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FictionTHE ART

What is Fiction?➢ The name for stories not entirely factual

➢ May be based on facts, but must at least be partially made up or imagined

➢ From the Latin fictio meaning “a sharpening, a counterfeiting”

Reading a StoryCHAPTER 1

Types of Short Fiction1. Fable – brief humorous narrative told to

illustrate a moral (message). Animals represent human qualities

◦ The North Wind and the Sun– pg. 8

◦ The Tortoise and the Geese – pg. 9

2. Parable – brief narrative to teach a moral, but the plot is plausible and the characters are human.

◦ Independence – pg. 11

Types of Short Fiction (continued)3. Tall Tale – fold story that recounts the

deeds of a superhero or of the storyteller.

4. Fairy Tale – story set in a world of magic and wonder

◦ Godfather Death Pg. 12

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows the a causal arrangement of events and actions within a story.

Teaching Plot Structure Through Short Stories

Types of Linear PlotsPlots can be told in

Chronological order

Flashback

In media res (in the middle of things) when the story starts in the middle of the action without exposition

Elements of Plot1. Protagonist – The main or central character in a narrative.

Usually initiates the main action of the story

2. Antagonist – The most significant character or force that opposes the protagonist in a narrative. Does NOT have to be a person.

3. Exposition – Opening portion of a narrative. Sets the scene, introduces the protagonist, and discloses background.

Conflict

Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

Elements of Plot (con.)5. Complication – The Introduction of a significant development in the central

conflict between characters (or a character and his situation) Can be EXTERNAL or INTERNAL

6. Crisis – The part of the narrative when the crucial action, decision, or realization must take place.

7. Climax – The moment of greatest intensity in a story, which almost inevitably occurs toward the end. May be a confrontation between the protagonist and the antagonist.

8. Conclusion – the logical end or outcome◦ Resolution or denouement

Types of Complications

Human vs Nature

Human vs Society

Human vs Self

Internal Conflict

Human vs Human

Narrative TechniquesFlashback – action that interrupts to show an event that happened at an earlier time which is necessary to better understanding.

Foreshadowing – A suggestion of what is going to happen in a story.

Epiphany – a moment of profound insight or revelation by which a character's life is greatly altered

Point of ViewCHAPTER 2

Types of Narrators1. All-knowing or omniscient-

sees into any or all of the characters.

2. Limited omniscience- sees into one character

3. Objective - does not see into any characters, reports events from outside

Poe – “The Tell Tale Heart”

CharactersCHAPTER 3

Types of Characters

1. Flat – character with only one outstanding trait or feature and stay the same throughout the storyStock characters – stereotype characters

2. Round– Have many characteristics and tend to change throughout the story

3. Dynamic – character that changes

4. Static – character that does not change

Hero v. Anti-hero

Hero – bravery, skill, idealism, sense of purpose

Antihero – unglorious citizen of the modern world, usually drawn as someone “groping, puzzled, cross, mocking, frustrated, and isolated” (O’Faolain). Often a loner.

Cause of a character’s actions

1. Animates a story

2. Justifies the behavior of each character

3. Not always pure or simple

4. Makes the plot feel inevitable

“Everyday Use” – Alice WalkerCharacters – Mama, Maggie, Dee (Wangero), and Hakim-a-Barber

Setting – Small town Georgia

Protagonist – Mama

Antagonist – Dee

Conflict – True meaning of valuing heritage represented by the quilts

Film Clip

Climax – Mama takes the blankets from “Miss Wangero” to give to Maggie

SettingCHP 3

Setting -Time and place of a story. May also include the climate and even the social, psychological, or spiritual state of the characters

Locale – location where the story takes placeAtmosphere – dominant mood or feeling that pervades all or part of a literary work. Conveyed by language, images, and physical settingRegionalism – The literary representation of a specific locale that consciously uses the particulars of geography, custom, history, folklore, or speech. Naturalism – social and economic setting is important to story; grim realism

DURING the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was -- but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the scene before me -- upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain -- upon the bleak walls -- upon the vacant eye-like windows -- upon a few rank sedges -- and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees -- with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveller upon opium -- the bitter lapse into everyday life -- the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was an iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart -- an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime. What was it -- I paused to think -- what was it that so unnerved me in the contemplation of the House of Usher?

There was music from my neighbor's house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At high tide in the afternoon I watched his guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor-boats slit the waters of the Sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam. On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. And on Mondays eight servants, including an extra gardener, toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before.— The Great Gatsby

“To Build a Fire” – Jack London

What is the place like?

“To Build a Fire” –Jack London1. How much of the story is devoted to the

setting? What details make it memorable?

2. What is the conflict? To what extent does setting determine what happens in the story?

3. From what point of view is the story told? Does this make a difference?

4. Why is the protagonist simply called “the man?”

5. What are the most serious mistakes the man makes? Why?

To consider…1. Is the Man American?

2. Why is the man nameless?

3. Should we be ashamed that we Americans are likely to be motivated more by material or commercial impulses than by other more exalted motives (e.g., religious piety, love of justice)? Why, or why not?

A Man Without an Imagination

Tone and StyleCHP 5

ToneTone – Whatever leads to infer the author’s attitude; like a tone of voice.

Shown through◦ Dialogue - talking◦ Descriptions – author’s diction [word choice]

May be objective or subjective, logical or emotional, intimate or distant, serious or humorous. It can consist mostly of long, intricate sentences, of short, simple ones, or of something in between.

Amused

Angry

Cheerful

Critical

Clear

Formal

Gloomy

Humorous

Informal

Ironic

Light

Matter-of-fact

Mocking

Resigned

Optimistic

Pessimistic

Playful

Pompous

Sad

Serious

Sincere

Suspicious

Quizzical

Witty

Words that describe TONE

*Mood is the feeling the reader gets from a story.

*Mood is shown through ◦Setting

◦Atmosphere◦Remember Hawthorne yesterday?

MOOD

Light-hearted

Playful

Tender

Warm

Hopeful

Peaceful

Idyllic

Joyous

Inclusive

Welcoming

Liberating

Tense

Gloomy

Violent

Pessimistic

Cold

Confining

Haunting

Suspenseful

Foreboding

Painful

Threatening

Terrifying

Lonely

Words to describe MOOD

Diction – Word choice or vocabulary. The class of words that an author decides is appropriate.

Style - The way in which something is written, as opposed to the meaning of what is written

Example:Formal Diction Casual Diction Slang (very informal)are not angry aren't mad ain't ticked

Besides the level of formality, also consider positive or negative connotations of the words chosen.Examples:Positive Negativepruning the bushes slashing at the bushesthe politician's stance the politician's spin

TONE IS NOT MOOD

ToneThe tone could be serious but

the mood could be ridiculous.

Mood

IronyLiterary device in which a discrepancy of meaning is masked beneath the surface of the language.◦ Dramatic Irony – When the reader understands the implication and

meaning of a situation and may foresee the oncoming disaster or triumph while the character does not.

◦ Cosmic Irony – Situational irony that emphasizes the discrepancy between what characters deserve and what they get.

◦ Verbal Irony – Speaker or write says the opposite of what is really meant.

◦ Sarcasm – Bitter irony in which the ironic statement is designed to hurt or mock

Label each sentence as formal, casual, or slang based on its diction.1. Let’s go get some dinner.

2. It is vital to understand the text one reads.

3. Computers are a pain in the neck.

4. The Mona Lisa looks weird from up close.

5. Pickett’s charge at the Battle of Gettysburg was surely an awe-inspiring sight.

In the following sentences, choose between the words in parentheses to make the sentence have as negative a connotation as possible.

1. The leader was his nation’s most (notorious, well-known, famous) advocate.

2. Immigrants (thronged, flocked, swarmed) to the large cities.

3. A (trim, skinny, slender) woman entered the room.

4. The man was (inebriated, drunk, intoxicated).

5. Where did you find that (outfit, get-up, attire)?

Questions “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”

▪8.5 million people died and 21 million were wounded

▪“Lost generation”

▪Questions pg. 155

ThemeCHP 6

Theme➢Summary – a brief condensation of the main idea or plot of a literary work

➢Theme – The main idea or larger meaning of a work of literature. A theme may be a message or a moral, but it is more likely to be a central, unifying insight or viewpoint. It is intended to provide a relevant source of reflection in relation to the text.

How do I find theme?1. Did the main character in the story

change? If so, what did he/she learn?

2. What was the main conflict? How was it solved?

3. Does the title have a meaning that goes beyond the literal?

Science Fiction

What is it? What is it not?

What do you have to have in the story to be Sci Fi?

“Harrison Begeron” Kurt VonegutSatire - the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.

How is “Harrison Bergeron” satire?

The Onion

“Harrison Bergeron” Questions1. Define the central theme of “Harrison Bergeron.” Is Vonnegut’s

early 1960s vision of the future still relevant today? Why or why not?

2. Think of a social trend that worries you. With “Harrison Bergeron” in mind, write a brief science fiction parable to warn against this danger to society. Try to pick a less familiar or surprising trend instead of one of the hot-button social issues that immediately pop into your mind.

Symbols CHAPTER 7

SymbolsA person, place, or thing in a narrative that suggests meanings beyond it literal sense. Related allegory, but works more complexly. Often contains multiple meanings and associations.▪Conventional symbol – A literary symbol that has a conventional or

customary meant for most readers – Example: black cat, white dress▪Symbolic act – Significant action goes well beyond it literally meaning.

Often involves some conscious or unconscious ritual element such as rebirth, purification, etc.▪Archetypes – patterns in literature that suggest that the author is

writing a story that has a much larger meaning. Some patterns are common across all types and genres of literature.

AllegoryWHAT IS IT?

Allegory Definitiona narrative in which literal events consistently point to a parallel sequence or symbolic equivalent.

▪ A story-long, extended metaphor

▪ A figurative way of story telling; conveys a meaning other than the literal.

▪ The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or event

▪ Reveals the artist’s intent or worldview.

Modern ExamplesSuperman, Spiderman, and Batman, for example, are all allegorical representations of the everyman.

In Star Wars, Kylo Ren (the First Order) and Rey (the resistance) and their struggle for power are allegorical representations ofgood and evil.

AllegoryRead literally:

Boys are stuck on an island

Ralph is the leader

Jack is always fighting Ralph for power

Simon is kind of strange…

Lord of the FliesCan also be read as an allegory:

Simon:

Christ Figure

Ralph:

Everyman

Jack:

EvilReligious Allegory

RALPH:

FDR

PIGGY:

CHURCHILL

Political Allegory

JACK =

EMOTIONS

RALPH =

COMMON

SENSEPIGGY =

INTELLEC

T

SIMON =

SOULMoral Allegory

Social Allegory

Psychological Allegory

What sin or vice

is depicted in

the painting?

Why is this

painting an

allegory?

PaintingsI’m going to show you a series of 4 paintings.

Silently look at each painting without commenting aloud. Look for:

1. Symbols

2. Archetypes

What is the allegory of these paintings?

Ursula Le Guin

➢American author of fantasy and “social” science fiction

➢Famous works: The Earthsea Triology, The Lathe of Heaven, The Dispossessed, The Word for World Is Forest and The Left Hand of Darkness.

What is a Scapegoat?

The Lottery - Questions1. Take a close look at Jackson’s description of the black wooden box

(para 3) and of the black spot on the fatal slip of paper (para 72). What do these objects suggest? What are the other symbols in the story and what do they represent?

2. The following is from Ruth Franklin’s biography of Shirley Jackson.“She wrote spare, idiosyncratic, unsettling fiction, tinged with a hectic misanthropy, about misfits, oddballs, and the chronically overlooked. Her main characters were almost always women, many of them on the threshold of coming unhinged. Her literary mode was the gothic and her great theme was the terror and allure of domesticity.”What does she mean?

What is the story “driving at?” Consider each of the following interpretations and, looking at the story, see if you can find any evidence for it.1. Jackson takes a primitive fertility rite and playfully

transfers it to a small town in North American.2. Jackson, writing her story after WWII, indirectly expresses

her horror at the Holocaust. She assumes that the massacre of the Jews was carried out by unwitting, obedient people, like these villagers.

3. Jackson is satirizing our own society, in which men are selected for the army by lottery.

4. Jackson is just writing a memorable story that signifies nothing at all.

The Things They CarriedTIM O’BRIEN

Critical Thinking Questions1. Discuss the idea of carrying in O'Brien's work. Include in your discussion the significance of the title

"The Things They Carried"? Why not “The Men I Fought With” or “Alpha Company” or “Brothers in Arms”? What contradictions are evident from the mention of specific items?

2. As O’Brien describes the ‘things’ each man carries, how does he use diction and imagery to describe them? What effect on voice is created by these descriptions along with the reasons why these items were carried? What effect did this have on you as a reader?

3. How does O’Brien use syntax, diction and narration to create the ‘experience’ of being out on jungle patrol? Give at least 4 examples in your explanation and include whether or not you thought they were or were not effective.

4. Compare and contrast the author’s use of figurative language and point of view in this story with the poem, Facing It (pg. 552) . How is this reflective of the personal experience of each the main characters and the author?

5. Identify the point of view in The Things They Carried and defend or attack the author’s use of it in his story. How is this appropriate considering the personal experience of the author? What does his choice say about the author’s true feelings about his own experience in Vietnam?

Found Poem

Pick 10-20 of your favorite quotations from the story. Choose sentences that speak to you and distill the essence of the story down to its bare minimum. Sentences that show theme and understanding of the story.

Then, make a found poem with them. It’s kind of like a collage poem you see on Tumblr. Use your book and your mind. Be creative an thoughtful.

Writing about LiteratureRemember in the study of literature commons sense is never out of place. --Backpack Literature

Strategy 1 – Read Actively

1. Preview the text2. Read closely!

Look up an unfamiliar words, allusions, or reference

3. Take notesAnnotate the text

4. Reread as needed

Writing about Literature (continued)Remember in the study of literature commons sense is never out of place. --Backpack Literature

Strategy 2 – Think about your reading1. Identify the protagonist and the conflict

2. Consider the point of view

3. Think about the setting

4. Notice key symbols

5. Look for the theme

6. Think about tone and style

Ask what does it all add up to?

Freewrite10 minutes and write steam of consciousness!