Short Story Unit: Plot & Structure AP English Literature

August 27 Agenda Wrap up “The Child by Tiger” discussion: Dick’s plan and motivation Review “Plot & Structure” instructional unit Background on Graham Greene, London Blitz, & Christopher Wren Discuss Graham Greene’s “The Destructors” Homework: Read Harold Bloom’s “Preface & Prelude” & “Elegy for the Canon” and write an MLA format annotated bibliography entries for each

“The Child by Tiger” What is Dick’s plan? Textual evidence What Dick says What Dick does What others say & do Allusions: Psalms What is Dick’s motivation? Dick’s words & actions Cultural context Narrator’s reflection

Plot & Structure Plot = sequence of events Structure = arrangement of plot elements Conflict = protagonist vs. antagonist Suspense Commercial: what will happen next? Literary: why did s/he behave that way?

Story Endings Surprise ending judged by Unhappy ending Fairness by which achieved Purpose it serves Literary fiction: furnishes meaningful illumination, not just reversal of expectation Unhappy ending Situations in real life have unpleasant outcomes Forces reader to ponder complexities of life Indeterminate ending Conflict unresolved (although story must conclude) Judgment of endings Logical within story’s terms Affords full, believable resolution

Artistic Unity Nothing is irrelevant (Poe’s single affect) Arranged logically Avoids plot manipulation Chance or coincidence to resolve story Objectionable in proportion to improbability, importance to the story, nearness to ending Deus ex machina Form follows function – understand the relationship of each incident to the larger meaning of the work

Graham Greene http://www. biblio Born Henry Graham Greene 1904, died 1991 Novelist, playwright, short story writer, critic “works explore the ambiguities of modern man and ambivalent moral or political issues in a contemporary setting” Attended Berkhamsted School where his father was a headmaster Bullied and unhappy – several suicide attempts Converted to Catholicism to marry – later became critic of Catholic church Journalist after college; became full-time novelist in 1929 after success of The Man Within, although continues freelance journalism. Fiction fits two genres: thrillers and literary works, although later in career they overlap Characters often “troubled by self-doubt and living in seedy or rootless circumstances” Worked as a spy for Britain in Sierra Leone during WWII, critic of American imperialism and materialism: supported Fidel Castros and Sandinistas against America, extensive travel in Cuba & Haiti

Contextual Information, “The Destructors” Boy against ruined background: http://oldgit.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/blitz-xx-3.gif Image of St. Paul’s Cathedral during Blitz: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:StPaulsCathedral.jpg People sleeping in subway stations during Blitz: http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/5012-popup.html Winston Churchill image: http://www.time.com/time/personoftheyear/archive/photohistory/chur chill.html Sir Christopher Wren (1632-1723) Astronomy professor, became Britain’s main architect to rebuild after 1666 Great Fire in London: supervised all work on palaces and rebuilt 51 churches often using the old foundations to save $ (http://www.greatbuildings.com/architects/Sir_Christopher_Wren.html) St. Paul’s Cathedral: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Saint_Pauls_Cathedral.html

Homework Read Harold Bloom’s “Preface & Prelude” & “Elegy for the Canon” Write an MLA format annotated bibliography entries for each MLA format includes headers, citation style, and formatting specifications Annotations should be concise summaries of the major arguments and supporting details in each chapter. No fluff. Make this useful to yourself later.