Short stories English 9: Day Three

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman “All tapes left in a car for more than about a fortnight metamorphose into Best of Queen albums.”

TODAY Time to Take Notes… Conflict and Plot Setting Plot Diagram Time!

Plot & Conflict You are probably used to thinking of the words “story” and “plot” as interchangeable, but it is important to distinguish between these terms. The story in a literary text is what happens, while the plot is how the author chooses to structure that story.

FOR EXAMPLE. I bet you remember that The Odyssey is the story of a general in the Greek army who wins a war against Troy and spends the next ten years trying to get home to Ithaca, experiencing many adventures along the way, including a battle with a cyclops. Plot & Conflict

Plot & Conflict The plot, however, is far more complex. As you know. When analyzing literature, remember that authors can present a story in any manner they wish, and you always ask yourself WHY (why, Homer, WHY??) the events of the story unfold the way that they do. Plot & Conflict

Plot & Conflict FOR EXAMPLE. By beginning The Odyssey with the council of the gods, Homer demonstrates the primary role the gods played in Greek culture and illustrates their overwhelming power over mortal lives. Wow, that’s a good analysis of plot structure. P.S. You should all read Percy Jackson.

The Key to Every Plot is…Conflict And whether or not it’s Harry Potter. Character vs Character: HP vs Voldy Character vs Society: Katniss vs the Capitol Character vs Nature: Ms. L vs the Sun Character vs Self: Hazel Grace vs her fears of seeing a friend die These examples came from a textbook and I have to tell you, that last one is way too sad.

The Key to Every Plot is…Conflict When thinking about plot, the main questions to ask are: Why is the story told in the chosen order? What are the significant conflicts and how are they solved—or not?

Setting TIME and relative dimension in space No wait… Setting is TIME and place. That makes way more sense. Students tend to forget that time is also a part of the setting. This can be the year or even the time of day. But time affects the plot as much as the location. Don’t forget.

Setting Setting gives a piece of literature context. It establishes the location, the time period, and the cultural background. It also creates a specific atmosphere that provokes an emotional response in the audience.

FOR EXAMPLE. Because To Kill a Mockingbird is set in the American South during the Jim Crow era, it’s a pretty good bet that the author has chosen that setting because she has something to say about race in American society. So in this case, we see how the author’s purpose influences the setting and vice versa. Setting

Plot Diagram! The plot diagram is made up of many parts. And it looks like…this!

Exposition: gives background information on the characters, the main conflict is presented, and setting is established Rising Action: Events that intensify the conflict (and further develop the characters). This is the bulk of the story. Climax: The highest point of tension in the story at which point the outcome of the conflict is revealed. Falling action: Events that follow the climax. This part is usually pretty short. Resolution: Remaining issues resolved; conclusions or insights revealed by narrator Plot Diagram!

Okay, let’s check.

Do you still have those awesome short stories from yesterday? Oh good. Okay, take those out. I’m going to give you a worksheet with the plot diagram on it. Using your story, fill in the blanks as completely as you can. You do not need to worry about the theme, symbolism, foreshadowing, irony section. We haven’t gone over that and I sort of doubt you were able to include those elements in your story. Plot Diagram!

HOMEWORK None! Bring you vocabulary books tomorrow.