Modern Prose: Short Stories by Aimee Bender and George Saunders

5/16: DO NOW: SHARE YOUR CONTEMPORARY POETRY REPORT WITH ME NOW (EVEN IF IT’S INCOMPLETE) BEFORE I DECIDE I’M NOT ACCEPTING IT. Boo on you all who said you’d turn it in by midnight and didn’t. I AM taking late points away. I WILL NOT accept it after this moment…..  Grab a handout and a story packet from the front table  Open your notebook to page 26 and label the following pages: 5/16: 26L-26R Prose Notes

5/16: Prose Notes pages 26L-26R What is Prose? Prose means “straightforward speech” Typically less structured and rhythmic than poetry Most novels and short stories are written in prose

Short Stories Will generally exhibit characteristics of fiction, including: Characters Use of diction or dialogue Plot Setting

Post-Modern Literature After WW2 Continues with a break from realistic and/or Romantic literary techniques Uses most of the same stylistic elements, techniques, and themes of Modern Literature Examples: fragmentation, collapsed plots, understatement, metaphors, symbolism, stream-of-consciousness, etc..

Post-Modern Influences = CURRENT Influences Thematic influences come from popular culture and current events Influences of technology/ technologically focused world Globalization War/ international terrorism/ chemical warfare Increasing gaps between wealthy and poor classes and/or “1st World” industrialization vs. “3rd World” poverty New influx of disease Stark contrasts between global tolerance and global persecution

Focus Author: Aimee Bender She is a short fiction writer Her collection of short stories is entitled, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt (1998) She currently lives in Los Angeles and teaches creative writing at USC

Focus Author: George Saunders A short fiction and novella writer Pastoralia was published in 2000 He has won numerous fiction awards professor at Syracuse University in New York

The Rememberer Aimee Bender

5/16: “The Rememberer” Discussion Questions, pg. 26 What themes do you think are presented in “The Rememberer” and why? What is your interpretation of the short story? What is the point? What does it mean? What do you think the title, ‘The Rememberer” means? What is “Modernist” about this story? Why does Annie let Ben go? How could this relate to Modernist ideas?

5/16: Style & Ambiguities Charts: “The Rememberer” Find examples of Modernist style from “The Rememberer” Refer to your Modernism Notes from the beginning of the semester on pgs. 3 and 4. Find an example of ambiguity from “The Rememberer” Worksheet is due Thursday 5/19.

OLD: “The Rememberer” 1st reading: follow along for whole story understanding 2nd reading: independent reading and annotating for the following: What parts interested you and why? What parts were confusing and why? Summarize main sections with bullet points Ask questions about the text What aspects of the text seem “Modernist” to you? Underline 2 quotes that you think are meaningful.

“what you Left in the ditch”

5/17: “…Ditch” Discussion Questions, pg. 26 What themes do you think are presented in “What You Left in the Ditch” and why? What is your interpretation of the short story? What is the point? What does it mean? What is “Modernist” about this story? Why does Mary feel guilty about her feelings? How do you know she feels guilty? What do Steven’s lips symbolically represent in the story? He physically left his lips in the ditch while involved in war, but what abstract, or intangible things do you think he left in the ditch? Why does Mary cry at the end of the story?

5/17: Style & Ambiguities Charts: “What You Left in the Ditch” Find examples of Modernist style from “What You Left in the Ditch” Refer to your Modernism Notes from the beginning of the semester on pgs 3 and 4. Find an example of ambiguity from “What You Left in the Ditch” Worksheet is due Thursday, 5/19.

OLD: “What You Left in the Ditch” 1st reading: follow along for whole story understanding 2nd reading: independent reading and annotating for the following: What parts interested you and why? What parts were confusing and why? Summarize main sections with bullet points Ask questions about the text What aspects of the text seem “Modernist” to you? Underline 2 quotes that you think are meaningful.

The end of firpo in the world

5/18: “…FIRPO…” Discussion Questions, pg. 26 What themes do you think are presented in “The End of FIRPO in the World” and why? What is your interpretation of the short story? What is the point? What does it mean? What is “Modernist” about this story? What is “FIRPO”? What is the significance of “FIRPO” throughout the story? Why does Cody care so much about it? Discuss the religious aspect of the ending scene. What do you think Saunders thinks about religion? Why do you think that? Why do you think Saunders chose stream-of-consciousness point of view? What is the effect?

5/18: Style & Ambiguities Charts: “The End of FIRPO in the World” Find examples of Modernist style from “The End of FIRPO in the World” Refer to your Modernism Notes from the beginning of the semester on pgs. 3 and 4. Find an example of ambiguity from “The End of FIRPO in the World” Worksheet is due Thursday, 5/19

OLD: “The End of FIRPO in the World” 1st reading: follow along for whole story understanding 2nd reading: independent reading and annotating for the following: What parts interested you and why? What parts were confusing and why? Summarize main sections with bullet points Ask questions about the text What aspects of the text seem “Modernist” to you? Underline 2 quotes that you think are meaningful.

OLD: Exit ticket Chart : pg. 19L, Bullet point responses Rememberer Ditch FIRPO What “Modernist” aspects does each text have? In what way does each task go beyond or away from Modernism?

5/19: Prose Short Constructed Response Prompt: Analyze how the works of Aimee Bender and George Saunders demonstrate Modernist elements of style and techniques. Then, make a connection between the themes of the works and contemporary issues. Use textual, cited evidence to support your claims and give commentary about each piece of evidence. (including context, explanation and connection to your thesis). Formatting should include a thesis statement and 3 respective body paragraphs.