Binder Core “A Boy & His Puppy” Stories Short Story Review Binder Core “A Boy & His Puppy” Stories

THEME It is not the "moral" of the story. A moral is a piece of practical advice that can be gained from the novel to apply to our own lives. A theme is more complex than a moral and may have no direct advice or philosophical value that the reader can apply It is not the subject of the story. It is not a "hidden meaning" that needs to be pulled out of the story.

THEME What theme is: Theme is the meaning released by the work when we take all aspects of the work in its entirety into account. It is an aspect of human experience that the author wishes to express. The importance of theme in literature can be overestimated; the work of fiction is more than just the theme. However, the theme allows the author to control or give order to his perceptions about life.

THEME Discovering theme: Theme can be discovered only by becoming aware of the relations among the parts of a story and of the relations of the parts to a whole: Characters: What kind of people does the story deal with? Plot: What do the characters do? Are they in control of their lives, or are they controlled by fate? Motivation: Why do the characters behave as they do, and what motives dominate them? Style: How does the author perceive reality? Tone: What is the author's attitude towards his subject? Values: What are the values of the characters in the story? What values does the author seem to promote?

MOTIF recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc., especially in a literary, artistic, or musical work.

“The Monkey’s Paw” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: literary devices: danger of wishing foreshadowing home vs. outside symbols: groups of three paw chess

“There Will Come Soft Rains” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: literary devices: war personification technology foreshadowing nature’s triumph suspense

“A Sound of Thunder” setting: characters: literary devices: climax: allusion: themes & motifs: Bible interconnectedness Nazi Germany purpose of all actions irony foreshadowing simile & metaphor

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” setting: characters: climax: literary devices: themes & motifs: realism fluid nature of time foreshadowing (widens towards end) blurred line between reality & illusion tone (seem) distorted sensory experience symbols: driftwood color gray bridge

“Charles” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: identity literary devices: home vs. outside point-of-view appearance vs. reality character: lies & getting caught

“The Lottery” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: blindly following tradition random persecution rules foreshadowing literary devices: suspense (lack of detail) specific details (sets up shocking end) symbols: lottery black box

“Lamb to the Slaughter” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: literary devices: betrayal internal conflict identity suspense devotion dark humor irony

“The Man From the South” setting: characters: climax: literary devices: themes & motifs: dark humor trust point-of-view too good to be true

“The Tell-Tale Heart” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: love & hate literary devices: self vs. alter ego (in/sanity?) flashback irony eyes mood (sound) guilt imagery time

“The Cask of Amontillado” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: love & hate literary devices: self vs. alter ego (in/sanity?) foreshadowing color imagery lack of evidence (ambiguity) irony (symbolic name) masquerade imagery

“The Last Leaf” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: pessimism literary devices: hope dialect love & friendship irony (twist at end) death & dying description achieving potential background

“The Ransom of Red Chief” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: literary devices: get what you deserve tone (ironic & formal) know what you are getting into irony (twist) foreshadowing don’t assume exaggeration mood (humorous & serious) dialect

“The Bet” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: greed & solitude can destroy human life literary devices: flashback intellectual gain vs. materialism irony freedom is precious & priceless foreshadowing foil always get it in writing (mythological) allusion dynamic character metaphor

“The Witch” setting: characters: climax: themes & motifs: menacing female sexuality aspiration vs. what life allows us to achieve literary devices: disillusionment & failed ideals irony (his job title) character development character paralysis metaphor