular men. b. He would rather play softball than be in the army. c. He is planning a vacation on the Pacific coast. d. He was hoping that these particular men wouldn’t have been stationed so far away.

6. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 5? _________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Read the following excerpt from “In Exile” by Anton Chekhov. Then, answer the questions below.

7. The man threw some brushwood onto the fire, lay down closer to it, and said, “Myfather is sick man. When he dies, my mother, my wife, will come here. Have promised.”

What does the man’s way of talking say about him?

a. He speaks another language as his “mother tongue,” or first language.

b. He is sick and in the hospital. c. He wants someone else to add wood to the fire. d. He’s trying to get his friend to make a promise to him.

8. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 7? _________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Name: _______________________________________

Character Traits

Character Name Description Significance to Story Someone Similar (real or fictional) and How

Character MapBackground:

Characterization is the way an author develops a character. Authors give clues in the story to help the reader get to know the character more

intimately. Pay attention to details that will help you shape an informed idea of what a character is

like.

Character Clues: Physical appearance and personality Speech, thoughts, feelings, and actions Interactions with other characters Direct comments by the author

Using a Character Map: Sometimes it’s helpful to keep track of the things you learn about a character using a

tool called a Character Map. Keeping track of facts and details about characters will help you draw more educated

conclusions about the characters You will probably enjoy a story better if you feel like you know the characters better.

Think about a movie you’ve seen or a TV show you watch. If you didn’t know who the characters were, you probably wouldn’t be as interested in the movie or show as you would be if you knew all about the characters.

Below is a miniature version of a Character Map. Use the larger version to write down your responses to each section.

How the character looks How the character acts How the character feels; his or her emotions

How the character talks/what he or she says How the character interacts with others

Character’s Name

How other characters feel about the character What other characters say about the character

What the author says directly (through the narrator) about the character

How I feel about the character

Name: ___________________________________________ Character Map

How the character looks How the character acts How the character feels; his or her emotions

How the character talks/what he or she says How the character interacts with others

Character’s Name

How other characters feel about the character What other characters say about the character

What the author says directly (through the narrator) about the character

How I feel about the character

Positive Character Traits

CheerfulFriendly

HumorousClever

DelightedSensible

ConsiderateWell-meaning

FairTruthful

Gregarious

NiceFunny

IntelligentPolite

ExcitedThankful

KindheartedBrave

ThoughtfulCuriousPatient

HelpfulHappyPlayfulWise

PleasedForgivingCreativeSincere

EntertainingInquisitive

Honest

Negative Character Traits

SillyVain

StupidAshamedRidiculous

GullibleFurious

ShyGreedy

LazyUnhappy

DissatisfiedCowardly

Frightened

Stubborn Mean

SneakyFoolishNasty

MiserableSpoiled

CruelStingy

SuspiciousInsistentStrangeGrouchy

ObnoxiousDishonest

LonelyImpatientRebellious Ignorant

FlashyWeird

NaughtyMischievousCompulsive

Deceitful

Feelings Chart

Happiness Sadness Anger Love and Friendship

Fear Distress

High level of feeling

ElatedGiddyOverjoyedRadiantEcstaticJubilant

MiserableCrushedWorthlessHumiliatedDepressedHelpless

Fuming FuriousOutragedIncensedBurned upHateful

AdoringDevotedPassionateAmorousTenderArdent

DreadfulPanickyHorrifiedTerrifiedPetrifiedDesperate

AnguishedDisgustedSpeechlessTormentedSickenedAfflicted

Moderate level of feeling

TickledGlowingExcitedJoyousBubbly

Delighted

ForlornBurdenedSlightedAbusedDefeatedDejected

DisgustedIrritatedAggravatedBitingHostileRiled

CaringDedicatedGenerousLovingEmpatheticConsiderate

AlarmedFearfulJitteryStrainedShakyThreatened

BadgeredBewilderedConfusedDisturbedImpairedOffended

Low level of feeling

AmusedCheerfulPleasedRelievedGladSerene

ResignedApatheticBlueGloomyIgnoredGlum

PeevedBuggedAnnoyedRuffledNettledCross

WarmAmiableCivilPoliteGivingKindly

UneasyTenseTimidAnxiousNervousPuzzled

SillyFoolishUnsureTouchyLostDisturbed

Plot

1. What is plot?

The literary element that describes the structure of a story

A plot line shows the sequence of events and actions within a story

2. What are the components of plot?

Exposition – the start of the story; the situation before the action starts; the opening of a piece of fiction; how it all begins

o Ex.: Cinderella’s situation being spelled out for the reader, that she does all the housework and puts up with the cruelty of her stepmother and stepsisters

Rising Action – the series of conflicts and crises in the story that lead to the climax; often the bulk of a story

o Ex.: Everyone’s preparation for the prince’s ball, the fairy Godmother helps Cinderella get to the ball, Cinderella meets and dances with the price, Cinderella rushes home at the stroke of midnight, she loses her shoe, the prince aims to find

the owner of the shoe and goes door to door to find the woman who fits the shoe.

Climax – the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action, the peak event in a story where the conflict comes face-to-face with its consequence, often near the end of a story, the main moment the reader’s been waiting for; in good literature, there may be many mini climaxes created by multiple conflicts throughout the rising action to keep the reader interested, but the main climax is usually always at the end, otherwise there would be no point in continuing to read if the conflict were already over half-way through the book.

o Ex.: When the prince tries the shoe on Cinderella and it fits.

Falling Action – all of the action that follows the climax, how the events lay out once the conflict has been settled, how the rest of the pieces of a story fall, often a short section.

o Ex.: The prince remembers Cinderella from the ball, the stepmother and stepsisters can’t believe their eyes, the prince takes Cinderella to the castle.

Resolution (Dénouement) – the conclusion, the tying together of all the threads (or the untying of all the tension and anxiety), how the story ends, what happens to the characters once the story has been told, often the shortest section and is sometimes left out on purpose

o Ex.: The prince takes Cinderella to be his bride, and they live happily ever after; she is rescued from her abusive home situation; the stepmother and stepsisters live lonely, wretched lives.

** A good plot line is similar to a roller coaster because there are purposeful conflicts that create the ups and downs, twists and turns, and pure thrill that make reading an enjoyable activity.

Name:____________________________________________

Plot

1. What is plot? The literary element that describes the __________________ of a story

A plot line shows the _______________________ of ______________ and

_____________ within a story

2. What are the components of plot?

__________________ – the _________ of the story; the situation before the

action starts; the ______________ of a piece of fiction; how it all ____________

o Ex.: Cinderella’s situation being spelled out for the reader, that she does all the housework and puts up with the cruelty of her stepmother and stepsisters

_______________________ – the ____________ of ____________ and crises in

the story that lead to the climax; often the _________ of a story

o Ex.: Everyone’s preparation for the prince’s ball, the fairy Godmother helps Cinderella get to the ball, Cinderella meets and dances with the price, Cinderella rushes home at the stroke of midnight, she loses her shoe, the prince aims to find the owner of the shoe and goes door to door to find the woman who fits the shoe.

______________ – the ________________________, the most _____________

moment—either mentally or in action, the ____________________ in a story

where the conflict comes face-to-face with its consequence, often near the end of a story, the main moment the reader’s been waiting for; in good literature, there may be many mini climaxes created by multiple conflicts throughout the rising action to keep the reader interested, but the main climax is usually always at the end, otherwise there would be no point in continuing to read if the conflict were already over half-way through the book.

o Ex.: When the prince tries the shoe on Cinderella and it fits.

__________________________ – all of the action that _____________ the

climax, how the __________________________ once the conflict has been

settled, how the rest of the __________ of a story ______, often a short section.

o Ex.: The prince remembers Cinderella from the ball, the stepmother and stepsisters can’t believe their eyes, the prince takes Cinderella to the castle.

____________________ (Dénouement) – the conclusion, the

________________________________ of all the threads (or the untying of all

the tension and anxiety), how the story ends, what happens to the characters once the story has been told, often the shortest section and is sometimes left out on purpose

o Ex.: The prince takes Cinderella to be his bride, and they live happily ever after; she is rescued from her abusive home situation; the stepmother and stepsisters live lonely, wretched lives.

** A good plot line is similar to a __________________________ because there are purposeful conflicts that create the ups and downs, twists and turns, and pure thrill that make reading an enjoyable activity.

Name: __________________________________________

Plot Diagram

3. CLIMAX: How does the problem reach its worst point? What happens to make this a turning point?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. FALLING ACTION: What is the solution

to the problem? How is it carried out?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. RISING ACTION: What happens that causes the situation to escalate, or get worse?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. RESOLUTION: What is the final result?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. EXPOSITION:What do you discover about the main character(s)? What is the main problem?____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Name: ________________________________________

Plot Components Practice

Part A: Fill in the blanks by selecting a term from the word bank. Words can be used more than once.

WORD BANK: rising action resolution exposition

falling action plot climax

1. The __________________________ describes the structure of a story.

2. A __________________________ line shows the arrangement of the action and events

within a story.

3. During the __________________________, the reader is usually introduced to the

setting and characters.

4. The __________________________ is how a story begins.

5. The __________________________ is usually the longest part of a story, with the

tension growing as events happen to intrigue the reader to keep reading.

6. Several mini-conflicts and their climaxes might happen during the

__________________________ to help build suspense and keep the reader reading.

7. The turning point of a story is also called the __________________________.

8. During the __________________________ of a story, the action comes to a peak as the

reader comes face-to-face with the central conflict of the story. This is often the

moment that the reader has been waiting for, the moment when he or she finds out the

consequences of the main conflict.

9. The __________________________ includes the events that take place after the climax

and is often a short section. a

10. During the __________________________, or dénouement, all the loose ends are tied

up for the reader (for example, the reader might find out how things end up for the

characters five years down the road). Sometimes this is the shortest section, and

sometimes the author leaves it out on purpose.

Part B: Read the following excerpts (some have been adapted) from “The Destructors” by Graham Greene, and answer the questions.

11. It was the eve of August Bank Holiday that the latest recruit became the leader of theWormsley Common Gang. No one was surprised except Mike, but Mike at the age of nine was surprised by everything. “If you don’t shut your mouth,” somebody once said to him, “you’ll get a frog down it.” After that Mike had kept his teeth tightly clamped except when the surprise was too great.”

Which part of plot (see the word bank from Part A) does this excerpt seem to be pulled

from? ___________________

Why do you think so? ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

12. “Mr. Thomas is going to be away all tomorrow and Bank Holiday, said Trevor. Blackie said with relief, “You mean we could break in to his mansion?”“And steal things?” somebody asked. Blackie said, “Nobody’s going to pinch things. Breaking in—that’s good enough, isn’t it?

We don’t want any court stuff.”“I don’t want to steal anything,” Trevor said. “I’ve got a better idea.”“What is it?”Trevor raised his eyes, as grey and disturbed as the drab August day. “We’ll pull it

down,” he said. “We’ll destroy it.”Blackie gave a single hoot of laughter and then, like Mike, fell quiet, daunted by the

serious gaze. “What’d the police be doing all the time?” he asked. “They’d never know. We’d do it from the inside. I’ve found a way in.” He said with sort

of intensity, “We’d be like worms, don’t you see, in an apple. When we came out again there’d

be nothing there, no staircase, no panels, nothing but just walls, and then we’d make the walls fall down—somehow.”

Which part of plot (see the word bank from Part A) does this excerpt seem to be pulled

from? ___________________

Why do you think so? ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

13. Mr. Thomas came home before the boys were done destroying his house. Trevorthought of a clever way to keep Mr. Thomas away from the house until they were done. Trevor told Mike to hide in the outhouse and should help.

Mr. Thomas paused at the door of the outhouse. “What the matter in there?” he called. There was no reply.

“Perhaps he’s fainted,” Trevor said. “Not in my outhouse. Here, you dome out,” Mr. Thomas said, and giving a great jerk at

the door he nearly fell on his back when it swung easily open. A hand first supported him and then pushed him hard. His head hit the opposite wall and he sat heavily down. His bag hit his feet. A hand whipped the key out of the lock and the door slammed. “Let me out,” he called, and heard the key turn in the lock.

Which part of plot (see the word bank from Part A) does this excerpt seem to be pulled

from? ___________________

Why do you think so? ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

14. Based on what you have read from the story so far, what do you predict should happen

during the climax? ______________________________________________________________

Why do you think so? ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Conflict

1. What is conflict?

The dramatic struggle between two forces in a story

Without conflict, there is no plot

Conflict is the heart of a story, the central organ keeping the story alive, the glue holding the details together, the thing that makes you care about a book

2. What are the types of conflict?

External Conflict (interpersonal) – happens outside the character

o Human vs. Human – one character against another Ex.: Tom in a sword fight with Bill; Mary writes mean

notes to Sue

o Human vs. Nature – the weather, illness, the outside world Ex.: Tom gets stuck in the rain; Bills gets bitten by a

rattlesnake; Mary trips on a stick; Sue is cornered by a bear

o Human vs. Society – one character against a group of characters or against social norms or an organization like the government

Ex.: Tom gets made fun of by Bill, Mary, and Sue; Bill isn’t allowed to eat at a restaurant because he’s not wearing a shirt; Mary rallies against animal testing; Sue wears pants instead of a dress and is banned from attending the theater(it’s the 1850s).

o Human vs. Technology – often in sci-fi where a character battles a machine; in present-day, a character might have trouble with a computer; in the past, a character might struggle with new technologies of the day (which might be antiquated technologies according to modern times)

Ex.: Tom is chased by a robot; Bill is trying to send an important email to Mary, but the internet connection is slow; Mary and Sue can’t go to town in their covered wagon (or BMW) because the wheel fell off (or went flat).

o Human vs. the Supernatural – a character battles with a ghost or a deity

Tom and Bill are trapped in a haunted house and are scared by dead people; Mary and Sue are paralyzed by the goddess of water because they spilled the bucket pulling it out of the well (spilling the bucket could be considered human vs. technology (humans made wells to conquer water) and/or human vs. nature (water comes from the outside world); the being paralyzed by a goddess is the human vs. supernatural part))

Internal Conflict (intrapersonal) – happens inside the charactero Human vs. Self – a character battles his or her emotions, mind,

or will Tom is depressed; Bill is confused; Mary wants to steal

lipstick but knows it’s not right; Sue doesn’t know what decision to make

** Note: In good literature, there is often an overlap of conflicts. - A fight with a friend (external: human vs. human) causes regret

(internal: human vs. self). - A kid gets bullied at school (external: human vs. society) and is afraid to

walk in the hallways (internal: human vs. self). - Also note that sickness, though often felt inside the body, is considered

external conflict because it qualifies as human vs. nature. Sickness (external: human vs. nature), though, may cause sadness (internal: human vs. self), so there still may be overlap.

Name: __________________________________________

Conflict

1. What is conflict? The dramatic _______________ between two forces in a story

Without conflict, there is no ________

Conflict is the ___________ of a story, the ___________ organ keeping the story

alive, the __________ holding the details together, the thing that makes you

________ about a book

2. What are the types of conflict? ______________ Conflict (interpersonal) – happens ____________ the character

o Human vs. ____________ – ________ character against ______________

Ex.: Tom in a sword fight with Bill; Mary writes mean notes to Sue

o Human vs. ____________ – the _______________, ______________, the

outside _____________

Ex.: Tom gets stuck in the rain; Bills gets bitten by a rattlesnake; Mary trips on a stick; Sue is cornered by a bear

o Human vs. _____________ – one character against a __________ of

characters or against social __________ or an ___________________ like

the ________________________

Ex.: Tom gets made fun of by Bill, Mary, and Sue; Bill isn’t allowed to eat at a restaurant because he’s not wearing a shirt; Mary rallies against animal testing; Sue wears pants instead of a dress and is banned from attending the theater(it’s the 1850s).

o Human vs. __________________ – often in ___________ where a

character battles a ______________; in present-day, a character might

have trouble with a computer; in the past, a character might struggle

with new technologies of the day (which might be ___________________

technologies according to modern times)

Ex.: Tom is chased by a robot; Bill is trying to send an important email to Mary, but the internet connection is slow; Mary and Sue can’t go to town in their covered wagon (or BMW) because the wheel fell off (or went flat).

o Human vs. the ______________________ – a character battles with a

__________ or a ___________

Tom and Bill are trapped in a haunted house and are scared by dead people; Mary and Sue are paralyzed by the goddess of water because they spilled the bucket pulling it out of the well (spilling the bucket could be considered human vs. technology (humans made wells to conquer water) and/or human vs. nature (water comes from the outside world); the being paralyzed by a goddess is the human vs. supernatural part))

____________ Conflict (intrapersonal) – happens ____________ the character

o Human vs. _________ – a character battles his or her _______________,

__________, or _________

Tom is depressed; Bill is confused; Mary wants to steal lipstick but

knows it’s not right; Sue doesn’t know what decision to make

** Note: In good literature, there is often an _____________ of conflicts. - A fight with a friend (external: human vs. human) causes regret (internal: human vs.

self). - A kid gets bullied at school (external: human vs. society) and is afraid to walk in the

hallways (internal: human vs. self). - Also note that sickness, though often felt inside the body, is considered external

conflict because it qualifies as human vs. nature. Sickness (external: human vs. nature), though, may cause sadness (internal: human vs. self), so there still may be overlap.

Name: _______________________________________

Conflict and Resolution

Type of Conflict Who’s Involved Conflict(struggle between opposing forces)

Resolution(the way the conflict

was settled)

person versus person(external)

person versus nature(external)

person versus self (internal)

person versus society(external)

Name: ______________________________

Recognizing External and Internal Conflict

Decide which kind of conflict each item describes. Write external, internal, or both. Then, specify which kind of external or internal conflict is being described (internal will always be “person vs. self”). Here are the choices:

external – person vs. personexternal – person vs. natureexternal – person vs. societyinternal – person vs. self

1. Tom and Bob disagreed about where they should take the cat that they found. ________________________________________________________________________

2. Christine struggled to walk through the hot, grainy sand burning her feet and blowing in her face. _______________________________________________________________

3. Serena couldn’t decide what to do that night. Should she do her homework, or should she go to the movies with her friends? ________________________________________

4. In the high winds, the crew was barely able to keep the ship from turning over into the troublesome waters. ______________________________________________________

5. Rick though, “Why did I ever agree to be in chorus? I’ll never have the nerve to sing on stage in front of an audience!” ______________________________________________

6. After Carol Sue’s brother had teased her about being afraid, she had decided to climb the wall. Now she stood at the foot of the wall, wishing she could figure out a way to back out. ________________________________________________________________

7. Bill knew the whole class was angry with him for reminding the teacher about the assignment. At the time, he had though he was doing the right thing. Now he wasn’t sure. ___________________________________________________________________

8. The vicious bear placed herself between the stranger and the cubs.________________________________________________________________________

9. All the way home, Jake felt angry with himself. Why couldn’t he have just been more outgoing at the party? Why was he always so shy? ______________________________

10. Victoria wanted her friends to let the new girl join their club, but no one else agreed. Victoria felt bad for the new girl, but she didn’t know what to do about the problem. ________________________________________________________________________

Point of View

Point of View = the perspective, or vantage point from which a story is told

Point of View Who is telling the story?

Pronoun Clues

1st Person a narrator who is a character IN the story

I, me, my, minewe, our, ours

1st Person EXAMPLE: As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just

too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.

3rd Person A narrator who is OUTSIDE the story, an observer

he, him, hisshe, her, hersthey, them, their, theirsIt, its

3rd Person EXAMPLE: As she walked up the hill, the girl realized that the atmosphere was just too

quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always

singing from the top of the maple tree. The girl thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again, it was gone. Still, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her like a cloud over the sun.

3 basic points of view:- Omniscient- Limited-omniscient- Objective (camera)

Point of View

Point of View = the ________________________, or

_______________________ from which a story is told

Point of View Who is telling the story?

Pronoun Clues

1st Persona narrator who is a ________________________________________________ the story

___ _____ _____ ________

_____ ______ _________

1st Person EXAMPLE:

As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.

3rd Person A narrator who is _________________ the story, an ______________________

_____ ______ ______

_____ ______ ______

________ ________

________ ________

____ _____

3rd Person EXAMPLE: As she walked up the hill, the girl realized that the atmosphere was just too

quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. The girl thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again, it was gone. Still, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her like a cloud over the sun.

The Three Basic Types of Third Person Point of View

Point of view is the vantage from which the story is told. In the first-person point of view, the story is told by one of the characters: “I’m not reading that stupid book.” In the third-person point of view, the story is told by someone outside the story: “He felt justified in refusing to read. After all, he couldn’t read that book. It was too hard.” There are three basic third-person points of view:

1. Omniscient is a viewpoint that allows the narrator to relate to the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.

(e.g., Carla was so excited. Derrick thought to himself, Yippee! Tania thought the get-together was fun. Tony couldn’t stop thinking about how he was having a blast.)

I’m so excited!I’m

having a blast!

This is fun!Yippee!

I’m so excited!

2. Limited omniscient allows the narrator to relate the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

(e.g., Carla was so excited. She noticed that Derrick was dancing and wondered if he was having a good time. Carla wanted to talk to Tania to see what she thought of the get-together. Carla saw that Tony was smiling a lot, and it made her feel good that so many people seemed to be having a good time.)

3. Camera view (Objective view) is seeing and recording the action from a neutral or unemotional point of view (no thoughts or emotions are shared).

(e.g., Carla was bright-eyed, looking around the room. Derrick was dancing. Tania was bopping her head to the music. Tony was smiling a lot.)

The Three Basic Types of Third Person Point of View

Point of view is the vantage from which the story is told.

In the first-person point of view, the story is told by one of the characters: “I’m not reading that stupid book.”

In the third-person point of view, the story is told by someone outside the story: “He felt justified in refusing to read. After all, he couldn’t read that book. It was too hard.”

There are three basic third-person points of view:

I’m so excited!

This is fun!Yippee!

1. Omniscient is a viewpoint that allows the narrator to relate to the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.

(e.g., Carla was so excited. Derrick thought to himself, Yippee! Tania thought the get-together was fun. Tony couldn’t stop thinking about how he was having a blast.)

2. Limited omniscient allows the narrator to relate the thoughts and feelings of only one character.

(e.g., Carla was so excited. She noticed that Derrick was dancing and wondered if he was having a good time. Carla wanted to talk to Tania to see what she thought of the get-together. Carla saw that Tony was smiling a lot, and it made her feel good that so many people seemed to be having a good time.)

I’m having a

blast!

I’m so excited!

3. Camera view (Objective view) is seeing and recording the action from a neutral or unemotional point of view (no thoughts or emotions are shared).

(e.g., Carla was bright-eyed, looking around the room. Derrick was dancing. Tania was bopping her head to the music. Tony was smiling a lot.)

Name: ____________________________________Point of View Practice

Part A: Identify the point of view of each item by writing either FIRST (1st) or THIRD (3rd) on the line.

1. I know I shouldn’t blame myself. __________________2. He had to catch his breath before continuing. __________________3. The sun was in her eyes. __________________4. The rabbit was surrounded by wolves. __________________5. I found some books in the trash can over there. __________________6. He wondered what he should buy. __________________7. As I walked through the mall, I smelled the pretzels. __________________8. I just want to go home. __________________9. When Sara got to school, she realized she forgot her lunch. __________________10. Give me back my iPod. __________________

Part B: Identify each description by writing the answer on the line. Choose from the following list (you may use the abbreviations in parentheses):

first person (1) third person omniscient (3 omni) third person limited omniscient (3 lim omni) third person camera view/objective (3 cam)

11. The narrator describes multiple characters’ private thoughts and emotions. __________________

12. A character tells the story from his or her point of view. __________________13. The narrator describes only one person’s private thoughts

and emotions. __________________14. The pronoun I is used outside of quotation marks. __________________15. The pronouns me, my, and mine are used outside of quotation marks._______________ 16. The narrator describes characters from observation only; no

private thoughts or emotions are shared. __________________

17. A story has four characters: Bob, Sue, Bill, and Mary. The narrator only shares Bill’s thoughts and emotions. __________________

18. A story has two characters: Tom and Janet. The narrator shares both of their thoughts and emotions. __________________

19. A story has five characters: Amy, Bridget, Clara, Denise, and Elaine. Clara is the narrator. __________________

20. A story has three characters: Fred, George, and Harold. The narrator does not share anyone’s private thoughts and emotions. __________________

The Three Little Pigs

There was an old sow with three little pigs, and as she had not enough to keep them, she sent them out to seek their fortune. The first that went off met a man with a bundle of straw, and said to him: "Please, man, give me that straw to build me a house."

Which the man did, and the little pig built a house with it. Presently came along a wolf, and knocked at the door, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

To which the pig answered: "No, not by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

The wolf then answered to that: "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig.

The second little pig met a man with a bundle of sticks, and said: "Please, man, give me those sticks to build a house."

Which the man did, and the pig built his house. Then along came the wolf, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, not by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

"Then I'll puff, and I'll huff, and I'll blow your house in."

So he huffed, and he puffed, and he puffed, and he huffed, and at last he blew the house down, and he ate up the little pig.

The third little pig met a man with a load of bricks, and said: "Please, man, give me those bricks to build a house with."

So the man gave him the bricks, and he built his house with them. So the wolf came, as he did to the other little pigs, and said: "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

"No, not by the hair of my chiny chin chin."

"Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

Well, he huffed, and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed, and he puffed and huffed; but he could not get the house down. When he found that he could not, with all his huffing and puffing, blow the house down, he said: "Little pig, I know where there is a nice field of turnips."

"Where?" said the little pig.

"Oh, in Mr. Smith's Home-field, and if you will be ready tomorrow morning I will call for you, and we will go together, and get some for dinner."

"Very well," said the little pig, "I will be ready. What time do you mean to go?"

"Oh, at six o'clock."

Well, the little pig got up at five, and got the turnips before the wolf came (which he did about six) and who said: "Little Pig, are you ready?"

The little pig said: "Ready! I have been and come back again, and got a nice potful for dinner."

The wolf felt very angry at this, but thought that he would be up to the little pig somehow or

other, so he said: "Little pig, I know where there is a nice apple-tree."

"Where?" said the pig.

"Down at Merry-garden," replied the wolf, "and if you will not deceive me I will come for you, at five o'clock tomorrow and get some apples."

Well, the little pig bustled up the next morning at four o'clock, and went off for the apples, hoping to get back before the wolf came; but he had further to go, and had to climb the tree, so that just as he was coming down from it, he saw the wolf coming, which, as you may suppose, frightened him very much. When the wolf came up he said: "Little pig, what! are you here before me? Are they nice apples?"

"Yes, very," said the little pig. "I will throw you down one."

And he threw it so far, that, while the wolf was gone to pick it up, the little pig jumped down and ran home. The next day the wolf came again, and said to the little pig: "Little pig, there is a fair at Shanklin this afternoon, will you go?"

"Oh yes," said the pig, "I will go; what time shall you be ready?"

"At three," said the wolf. So the little pig went off before the time as usual, and got to the fair, and bought a butterchurn, which he was going home with, when he saw the wolf coming. Then he could not tell what to do. So he got into the churn to hide, and by so doing turned it round, and it rolled down the hill with the pig in it, which frightened the wolf so much, that he ran home without going to the fair. He went to the little pig's house, and told him how frightened he had been by a great round thing which came down the hill past him.

Then the little pig said: "Hah, I frightened you, then. I had been to the fair and bought a butterchurn, and when I saw you, I got into it, and rolled down the hill."

Then the wolf was very angry indeed, and declared he would eat up the little pig, and that he would go down the chimney after him. When the little pig saw what he was about, he hung on the pot full of water, and made up a blazing fire, and, just as the wolf was coming down, took off the cover, and in fell the wolf; so the little pig put on the cover again in an instant, boiled him up, and ate him for supper, and lived happily ever after.

http://www.familybooksandcds.com/the-three-little-pigs.html

The Wolf’s Side: Defendant Testifies

YOUR TOWN PA (AP) -- A. Wolf took the stand today in his own defense. This shocked and stunned the media who predicted that he would not testify in the brutal double murder trial. A. Wolf is accused of killing (and eating) The First Little Pig, and The Second Little Pig. This criminal trial is expected to be followed by a civil trial to be brought by the surviving Third Little Pig. The case has been characterized as a media circus.

His testimony is transcribed below:

"Everybody knows the story of the Three Little Pigs. Or at least they think they do. But I'll let you in on a little secret. Nobody knows the real story, because nobody has ever heard my side of the story. I'm Alexander T. Wolf. You can call me Al. I don't know how this whole Big Bad Wolf thing got started, but it's all wrong.

Maybe it's because of our diet. Hey, it's not my fault wolves eat cute little animals like bunnies and sheep and pigs. That's just the way we are. If cheeseburgers were cute, folks would probably think you were Big and Bad too. But like I was saying, the whole big bad wolf thing is all wrong. The real story is about a sneeze and a cup of sugar.

THIS IS THE REAL STORY.

Way back in Once Upon a Time time, I was making a birthday cake for my dear old granny. I had a terrible sneezing cold. I ran out of sugar. So I walked down the street to ask my neighbor for a cup of sugar. Now this neighbor was a pig. And he wasn't too bright either. He had built his whole house out of straw. Can you believe it? I mean who in his right mind would build a house of straw? So of course the minute I knocked on the door, it fell right in. I didn't want to just walk into someone else's house. So I called, "Little Pig, Little Pig, are you in?" No answer. I was just about to go home without the cup of sugar for my dear old granny's birthday cake.

That's when my nose started to itch. I felt a sneeze coming on. Well I huffed. And I snuffed. And I sneezed a great sneeze.

And you know what? The whole darn straw house fell down. And right in the middle of the pile of straw was the First Little Pig - dead as a doornail. He had been home the whole time. It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw. So I ate it up. Think of it as a cheeseburger just lying there. I was feeling a little better. But I still didn't have my cup of sugar. So I went to the next neighbor's house. This neighbor was the First Little Pig's brother. He was a little smarter, but not much. He has built his house of sticks. I rang the bell on the stick house. Nobody answered. I called, "Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" He yelled back."Go away wolf. You can't come in. I'm shaving the hairs on my chinny chin chin."

I had just grabbed the doorknob when I felt another sneeze coming on. I huffed. And I snuffed. And I tried to cover my mouth, but I sneezed a great sneeze.

And you are not going to believe this, but the guy's house fell down just like his brother's. When the dust cleared, there was the Second Little Pig - dead as a doornail. Wolf's honor. Now you know food will spoil if you just leave it out in the

open. So I did the only thing there was to do. I had dinner again. Think of it as a second helping. I was getting awfully full. But my cold was feeling a little better. And I still didn't have that cup of sugar for my dear old granny's birthday cake. So I went to the next house. This guy was the First and Second Little Pig's brother. He must have been the brains of the family. He had built his house of bricks. I knocked on the brick house. No answer. I called, "Mr. Pig, Mr. Pig, are you in?" And do you know what that rude little porker answered? "Get out of here, Wolf. Don't bother me again." Talk about impolite! He probably had a whole sackful of sugar. And he wouldn't give me even one little cup for my dear sweet old granny's birthday cake. What a pig!

I was just about to go home and maybe make a nice birthday card instead of a cake, when I felt my cold coming on. I huffed And I snuffed. And I sneezed once again.

Then the Third Little Pig yelled, "And your old granny can sit on a pin!" Now I'm usually a pretty calm fellow. But when somebody talks about my granny like that, I go a Little crazy. When the cops drove up, of course I was trying to break down this Pig's door. And the whole time I was huffing and puffing and sneezing and making a real scene.

The rest as they say is history.

The news reporters found out about the two pigs I had for dinner. They figured a sick guy going to borrow a cup of sugar didn't sound very exciting.

So they jazzed up the story with all of that "Huff and puff and blow your house down"

And they made me the Big Bad Wolf. That's it. The real story. I was framed. "

http://www.shol.com/agita/wolfside.htm

Differences in Perspective between“The Three Little Pigs” and “The Wolf’s Side”

Everyone calls the wolf Big and Bad for eating cute animals like pigs. The wolf doesn’t think this is fair since he can’t change a wolf’s diet.

The wolf says he was making a birthday cake for his grandma; the pigs didn’t know this. He says he was going door to door asking for a cup of sugar.

At the first pig’s house, the wolf says that he sneezed, which caused the house to fall down on top of the pig; the pig was already dead, so the wolf decided to eat him.

At the second pig’s house, the wolf says that the same thing happened: the wolf sneezed and caused the house to fall on top of the pig and kill the pig before the wolf got to him.

At the third pig’s house, the wolf got some attitude from the pig, so the

wolf tried to break down the door. The cops came.

The wolf says he was just a sick guy going to borrow a cup of sugar, but the media didn’t think it was as exciting as being the Big Bad Wolf who murders helpless little pigs.

Name: __________________________________

Point of View Writing Exercise

Select a setting. Then, write at least two sentences in first-person point of view (using first-person pronouns, such as I, me, and my) from each perspective listed.

Remember to use 1st person to show how where you are and who you are affects how you perceive things.

Describe what you experience in the place (see, hear, smell, taste, touch), how you feel emotionally, and what you think about the things happening to you and around you.

Some simple examples are given for the first setting.

Setting Perspectives

A school’s

A studento e.g., I’m hungry. I smell cheesy pizza. I can’t wait to eat!

The cashier

lunch room o e.g., I’m tired. My feet hurt from standing all day. The principal

o e.g., I wish these kids would settle down. All I hear is noise. I’m going to start assigning seats tomorrow.

A tableo e.g., Ouch! Someone is sat down on me very roughly. Eeww!

Someone spilled milk on me! All these greasy fingerprints are going to ruin my complexion.

A piece of pizzao e.g., Oh no! Some kid just picked me up and creased my

cheese. Looks like I’m going to be a gonner!

A library a student the media specialist (librarian) a book a shelf the computer catalogue

The gym a student the teacher a basket ball the floor the locker room

The music room a student the teacher an instrument (such as a piano or a violin) sheet music the walls

Outerspace an alien a space explorer the planet being explored the space ship someone at home watching the video footage

A food fight in a student throwing food the custodian

the cafeteria a food being thrown the principal a student who was hit in the face with the food

A rock concert the performer a member of the audience a guard one of the instruments the amplifiers

A messy teen’s bedroom

the teen the mother, father, or guardian the carpet the ceiling fan the mirror

A zoo

the monkey a young child watching the monkey and elderly man who’s visited the monkey each weekend for many

years the tire swing the zoo keeper

What’s the message in each picture?1.

2.

3.

Theme, Motif, and Symbol

1. What is theme?

The controlling idea or central insight of a story

It is a unifying generalization about life or remark about the human condition

Theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story

Examples of half themes in Hamlet (in order to be complete themes, they would need a predicate):

o The complexity of actiono The mystery of death

Examples of half themes turned into whole themes (Theme must be a statement about the subject.):

half-theme whole themeo motherhood Motherhood sometimes has more

frustrations than rewards.

o loyalty Loyalty to country often inspires heroic self-sacrifice.

Theme is usually broader than a moral or life lesson or message

o Example of a moral from “The Fox and the Crow”: Do not trust flatterers.

o Example of a contrived theme in “The Fox and the Crow”: Flattery can sometimes get a person what he or she wants and can leave the victim feeling duped.

3. What is motif?

Recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help develop a text’s major themes

Example of motif in Hamlet:o Ears and hearing

4. What are symbols?

Objects , characters, figures, and colors used to represent ideas or concepts

A literary symbol is something that means more than what it is.

Example of a symbol in Hamlet:o Yorick’s skull

Other examples of symbol:o A journey may symbolize life’s course.o A lion may symbolize courage.o Water may represent cleanliness and renewal.o A red rose can represent love. o A railway station can symbolize a decision juncture in a

person’s life.

For detailed explanations of theme, motif, and symbol and their uses in Hamlet, visit http://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/hamlet/themes.html

For an in-depth look at theme and symbol, read this book: Arp, Thomas R., and Greg Johnson. Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. 11th Ed. Florence, KY: Wadsworth, 2011. Print. Name: ___________________________________

Theme, Motif, and Symbol1. What is theme?

The _________________________ or ________________________ of a story

It is a unifying __________________________ about _________ or remark

about the _____________ condition

Theme can be _____________ directly or ________________ by the events and actions in the story

Examples of half themes in Hamlet (in order to be complete themes, they would

need a __________________): the complexity of action; the mystery of death

Examples of half themes turned into whole themes (Theme must be a statement ____________ the _______________.):

half-theme whole theme

o motherhood Motherhood sometimes has more frustrations than rewards.

o loyalty Loyalty to country often inspires heroic self-sacrifice.

Theme is usually ________________ than a moral or life lesson or messageo Example of a moral from “The Fox and the Crow”: Do not trust flatterers.o Example of a contrived theme in “The Fox and the Crow”: Flattery can sometimes get a

person what he or she wants and can leave the victim feeling duped. 2. What is motif?

__________________ structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help

_____________ a text’s major themes

Example of motif in Hamlet: Ears and hearing

3. What are symbols? ______________ , characters, figures, and colors used to ______________ ideas

or concepts

A literary symbol is something that means __________ than what it is. Example of a symbol in Hamlet: Yorick’s skull Other examples of symbol:

o A _______________ may symbolize _____________________.

o A _______ may symbolize ______________.

o ____________ may represent _________________ and _____________.

o A red ________ can represent ________.

Theme WHAT is it?

A story’s theme is its central idea, message, or insight into life.

Occasionally , the author states the theme directly.

More often , however, the theme is implied.

The theme is not expressed in a single word.

HOW do I figure it out? As you read, look at

o what the characters say and do

o where the story takes place

o objects that seem important to help you determine the theme

The theme is revealed by

o the way characters change in a story

o conflicts in the story

o statements made by the narrator or characters

Understanding theme involves understanding

o Plot

o Characters

o Setting

How can I be sure that my idea of the theme is CORRECT? Is the theme supported by evidence from the work itself?

Are all the author’s choices of plot, character, conflict, and tone controlled by this theme?

The Intrudersfrom “The Interlopers”

by Saki

Part I

1. In a forest somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains, a man stood one winter night watching and listening, as though he waited for some beast of the woods to come within his range of sight. Hoping to do some hunting, Richard patrolled the dark forest, but what he was actually waiting for was a human trespasser.

2. The forest lands that belonged to Richard had many animals on it that were good for hunting. There was a narrow strip of woodland on the border of Richard’s land that was steep, mountainous, and full of thick trees. A famous law suit, in the days of Richard’s grandfather, had taken it away from a selfish neighboring family who had been owning that part of the land

illegally. This neighboring family did not follow the order of the Courts, and a long series of hunting fights had caused the two families to develop a bitter relationship with each other for three generations.

3. As head of his family, Richard hated the head of the other family, George. The fight between the families might have died down if the personal hatred of the two men had not stood in the way, but in any case, Richard had rounded up his forest men to watch the dark woods, not really for animals, but to keep a look-out for the roaming thieves whom he suspected of crossing the land boundary. That night, there was definitely a disturbing element in the forest, and Richard could guess where, why, and from whom the intrusion came.

Part II

4. Richard separated himself from his forest-men, and he wandered far down the steep slopes, looking through the tree trunks and listening through the whispering of the wind for any glimpse of the intruders. Richard wished most that he could come across George face to face, man to man, on this wild night, in this dark, lonely spot, with no witnesses around. And as he stepped around the trunk of a huge tree, he soon found himself staring at George, eye to eye.

5. The two enemies stood glaring at one another for a long silent moment. Each had a rifle in his hand, each had hate in his heart and murder on his mind. The chance had come to finally live out the bitterness of a lifetime. But a man who had been taught to restrain himself cannot easily murder his neighbor in cold blood without speaking a word. Before anything was said or done, Nature’s own violence overwhelmed them both.

6. A fierce shriek of the storm had been followed by a splitting crash over their heads, and before they could leap aside, a bunch of falling trees had thundered down on them. Richard found himself stretched out on the ground, one arm numb beneath him and the other held helplessly in a tight tangle of branches, while both legs were pinned beneath the fallen trees. His heavy hunting boots had saved his feet from being crushed to pieces, but he was still pinned beneath the trees and would not be able to move until someone came to help him.

7. The falling twig had slashed the skin of his face, and he had to wink away some drops of blood from his eyelashes before he could take in a general view of the disaster. At his side, almost close enough to touch him, lay George, alive and struggling but also helpless himself, pinned beneath the trees. All around them lay a thick wreckage of splintered branches and broken twigs.

Part III

8. Richard was relieved at being alive but annoyed at his current problem of being trapped with his enemy. George, who was blinded with the blood that trickled across his eyes, stopped his struggling for a moment to look at Richard, and then he gave a short, snarling laugh.

“So, you’re not killed, as you should be, but you’re caught, anyway,” he cried. “Caught for sure. What a joke! Richard is trapped in his own forest. There’s real justice for you!”

And he laughed again, meanly. “I’m caught in my own forest-land,” responded Richard. “When my

men come to release us you will wish, perhaps, that you were in a better situation than caught hunting on a neighbor’s land. Shame on you!”

9. George was silent for a moment; then he answered quietly:“Are you sure that your men will find you first? I have men, too, in the

forest tonight, close behind me, and THEY will be here first and do the releasing. When they drag me out from under these trees, it won’t take much clumsiness on their part to roll this mass of trunk right over on top of you. Your men will find you dead under a fallen tree trunk. I will make sure I send my sympathies to your family.”

“Well,” Richard said fiercely, “my men had orders to follow me in ten minutes time, seven of which must have gone by already, and when they get me out, I will remember to do to you what you would have done to me. Except I won’t be sending your family any sympathy of mine.”

“Good,” snarled George, “good. We shall fight this quarrel out to the death, you and I and our forest-men, with no intruders to come between us. Death to you, Richard!”

“The same to you, George, forest-thief!”10. Both men spoke with the bitterness of possible defeat that was

before them, for each knew that it might be a long time before his forest-men would find him; it was only a matter of chance whose men would show up first.

Both had now given up the useless struggle to free themselves from the mass of wood that held them down; Richard was only able to free one of his arms so that he could reach his water bottle from his belt loop. Even when he had accomplished this, it was a long time before he could even unscrew the cap or to get any of the liquid down his throat. The water was bringing the wounded Richard back to life a bit, and he looked across with pity to where his enemy lay.

Part IV

11. “Could you reach this water bottle if I threw it over to you?” asked Richard suddenly. “There is good water in it, and you might as well be as comfortable as you can. Let us drink it together, even if one of us dies tonight.”

“No, I can hardly see anything; there is so much blood caked around my eyes,” said George, “and in any case I don’t drink anything with an enemy.”

Richard was silent for a few moments, and he lay listening to the weary screeching of the wind. An idea was slowly forming and growing in his brain, an idea that gained strength every time he looked across at the man who was fighting the losing fight with pain and exhaustion. In the pain and weakness that Richard himself was feeling, the old fierce hatred seemed to be dying down.

12. “Neighbor,” Richard said, “do as you please if your men come first. But as for me, I’ve changed my mind. If my men are the first to come, you shall be the first to be helped, as though you were my guest. We have fought our entire lives over this stupid strip of forest. Lying here tonight, I’ve come to think that we’ve been fools. There are better things in life than winning a piece of land. Neighbor, if you will help me bury our old fight, I will ask you to be my friend.”

George was silent for such a long time that Richard thought that maybe he had fainted from the pain of his injuries. Finally, George spoke slowly and in jerks.

13. “Just imagine how the whole town would stare at us if we rode into the market-square together. No one who is still alive can remember seeing anyone from our families talking to one another in friendship. And just imagine the peace that there would be among the people if we ended our fighting tonight. There would be no one to interfere with our new friendship, no one to intrude from the outside. I would never hunt on your land, except when you invited me as a guest, and you would come and hunt with me on my land, where the geese are. In all the countryside, there would be none that would stop us if we made a decision here and now to make peace. I never thought to have wanted to do anything else than hate you all my life, but I think I have changed my mind about that, this last half-hour. And you offered me your water bottle…Richard, I will be your friend.”

Part V

14. For a while, both men were silent, thinking about the wonderful changes that this dramatic reconciliation would bring about. In the cold, gloomy forest, with the wind howling all around, they waited for the help that they most desperately needed.

As the wind died down for a moment, Richard broke the silence.“Let’s shout for help,” he said. “Our voices might carry to where our

men are.”“They won’t carry that far through the trees,” said George, “but we can

try. Together, then.”The two of them raised their voices in a drawn-out hunting call. “Together again,” said Richard a few minutes later, after listening for

an answer but hearing nothing.

“I heard nothing but the howling wind,” said George with a hoarse voice.

15. There was silence again for some minutes, and then Richard gave a joyful cry.

“I can see figures coming through the wood. They are coming down the hillside!”

Both men raised their voices as loud as they could. “They hear us! They’ve stopped. Now they see us. They’re running

down the hill towards us,” cried Richard. “How many of them are there?” asked George. “I can’t see clearly,” said Richard, “nine or ten.”“Then they are yours,” said George. “I had only seven out with me.”“They are running as fast as they can!” said Richard gladly. “Are they your men?” asked George. “Are they your men?” he

repeated impatiently when Ulrich did not answer.16. “No,” said Richard with a laugh, the laugh of a man trapped by

fear. “Who are they?” asked George quickly, straining his eyes to see what

Richard would gladly not have seen. “Wolves.”

Directions for Team Discussion of Theme in “The Intruders”

(re-write of “The Interlopers”)

You and your teammates will be discussing the theme of the story.

Come up with o a direct statement of the theme o at least two reasons with text support to

support what you think

Delegate the following roles: 1. Recorder to record team’s thoughts2. Reporter A to share team’s statement of theme3. Reporter B to share reasons and text support

If you have more members, Reporter C will share one of the reasons with text support.

Points to Guide Discussion of “The Interlopers”

Discuss Plot:

o Analyze cause and effect.o Identify the main conflict and minor conflicts.

o Example: The main conflict, Ulrich's and Georg's hatred for one

another, puts them in a bind. Their misfortune causes them to realize their foolishness. The approaching wolves don't care.

Analyze Character Motivation:

o Determine if characters are dynamic or static.o Look for evidence regarding character motives.o Evaluate the characters' personality.

o Example: Ulrich and Georg are motivated by hatred initially. Their

hatred softens and they become motivated by love. Their misfortune matures them quickly.

Visualize Setting:

o Evaluate what effect the setting has on the characters and on the mood of the story.

o Example: The harsh setting reflects the harsh feelings of the two

men. It forces each man's character change and each man's impending doom.

Recognize Theme:o Note any sentences or sections that strike your fancy.o Observe how characters change and what they learn.o Look at the title.

Adapted from http://www.brighthub.com/education/k12/articles/24132.aspx#ixzz0WlJlkZU2

Name: ___________________________________ Date: ______________ Period: ____

Theme Analysis of “The Intruders”

Statement of Theme: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reason #1 and Text Support: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reason #2 and Text Support: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Reason #3 and Text Support: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: __________________________________

Theme, Motif, and Symbolism Practice

Label each of the following with one of these letters (corresponding terms are in parentheses):

T (theme) M (motif) S (symbol)

1. Objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent ideas or concepts _______

2. The controlling idea or central insight of a story _______

3. Means more than what it is _______

4. Recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help

develop a text’s major themes _______

5. It is a unifying generalization about life or remark about the human condition _______

Read the following excerpts from “Paul’s Case” by Willa Cather, and answer the questions below.

6. He wore…a red carnation in his jacket’s buttonhole….When the weather was warm thegirls made lemonade, which was always brought out in a red-glass pitcher….He came out of the room in his red robe….He remembered the old woman from whom he had bought the red flowers….The carnations in his coat were drooping with cold, he noticed; all their red glory over.

Based on the passage above, what would be a logical motif?

a. Cold weatherb. Lemonade and summertimec. The color red and flowersd. The glass pitcher

7. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 6? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

8. Based on the passage and your response to question 6 regarding one of the story’s motifs, what would be a logical subject of theme (this is a half-theme, where only the subject is named instead of the entire statement(s))?

a. Having a frozen personalityb. Being sweet and sunny c. Passion for living an enjoyable, cultured life

d. Transparent usefulness in life

9. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 8? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Read the following excerpt from “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, and answer the questions below.

10. “Maggie can’t appreciate these quilts!” Dee said. “She’d probably be backward enoughto put them to everyday use.”

“I reckon she would,” I said. “Goodness knows I been saving ‘em, for long enough with nobody using ‘em. I hope she will!” I didn’t want to bring up how I had offered Dee a quilt when she went away to college. Then she had told me they were old-fashioned, out of style.

“But they’re priceless!” she was saying now, furiously; for she has a temper. “Maggie would put them on the bed and in five years they’d be in rags. Less than that!”

She can always make some more,” I said. “Maggie knows how to quilt.”Dee looked at me with hatred. “You just will not understand. The point is these quilts,

these quilts!” “Well,” I said, stumped. “What would you do with them?”“Hang them,” she said. As if that was the only thing you could do with quilts…. “You

just don’t understand,” she said, as Maggie and I came out to the car. “What don’t I understand?” I wanted to know. “Your heritage,” she said.

Based on the passage above, what would be a logical statement of theme?

a. A person’s heritage can only be remembered by displaying items, like hanging a quilt.

b. It’s important to know how to quilt in case you need to stay warm. c. The narrator has two daughters, Maggie and Dee. Dee wants a quilt that the

narrator is going to give to Maggie. d. One’s true heritage is something he or she holds within the heart and lives out in

real life, not something that is simply displayed on a wall just because it’s a trendy thing to do.

11. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 10? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

12. Based on the passage from question 10, what would be a logical explanation of how the quilt is a literary symbol?

a. The quilt symbolizes the heritage of this family and represents where they’ve come from and the people who have come before them.

b. The quilt symbolizes Dee’s temper and represents the warmth that it provides as well as the hatred that it causes.

c. The quilt symbolizes Maggie’s talent with making quilts and represents the art of home-made mementos.

d. The quilt symbolizes fashion and represents the stylish trends of hanging quilts on the wall like art.

13. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 12? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Read the following excerpt from “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, and answer the questions below.

14. “Will you look at this sailboat, please,” say Flyboy, pointing to the thing like it was his…. We all start reciting the price tag: “Handcrafted sailboat of fiberglass at one thousand one hundred ninety-five dollars.”….

“This boat for kids, Miss Moore?” say Q.T. “Parents silly to buy something like that just to get all broke up,” say Rosie. “That much money it should last forever,” I figure….“Let’s go in,” Miss Moore say like she got something up her sleeve. Only she don’t lead

the way. So me and Sugar turn the corner to where the entrance is but when we get there I kinda hang back. Not that I’m scared, what’s there to be afraid of, just a toy store. But I feel funny, shame. But what I got to be shamed about? Got as much right to go in as anybody….

Who are these people that spend…$1000 for toy sailboats? What kinda work they do and how they live and how come we ain’t in on it? Where we are is who we are, Miss Moore always pointin out. But it don’t necessarily have to be that way, she always adds then waits for somebody to say that poor people have to wake up and demand their share of the pie and don’t none of us know what kind of pie she talking about in the first darn place.

Based on the passage above, what would be a logical statement of theme?

a. Sometimes people don’t know that there’s a better life beyond the one they are living until they’re pushed outside their comfort zones and challenged to make new opportunities for themselves.

b. Miss Moore is a teacher who wants to open the eyes of her students to see that they can be whoever they want to be.

c. Sometimes toys cost more than they should, and people should be careful about wanting things they can’t afford.

d. Parents don’t need to buy expensive toys for their children because the toys end up broken anyway.

15. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 14? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________

16. Based on the passage from question 14, what would be a logical explanation of how the sailboat is a literary symbol?

a. The sailboat symbolizes life’s opportunity, which is equally available to all people yet seems unfairly more accessible to people who grow up with money.

b. The sailboat symbolizes an expensive toy, which anyone can buy if he or she can afford it.

c. The sailboat symbolizes shame, which some people feel when they go to places they haven’t been before.

d. The sailboat symbolizes handcrafted items, which often take a long time to make and end up costing a lot of money.

17. Why did you choose the answer you did for question 16? ________________________

________________________________________________________________________