Contemporary Fiction & Paired Texts Short Stories and Novel paired with Non-fictional articles

Learning Targets  11.4c: I can analyze themes, motifs, universal characters, and genres.  11.4h: I can explain how author’s purpose is evidenced by an author’s style.  11.3 I can use strategies to understand unfamiliar vocabulary.  11.6d I can identify and support a thesis that focuses on the argument to be addressed.  11.5e: I can analyze two texts addressing the same topic to determine how authors reach similar or different conclusions.

Point of View  1 st person: Narrator is a character within the story (pronouns: I, me, we, us, etc.)  2 nd person: Writer addresses the reader directly (pronouns: you, your, etc.)  3 rd person (pronouns: he, she, it, they, etc.)  3 rd person omniscient: Narrator is all-knowing and is aware of the thoughts of all characters  3 rd person limited: Story is told through the eyes of one character only

Denotation vs. Connotation  Denotation: The dictionary definition of a word  Note: All words have a denotation and connotation  Connotation: The emotional connection or feeling of a word  Positive, negative, or neutral Ex) I ride to school in my limousine every day. I ride to school in my SUV every day.

Imagery  Descriptive language that paints a pictures in the reader’s mind  Visual  Auditory  Tactile  Gustatory  Olfactory

Paradox  A statement that seems contradictory, but that reveals an element of truth  Ex) “We had to destroy the village in order to save it.” –US military officer in Vietnam  “What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.” –Author George Bernard Shaw

Characterization  Characterization: the methods a writer uses to reveal character in a fictional work  Direct characterization: describes the physical appearance, or personality of a character using adjectives  Ex) Walter is self-centered and rude.  Indirect characterization: shows a character’s personality through his actions, words, opinions of others, etc.  Ex) Mama picked up her plant and started to cry as she left the apartment.

Theme  The underlying message and ideas that an author presents in his/her work  Why did he or she write the story?

Symbolism  When an object represents a larger concept  Ex) Mama’s plant represents her hopes and dreams for the family.

Tone/Mood  Tone: The author’s attitude towards his or her work as shown through his/her word choice, details presented, and style.  Ex) Ironic, Critical, Nostalgic, etc.  Mood: The effect of the author’s words on the reader.  Ex) Scary, Disturbing, Inspirational

Author’s Purpose  Why the author wrote this piece and what he/she hopes to achieve (can be multiple purposes)  To Entertain  To Inform  To Persuade

Thesis statement  One sentence statement which identifies the writer’s opinion (claim) and reasons to support it Ex) Students should be educated about career options while they are in high school so that they can be more successful after graduation. Evidence/Support  Statistics or details that support the writer’s argument (thesis statement)  Can be a direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary  If it comes from an outside source, cite it with MLA format