Mr. Ortiz

You will need to purchase: The Art of the Short Story: 52 Great Authors, Their Best Short Fiction, and Their Insights on Writing by Dana Gioia and R.S. Gwyn Standard Composition Notebook (to be used as your Reading Journal)

The Assignment 1. Read “The Art of the Short Story” on pages 3-6. You do not need to take notes. 2. Read “The Elements of Short Fiction” on pages and take neat legible notes in your reading journal using standard blue or black pen. 3. Read the assigned stories. 4. For each story note unfamiliar or meaningful words in your journal and provide a relevant definition for each 5. Take handwritten notes over the elements of fiction for each story in your journal. 6. Write a well-developed five-paragraph essay discussing your favorite stories and your least favorite stories.

Pre-reading Material “The Art of the Short Story” (Pages 3-6)  The evolution of the short story as an art form  Do not take notes “The Elements of Short Fiction” (Pages )  Focus on bolded terms and note definitions (be sure that you understand what you are writing down)  Take formal outline style notes

The Elements of Short Fiction I. PLOT 849 II. CHARACTERIZATION 854 III. POINT OF VIEW 857 IV. SETTING 859 V. THEME 860 VI. STYLE 861

The Assigned Stories 1. “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin 2. “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez 3. “A Clean Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemmingway 4. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson 5. “Saboteur” by Ha Jin 6. “The Rocking-Horse Winner” by D.H. Lawrence 7. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London 8. “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant 9. “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe 10. “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

Before Reading Think about the Title  Consider every word in the title.  What associations do you make with each word?  What might it suggest?

First Read Read for Enjoyment Basic Comprehension and Understanding Gain a Holistic Perspective/The Big Picture Note and look up words (denotation and/or connotation)

Second Read Take Notes: Elements of Short Fiction(Explicit & Implicit Details) Exposition (Introduction- Background, Characters, and Setting) Initial or Inciting Incident (Conflict is Introduced) Rising Action (Complications) Climax or Turning Point (A Permanent Change in the Protagonist) Falling Action/Denouement/Conclusion Theme

Note: Since this line represents the specific and chronological events of the plot from beginning to end, nothing should be repeated. For example, if you use a specific plot detail as your initial incident, you cannot use it again as part of the rising action. Similarly, if you use a specific plot detail as part of your rising action, you may cannot use it again as the climax/turning point. Each event only occurs once and therefore cannot be repeated.

Third Read Take additional notes for deeper understanding Read the author biographies (make connections when possible) Be a curious reader- do a little research Think critically about how the parts work together to develop and support the theme

Advice from Former Students Make notes mandatory Be proactive—start reading right away Create a schedule/checklist Post your schedule/have an adult check in with you Read each story 3 times Try to gain something new each time you read Find at least one other person to discuss the stories with (More than 3 students- not productive)

First full day of school You will submit your Reading Journal  Well-organized  Legible  Blue/Black Pen Only  Do not type— typed work will not be accepted for credit Test— Matching and Multiple Choice

Summer Reading Assessment Match Authors to Titles Match Characters to Titles Match Exposition/Setting Details to Titles Match Major Conflicts to Titles Match General Themes to Titles Plot Comprehension and Recall

First Semester and Sophomore Year We will discuss and analyze summer selections We will read other stories from the anthology You will read and discuss other selections in English II and possibly III. I will collect/store your books

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