Short Stories

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Short Stories
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Characteristics of Short Stories

• Limited in length
• Limited to one main event and the development of
  one character
• Ex
• Napoleon Dynomite vs. Breakfast Club

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Plot

• Sequence of incidents or actions in a story.
  Whatever the characters do, or whatever happens
  to them, constitutes plot.
• Finding Nemo Plot
• http//www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/course/cours
  e1/unit/shortstory.shtml

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Plot

• The most important element in plot is conflict.
• External or internal conflict
• A story often ends when conflict is resolved but
  this is not always the case

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Plot Structure
Plot is the literary element that describes the
structure of a story. It shows the a causal
arrangement of events and actions within a story.
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Types of Linear Plots

• Plots can be told in

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Pyramid Plot Structure

• The most basic and traditional form of plot is
  pyramid-shaped.
• This structure has been described in more
  detail by Aristotle and by Gustav Freytag.

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Aristotles Unified Plot
The basic triangle-shaped plot structure was
described by Aristotle in 350 BCE. Aristotle used
the beginning, middle, and end structure to
describe a story that moved along a linear path,
following a chain of cause and effect as it works
toward the solution of a conflict or crisis.
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Freytags Plot Structure
Freytag modified Aristotles system by adding a
rising action (or complication) and a falling
action to the structure. Freytag used the
five-part design shown above to describe a
storys plot.
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Modified Plot Structure
Freytags Pyramid is often modified so that it
extends slightly before and after the primary
rising and falling action. You might think of
this part of the chart as similar to the warm-up
and cool-down for the story.
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Plot Components
Climax the turning point, the most intense
momenteither mentally or in action
Rising Action the series of conflicts and crisis
in the story that lead to the climax
Falling Action all of the action which follows
the climax
Exposition the start of the story, the
situation before the action starts
Resolution the conclusion, the tying together of
all of the threads
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Conflict

• Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two
  forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no
  plot.

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Types of Conflict
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Leiningen Versus the Ants

• Suspense in the story will result from a person
  in conflict in nature.

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Neighbor Rosicky Characterizations

• How do you arrive to an opinion about a person
  you dont know very well?

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List the words that come to mind for the
following series of photos(Dont think about
it to much, just your gut reaction)
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Stereotyping

• What can appearance reveal about a person?
• Would it help you if you could know the persons
  thoughts?
• This is how you establish character in fiction.
• Pay attention to how Rosickys character is
  revealed.

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Neighbor Rosicky Characterization

• We create opinions based on
• The way someone looks
• Someones dress
• Someones background
• Stereotypes
• Pay attention to the first impressions we get
  from Rosicky, and how these evolve.

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Symbolism

• A symbol is anything that hints at something
  else, usually something abstract, such as an idea
  or belief. A literary symbol is an object, a
  person, a situation, or an action that has a
  literal meaning in a story but suggests or
  represents other meanings.

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General Symbol?

• Define
• Ex

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General Symbolism

• A general symbol is universal in its meaning.
  Even if the symbol were removed from a work of
  literature, it would still suggest a larger
  meaning.
• Ex While the sea symbolizes the universal voyage
  from life to death in The Odyssey, it retains
  this association independent from literature. The
  "sea" is a general symbol.
• Ex In poetry, a "rose" often is not only a
  flower, but also a general symbol for romantic
  love.

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Specific Symbolism

• A specific symbol is not universal in its
  meaning. It acquires a specific meaning based on
  how it relates to the content of a novel, poem,
  etc. The symbol's significance exists only within
  the context created by the author.
• Ex A hunting cap in The Catcher in the Rye has
  no universal meaning, but within the novel it is
  worn backwards and symbolizes a looking back at
  childhood.
• Ex A pair of eyes on a billboard in the Great
  Gatsby has no universal meaning, but within the
  story symbolizes the eyes of God watching
  humanity.
• Tips about Symbols
• The story itself must furnish a clue that a
  detail is to be taken symbolically. Symbols
  nearly always signal their existence by emphasis,
  repetition, or position.
• The meaning of a literary symbol must be
  established and supported by the entire context
  of

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Tips about Symbols

• To be called a symbol, an item must suggest a
  meaning different in kind from its literal
  meaning a symbol is something more than its
  class or type.
• A symbol may have more than one meaning. This
  does not mean that the symbol can mean anything
  you want it to because possible meanings are
  always controlled by the context.

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Determining what objects are symbolic

• To identify a symbol, note if an object seems to
• appear repeatedly
• have an unusually vivid quality
• be described with language conveying much
  emphasis
• have more significance than its literal reality
  would suggest

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Determine symbolic meanings

• Carefully examine how the symbol functions in
  relation to the story. Ask yourself what idea is
  represented by the symbol.

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Classify the Symbols

• Classification may reveal opposite relationships,
  such as symbols of good and evil, life and death.
  Or symbols may fall into isolated categories,
  such as destruction, innocence, or sexuality.

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Classify the meanings of a symbol

• Determine how much depth a particular symbol has
  and classify its possible meanings. While you may
  focus on only one major symbol, you may be able
  to divide it into two specific meanings and two
  general meanings.

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Remember

• Remember A symbol has a literal meaning in a
  story but suggests or represents other meanings.
• Not all symbolism is obvious often it is subtle
  and indirect.

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Worksheet

• American Beauty Symbolism

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American Beauty Clip

• In the clip American Beauty what kind of
  descriptions are used to describe the plastic
  bag?
• What does the plastic bag mean to the male
  character?
• Based on the description of the plastic bag and
  what the plastic bag appears to mean to the male
  character, what would you predict that the bag
  symbolizes throughout the film?

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Symbolism Reveiw

• General vs. Specific Symbolism

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General Symbol Def.

• A general symbol is universal in its meaning.
  Even if the symbol were removed from a work of
  literature, it would still suggest a larger
  meaning

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Specific Symbolism

• A specific symbol is not universal in its
  meaning. It acquires a specific meaning based on
  how it relates to the content of a novel, poem,
  etc. The symbol's significance exists only within
  the context created by the author.

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Specific Symbolism

• Definition
• Catcher in the Rye Backwards hat means to look
  back on child hood
• Great Gatsby Eyes on a billboard, but within
  the story symbolizes the eyes of God watching
  humanity.
• Odyssey Sea symbolizes the universal voyage from
  life to death.
• Ashes The weather symbolizes the events within
  life dark clouds, sunshine, ect.

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Neighbor Rosicky Symbolism

• The new child of Polly Rudolph
• The cemetery behind Rosickys house
• Rosickys land

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Marigolds Symbolism

• Marigolds
• The stone throwing

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The Gift of the Magi Symbolism

• Read The Gift of the Magi under class links.
• Identify symbols that you see throughout.

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The Gift of the Magi Symbolism

• Identify two symbols in the story and what they
  represent.
• Answer the comprehension questions located on the
  assignment calendar for today.
• When completed print and put in in-bin.

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Marigolds Memories

• Think about the memories that you have that
  others remember differently than you.
• Coming of Age story
• Breakfast Club
• My Girl
• The Wonder Years
• Turning point

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Marigolds Making Inferences About Character

• Consider how they and others you know have
  changed over time.
• In good fiction characters are complex and make
  mistakes.
• As you read Marigolds you should be making
  inferences about Lizabeths character as a young
  person and an adult.

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Marigolds Writing

• Write an essay about childhood mischief in which
  you participated. Was it harmless or cruel? Were
  you influenced by peers? How did you feel then?
  How do you feel now about the experience?
• OR Write an essay about a childhood memory. It
  could be happy or sad memory, but it should be
  one that is vivid to you even now. How did you
  feel then? How do you feel now about the
  experience.
• Due 10/13 (Tuesday)

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The Beginning of Greif Symbols

• Kevin shaves head

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The Beginning of Grief Writing

• In a brief essay (approximately 200-250 words),
  discuss Corporal Punishment. State your position
  and support it with both opinion and fact. You
  may need to research this topic to include facts.

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The Rifles of the Regiment Stock Characters

• Stock characters are characters that tend to be
  types rather than individuals.
• Private Detectives
• Southern Belle
• Girl next door
• Cowboy
• Marine Sergeant

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The Rifles of the Regiment Background

• Weeks after other British troops have been
  evacuated from France during WWII, Colonel
  Heathergalls leads his regiment, the Loyal
  Rifles, across France to the coast. Colonel
  insists all rifles be taken.

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Point of View

• Point of view is simply the vantage point from
  which the story is told.
• Omniscient means all knowing. In this case
  there is no identifiable narrator.
• The omniscient narrator knows all the thoughts
  and feelings of all the characters .

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Omniscient Narrator Example

• Once upon a time there was a girl named
  Cinderellla. Cinderella got her name because she
  was forced to work as a servant and sleep near
  the cinders. Cinderella was treated cruelly by
  her wicked stepmother, who was jealous of the
  girls good looks and sweet temper because her
  own daughters were ugly and mean.

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Limited Third-person point of view

• Story is narrated by someone who stands outside
  the story, but who sees everything from the
  limited vantage point of only one character.
• All attention is focused on one person.
• We do not know much of what other characters
  outside this one are thinking or feeling.

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Limited-Third-Person POV example

• One upon a time there was a girl name Cinderella,
  who was treated cruelly by her stepmother.
  Cinderella often wept bitterly in her ashy
  corner. Nightmares haunted her, and she feared
  that darkened scullery when the rats came out and
  played about her feet. At times, she wondered if
  her goodness would ever be rewarded,

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First-Person point of view

• This is when the writer lets one character tell
  the story.
• This narrator can be a hero or heroine of the
  story, or a minor character is observing the
  action.
• This narrator would speak using I.
• As an audience we only know what the narrator
  reports to us.

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First Person POV example

• I had spent sixteen years sitting in the cinders
  of my kitchen. My stepmother must have hated me,
  because she made me do the dirty work. I could
  not understand the reasons for her feelings, for
  I had always treated her with respect. I slept
  in the ashes, and was tortured by nightmares and
  fear of rats.

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To analyze the POV ask these questions.

• Who is the narrator of the story?
• Is this narrator a character in the story, or
  does the narrator stand outside the story?
• Does the narrator know about all the action and
  characters in the story or is it limited to one
  character?
• How does the point of view affect my reaction to
  the storys characters and events?

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Setting

• Setting time, place of its action.
• Setting includes
• Time of day (evening)
• What surroundings are like (dreary melancholy)
• Setting creates atmosphere in a story

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Contents of the Dead Mans Pocket

• What two settings exists in the story?
• How does Finney set up a contrast between them?
• How does he make you feel about each setting?
• BLOG IT!

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The Rockpile

• The Rockpile is an important symbol in the story.
  It stands for something in itself and for a
  broader meaning as well.
• How does the rock pile emphasize the threatening
  nature of the setting?
• How does it also reveal the helplessness of the
  characters in the story?
• BLOG IT!

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POE DAY!
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Poe Background

• Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American
  author best known for his dark and ominous short
  stories and poems.
• Poe experienced tragedy in his life. He was born
  into poverty his father was an alcoholic who
  left when Edgar was young his mother died of
  tuberculosis his foster mother and his wife
  died he lived and died in poverty.
• Ideas that come to mind regarding The Pit and
  the Pendulum, The Raven, and The Tell-Tale Heart
  may include horror stories, terror, fear, death,
  darkness, murder, obsession, insanity, sadness,
  loss, guilt, torture, and the unknown.

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The Masque of the Red Death

• Atmosphere overall mood or feeling established.
  
• This is often produced by description of setting.
  
• While reading pull out at least 3 lines that
  demonstrate how Poe creates an atmosphere and
  what that atmosphere is within the story.
• Poe Film

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Poe Research

• On Mrs. Fs Webpage
• Class Links for Sites
• Resources for WS

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Point of View

• Point of view is simply the vantage point from
  which the story is told.
• Omniscient means all knowing. In this case
  there is no identifiable narrator.
• The omniscient narrator knows all the thoughts
  and feelings of all the characters .

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Omniscient Narrator Example

• Once upon a time there was a girl named
  Cinderellla. Cinderella got her name because she
  was forced to work as a servant and sleep near
  the cinders. Cinderella was treated cruelly by
  her wicked stepmother, who was jealous of the
  girls good looks and sweet temper because her
  own daughters were ugly and mean.

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Limited Third-person point of view

• Story is narrated by someone who stands outside
  the story, but who sees everything from the
  limited vantage point of only one character.
• All attention is focused on one person.
• We do not know much of what other characters
  outside this one are thinking or feeling.

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Limited-Third-Person POV example

• One upon a time there was a girl name Cinderella,
  who was treated cruelly by her stepmother.
  Cinderella often wept bitterly in her ashy
  corner. Nightmares haunted her, and she feared
  that darkened scullery when the rats came out and
  played about her feet. At times, she wondered if
  her goodness would ever be rewarded,

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First-Person point of view

• This is when the writer lets one character tell
  the story.
• This narrator can be a hero or heroine of the
  story, or a minor character is observing the
  action.
• This narrator would speak using I.
• As an audience we only know what the narrator
  reports to us.

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First Person POV example

• I had spent sixteen years sitting in the cinders
  of my kitchen. My stepmother must have hated me,
  because she made me do the dirty work. I could
  not understand the reasons for her feelings, for
  I had always treated her with respect. I slept
  in the ashes, and was tortured by nightmares and
  fear of rats.

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To analyze the POV ask these questions.

• Who is the narrator of the story?
• Is this narrator a character in the story, or
  does the narrator stand outside the story?
• Does the narrator know about all the action and
  characters in the story or is it limited to one
  character?
• How does the point of view affect my reaction to
  the storys characters and events?

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The Quiet Man

• Omniscient narrator.
• How does this contribute to the story?

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Blues Aint No Mockin Bird Point of View

• 5 minute write
• Describe a parade from the POV of a
  three-year-old.
• Keep in Mind
• Knee level of adult,
• Vocabulary
• Interests ect.

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Blues Aint No Mockin BirdEssential Question

• You should be able to identify and analyze
  characterization and POV in Blues Aint No
  Mockin Bird

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Blues Aint No Mockin Bird Blog

• Class Blog Privacy Rights
• Respond to question _at_ 2 peers.
• Writing a Bill project!

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A Pair of Silk StockingsCharacter Motivation

• The overall aim is for you to analyze character
  and motivation in A Pair of Silk Stockings.
• What is character motivation?
• The reason a character thinks, feels, acts.
• What do you know about court cases and motivation
  of crimes?

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A Pair of Silk Stockings cont.

• Examine the motivation for Mrs. Sommers actions.
  
• Analyze how does third-person point of view
  helps create sympathy toward a person engaged in
  self-centered extravagance?

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Irony

• Verbal Irony
• Examples
• clear as mud
• "as much fun as a root canal.
• Situational Irony - Situational irony results
  from recognizing the oddness or unfairness of a
  given situation, be it positive or negative.
• Examples
• Bill Gates wins a computer contest
• Dramatic Irony
• when the words and actions of the characters of
  a work of literature have a different meaning for
  the reader than they do for the characters.
• Examples The Quiet Man Shawn Kelvin who wants
  to avoid conflict, is a prize fighter. Big Liam
  of course doesnt know this.
• Alanis Morissette Isn't it ironic

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The Bet Irony

• Analyze the Irony of the situation in The Bet.
• Glogster
• Find websites, movie clips, written examples, or
  photo of irony.
• Label these examples as situation, verbal or
  dramatic on your poster.
• Visually appealing, creative.

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Harrison Bergeron

• 5 minute write
• What is the definition of equality?
• Do you think the world would be improved if all
  humans were equal in every way?
• What problems would this cause in school, sports,
  work, and other areas of life?

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Irony Review

• Objective
• Locate the use of both Irony and Satire in
  Harrison Begeron.
• What is Irony?

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Films and Cartoons
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Definition.

• A literary work that ridicules its subject
  through the use of techniques such as
  exaggeration, reversal, incongruity, and/or
  parody in order to make a comment or criticism
  about it.
• I know Kung Fu Clip
• Matrick Original Clip
• Matric Original Clip 2

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Exaggeration

• To enlarge, increase, or represent something
  beyond normal bounds so that it becomes
  ridiculous and its faults can be seen
• Example Princess Fiona fights and successfully
  defeats Robin Hood and all of his Merry Men
  without any help and without any weapons.
• Comment on Society The traditional story of the
  knight rescuing the damsel-in-distress is not a
  realistic depiction of the roles filled by men
  and women in modern society.

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Reversal

• To present the opposite of the normal order
  (e.g., the order of events, hierarchical order).
• Matrix Shrek Reversal
• Example The roles of the hero and the damsel in
  distress have been reversed. In this clip, it is
  Princess Fiona, the rescuee, who fights and
  defeats the foe.

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Incongruity

• To present things that are out of place or are
  absurd in relation to its surroundings.
• Example Princess Fiona uses her ponytail to
  deliver a knockout punch to one of the Merry Men.
  While frozen in a mid-air martial arts kick,
  Princess Fiona pauses to fix her disheveled hair
  before knocking out two of the Merry Men.

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Parody

• To imitate the techniques and/or style of some
  person, place, or thing.
• Example The fight scene is an exaggerated
  imitation of the martial arts style and special
  effects used in movies such as The Matrix and
  Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
• Comment About Society Exampe Current Hollywood
  action movies like The Matrix have become
  ridiculous because they are too focused on
  special effects.

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Criticism about Society?

• The traditional story of the knight rescuing the
  damsel-in-distress is not a realistic depiction
  of the roles filled by men and women in modern
  society.
• Exampe Current Hollywood action movies like The
  Matrix have become ridiculous because they are
  too focused on special effects.

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The Piece of Yarn
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Love
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The Alligator War
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Shaving
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Through the Tunnel
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Chees Daughter
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The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World