1. Story Writing
English Composition I

2. Symbolism
Defined: person, object, or event that suggests more than its literal meaning.
Often the symbolism is not seen the first time a story is read – often it isn’t until the 2nd or 3rd read for the symbolism to become evident.
The symbolism, once realized, helps to fit everything in the story together, the meaning is reinforced, clarified or enlarged.
Symbol meaning is usually embedded in the texture of a story, but not hidden – just carefully placed.
Sensitivity to language is helpful in recognizing the symbolism.

3. Symbolism
Common sense helps us to see symbols all around us – a symbol can be anything that gives significance.
What would life be like without out symbols? What are some symbols that might represent who you are and what is important to you? Name things in life that use symbols to give a deeper meaning.
Example: wedding rings – the circle signifies unending. The two are to become one – begin to blend and soon cannot see where one ends and the other begins. Unity, Intimacy. White wedding dress signifies purity and innocence
Other symbols? Sports teams, Clothing, Cars, School mascots, country, nationality, church or religious group
Symbol of life? Symbol of death?

4. Symbolism
Conventional symbols – symbols used by society or culture: Christian cross, the Star of David, a swastika, national flag. Cultural meaning
Literary symbol - traditional, conventional, or public meanings, or internal meaning.
A literary symbol can be a setting, character, action, object, name, or anything else in a work that maintains a literal significance while suggesting other meanings.
Often a symbol can have multiple meanings.
Allegory – when a character, object, or incident indicates a single, fixed meaning – it is an allegory instead of a symbol. Why? An allegory is definitive not suggestive. Example: using names like Faithful, Purdence, Piety, to teach Christian virtues or vices.

5. Theme
Theme- is a central idea or meaning of a story. It provides a unifying point around the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols.
The value of determining the theme requires a close analysis of all of the elements of the work.
Central meaning of the work
The theme and the subject of the story are not the same.
People have different responses to life so their responses to literature are not going to be identical
There are usually multiple possibilities for theme(s)

6. Theme
The theme must be based on evidence within the story and not solely on experiences, attitudes, or values the reader brings to the work.
Familiarity with the subject an aid in interpretation, but it should not get in the way of seeing the author’s perspective.
When you formulate the theme of the story, write it down in 1-2 complete sentences. Example: Revenge may be the subject of a story but the theme should make a statement about revenge.
Avoid clichés as a way of stating a theme. What are some clichés? Example: “love conquers all”
The theme should be expressed by the story and the experience of reading the story. The theme should come out of the story – not told to the reader. It helps the reader clarify their thinking

7. Style
Style – a way in which anything is made or done. Anything that reflects a distinctive manner of expression or design.
In writing style refers to the distinctive manner in which a writer arranges words to achieve a particular effects.
Includes individual word choices, length of sentences, structure and tone, and use of irony.
Diction- refers to the writers’ choice of words. Different words evoke different associations in a reader’s mind, the writer’s choice of words is crucial in controlling a reader’s response. The diction must be appropriate for the character and the situation.

8. Tone
Tone: style will reveal the tone- the author’s attitude toward the people, places, and events in the story. Tone is conveyed by our voice inflection or gestures. In literature, tone is conveyed in the context in which the statement appears in able to interpret it correctly.

9. Irony
Irony: revealing reality differently than what appears to be true. – Why we were surprised by the ending in “A Rose for Emily”
Verbal irony: is a person saying one thing but meaning the opposite. Give examples of verbal irony we use in our everyday language.
Sarcasm: is verbal irony that is calculated to hurt someone by false praise
Situational Irony: incompatibility or inconsistency between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.
Dramatic Irony: when the author allows the reader to know more about a situation than a character knows. This is one way for a character to reveal him or herself.

10. Short Stories Favorite Childhood story
Favorite short story recently read
Read and discuss Short Stories

11. Short Story List "To Build a Fire" by Jack London
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
"The Minister's Black Veil" by Nathaniel Hawthorne ***
"The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry.****
"The Revolt of Mother" by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman:
"Masque of the Red Death" by Edgar Allen Poe: 

12. More Short Stories Charles Dickins The Brothers Grimm – Rumplestilskin
Edgar Allan Poe
Washington Irving – Rip Van Winkle
Mark Twain – Eve’s Diary, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County
Charlotte Gillman – The Yellow Wallpaper

13. Circular Method – Writing
Like a Clock

14. Circular Method of Writing
1 Introduce main character(s)
2 Introduce a Problem – the character wants something 3 4 5
6 Journey 7 8
9 OH NO moment!
10 The character want turns into a need 11
12 Ah ha! Resolution

15. Circular Method – Writing
Circular story examples: Stories that come full circle – stories that take you back to the beginning. They have a logical order and sequence.
Wizard of Oz
Alice in Wonderland
Jack and the Beanstalk
Jumanji Up

16. Circular Method – Writing
Decide:
Character(s)
Gender
Age
Where do they live / Setting
Traits: character, personality, looks

17. Circular Method – Writing
Problem: make life interesting and challenging.
Mystery: what do you have at the beginning? > The Plot
Make the Mystery into an OH NO moment
Can change people into animals (do not use real people’s names)
Story Board – almost like a comic book
A bad problem or situation in life can make a great story

18. Circular Method – Writing
What is the plot surrounding the problem?
Create a conflict
Build the tension or to a climax
Will your story start from the beginning, a flashback, in the middle, at the end – go to the beginning – back to the end?
What is the resolution? How does it end?

19. Circular Method – Writing
Protagonist / antagonist – other characters?
Who is the narrator? From whose point of view is the story told?
What type of narration? How much does the reader get to know?
Is there a moral to the story? Theme?

20. Writing Suggestions Words not to use: Limit the use of “that”
Don’t use very, really, awesome
Use online thesaurus.

21. Short Story Writing A Short Story Should Include . .
setting details woven into the text development of at least one character through the character’s words thoughts, and actions and through the words of other characters and/or the writer a problem/conflict which is developed as the story (plot) progresses
a resolution of that problem/conflict (climax)
a conclusion (what happens after climax)
snapshots (things for the reader to visualize)
thoughtshots (characters’ thoughts)
dialogue (optional)

22. Short Story – Writing Eight Ways to Reveal Character Actions
by Dewey Hensley
Actions
As Kevin moved down the street his feet made a steady echo sound against the pavement. He whistled despite the loud rumble of the traffic and the car horns. When someone yelled out the window of his or her car to watch where he was going, he just waved back like he was watching a best friend heading home. He passed by the garbage on the sidewalk and the old woman pushing the shopping cart filled with newspaper, and continued to smile as he headed toward Cindy’s house. Nothing could erase that smile from his face, not even the coldness of the streets he called home.

23. Short Story Writing Dialogue
“I ain’t gonna leave you here, Ma’am not with you needin’ help and all,” Jimmy said as he walked back to his truck to get the jack. “I’d help anybody who needed it; my momma taught me better’en to just leave people. The good Lord’ll make it up to me.” “I don’t know . . .,” Linda stuttered. She had barely rolled down her window to hear Jimmy when he had left his pick-up truck and offered help. “You know what they say about your kind . . .

24. Short Story Writing Physical Description
Other guys walking through the hallway were taller and even more handsome, but there was something about Billy Belaire. His arms swung loose at his side and his dark hair was long and pulled back behind his head, held by a rubber band. The dark jacket he wore was straight out of the local thrift shop, she could tell, but the way he wore it suggested a sense of pride, or at least a lack of caring what others thought about him.

25. Short Story Writing Idiosyncrasies Objects/Possessions
Junior tapped his fingertips against the table and looked at his watch constantly. His leg bounced up and down and he gulped the hot coffee as if it would hurry up his friend’s arrival.
Objects/Possessions
Michael touched the locket around his neck and rolled it between his fingers. His mother had given him that locket, with her picture inside, when he had left to live with his father. What would she think of him now? Reactions Tony’s words stung Laura. It wasn’t what she expected to hear. They had been dating for over a month now, how could he do this to her? How could he break her heart? All three of their dates had been fun; he had said so himself. As Tony watched the floodgate of her eyes begin to open he looked at his watch. Jeez, I hope I can make it to the gym on time.

26. Short Story Writing Thoughts Background Information
He began to remember when he was a freshman in high school. The seniors really thought they were something back then, always trying to play their little pranks on the ninth graders. He knew at that moment he couldn’t be one of those kinds of people. He walked over to Jeff and Larry to tell them it was time to stop.
Background Information
Miles knew what it meant to be alone. When he was a child growing up his father had been in the military. They had traveled from Florida, to Georgia, to California, to Kentucky. He had rarely had a friend for very long. By the leap from California he had already decided having friends was a risk; the fewer the friends, the easier it was to leave. This philosophy had made him a real outsider at Glenview High School. In the six months he had been there he had not really made a single friend but as he stood there staring at Sheila, he realized that just might have to change.

27. Short Story Writing Note cards/Sticky Notes
Tactile learners learn best when they can manipulate items and experience activities and events. Tactile writers are similar—they need to physically manipulate their stories. Sticky notes and note cards work for some novelists because they can flip through their ideas, change their order, or even throw them away while they work on their novels. 
For example, let’s say you are writing a mystery novel. You have figured out the crime, clues, red herrings, and how the case is solved. You can write each of these ideas on index cards or sticky notes, so you can change the order of events with a flip of a card or a new arrangement of sticky notes. Once these note cards are filled out, you can create cards for transitional events. Then put the two stacks together in the order you think the events, clues, and red herrings will appear in your mystery novel. The index cards become like an outline, guiding you through your story.

28. Short Story Writing

29. Assignment – Writing Short Story
Assignment: Write a Fictional Short Story
Must have Plot, Characters (at least one well developed character), Setting, Conflict, Tension and build-up of the problem, Resolution / ending, Theme
Strive for Symbolism, Irony, tone, and style
New Times Roman, font size 12, double spaced
Cover Page: Illustrate your book!!!!! - Title of story and your name
Page numbers at bottom of pages
Indent each paragraph