ENGLISH I: SHORT STORIES Comprehension and Analysis

Harvard Reading Skills  Look “around” the text  Annotate  Outline, Summarize, Analyze  Look for repetitions and patterns  Contextualize  Compare and Contrast

“The Most Dangerous Game” pp  Plot: the events/circumstances that make up a story  Exposition- The introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story.  Conflict- The essence of fiction; it creates plot. The conflicts (or obstacles/problems) we encounter can usually be identified as one of four types (see below).  Rising Action- A series of events that builds from the conflict. It begins with the inciting force and ends with the climax.

Plot continued  Climax- The climax is the result of the crisis. It is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. The point at which the outcome of the conflict can usually be predicted.  Falling Action- The events after the climax which close the story.  Resolution- (aka denouement) Rounds out and concludes the action.

Plot Triangle

Types of Conflict  Internal: problem within oneself (person versus self)— examples: a major decision, insanity, difficult emotions  External: person has a problem with outside forces  Person v Person  Person against another person—could be mental, emotional, physical, etc.  Person v Society  Person against a collective group—could be oppressive society, etc.  Person v Nature  Person against natural forces—ex: weather, terrain, etc.  Person v Supernatural  Person versus forces that aren’t natural—ex: God, superheroes, etc.  Person v Technology  Person against science/technology—ex: Terminator, robots, etc.

Setting  Definition: Where and when the plot takes place(ex: 1915; London, England)  Importance: Setting can influence the action of the story, and can also help establish mood

“Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”

Point of View (POV)  Definition: the narrator’s position in relation to the story being told TYPES  First person—I, me, my, our, we—the narrator is directly involved in the story  2 nd person—you, you all (usually in self-help books, guide books, and DIY manuals)  3 rd person—they, he, she, it—the narrator is removed from the action in the story/ not a character (most common POV used in novels, short stories, etc.)  Omniscient—knows thoughts and actions of characters  Limited—limited to only what is observed/heard; doesn’t know thoughts

Diction  Diction: Element of style  an author’s word choice; affects tone; determined based on purpose and audience  Example: "Dearest reader, I humbly entreat you to eschew the latest celebrity tittle-tattle and instead devote your attention to diction and tone." Sophisticated/elevated word choice— very formal versus "Listen up! Drop the gossip magazine and get with the diction/tone program!" Informal/colloquial word choice— used with peers/friends/people of equal or lower “status”

Tone  Definition: implied attitude of the author/speaker toward the subject/audience; determined by diction  Review the tone descriptors on your handout—these are great words to use to describe the author’s tone!  How does tone influence the meaning of a text? (Part of our essential question today!)

Connotation and Denotation  Denotation: the literal, “dictionary definition” meaning of a word  Connotation: the commonly understood, subjective cultural association of meaning with a word, in addition to the dictionary definition  For example, we use many different terms for young people. While “little one” and “brat” both literally refer to a young person, “little one” usually has a positive connotation (association), whereas “brat” typically has a negative connotation. You wouldn’t want to compliment a young mother by calling her child a “cute little brat.”  Other examples: “Stink” versus “aroma” “Reckless” plan versus “daring” plan “Easygoing” friend versus “lazy” friend Answer with “arrogance” versus answer with “confidence”

Positive, Negative, and Neutral Connotations POSITIVE= “LITTLE ONE” NEUTRAL=CHILDNEGATIVE=BRAT

Positive, Negative, and Neutral Connotations POSITIVE= “STROLLING” NEUTRAL=“WALKING” NEGATIVE=“TRUDGING”

Character and Characterization  Characterization— the process of revealing the personality of a character  Character- a person in a story, poem, or play (sometimes animals)  Ways to reveal character: 1. Letting us hear the character speak 2. Describing how they look or dress 3. Letting us listen to the character’s inner thoughts and feelings 4. Revealing what other characters think or say about the character 5. Showing us what the character does— how they act. 6. Tell us directly what the character’s personality is like: cruel, kind, sneaky, etc.  Indirect Characterization- (first 5 ways) we have to use our own judgment to decide what a character is like, based on the evidence the writer gives us.  Direct characterization- (#6) we don’t have to decide; we’re told

Character (continued)  Characters are classified as:  Static- one who does not change much (ex: Zaroff in MDG)  Dynamic- character changes as a result of the story’s events (ex: Rainsford in MDG)  Flat- has only one or two traits (ex: Ivan in MDG)  Round- like a real person, has many different character traits (usually, protagonists in novels, plays, etc.)  Motivation- the fears or conflicts that drive a character (ex: vengeance, fear, greed, love, boredom)  Motivation plays a role in characterization as well—by analyzing motivation, we can make judgments re: character traits

Character Classification Static—always meanDynamic—changes

Character Classification Flat—just evil Round—stubborn, tender- hearted, playful, loyal, etc.