The Short Story

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The Short Story
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What is a Short Story?
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What is a Short Story?

• In your notebook, write your own definition of
  what a short story is.
• Do not write A story that is short! Use what
  you know about short stories in the past.
• Below your definition, brainstorm about short
  stories any words you have learned connected to
  short stories, titles of stories, authors, etc.

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The Short StorySome Definitions

• The short story gives the illusion of life. It
  is a tiny capsule of living, a moment or two in
  the lives of other people.
• A short story is a story that is under 40,000
  words in length (so, a short story).
• A short story is a story that can be read in a
  single sitting.
• but there is much more to the genre called the
  short story!

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Vocabulary

• Noun A word that refers to people, places or
  things.
• Common Noun A noun that refers to a general
  person, place, or thing. (e.g. boy, dog, city,
  book)
• Proper Noun A noun that refers to a specific
  person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are
  essentially nouns with names, and are always
  capitalized. (e.g. Johnny, Spot, Saint John, Cue
  for Treason)

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Common and Proper Nouns Exercise

• Write the following words in your notebook. When
  you do, indicate whether each is a Proper Noun
  (PN) or Common Noun (CN).
• Begin the word with the proper capital or
  lower-case letter.
• alex sobeys moncton
• river easter orange
• hampton high school cd player tim hortons
• You have 3 minutes to complete this exercise. I
  will be calling people randomly for answers.

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Vocabulary

• theme The theme of a story represents what the
  protagonist (main character) and/or reader learns
  about life. It is the message that the author
  is sending through the story the story is the
  medium for the message.

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Besides being shorter, how is a short story
different from a novel?

• Short stories and novels seem to begin in very
  different ways in my mind. With a novel, the
  main characters come first they grow slowly in
  the imagination until I feel I know them well
  Most short stories Ive written seem to be
  triggered off by some event, either in my own
  life or something Ive observed. The characters
  in a short story seem just as real to me as the
  characters in a novel, but I have not seen them,
  in my mind, in as many situations they are
  visualized more in relation to one main
  situation.

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• One form is not better than the other. They
  simply do not serve the same function When I
  write a novel, I feel rather like a juggler
  trying to keep a dozen themes spinning up there
  in the air. In my short stories, on the other
  hand, there tends to be one central theme.
• Margaret Laurence

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Margaret Laurence

• Margaret Laurence is a famous Canadian novelist
  one of the core authors in the field known as
  Canadian Literature.
• In 1986, after a grim diagnosis of lung cancer
  that had spread throughout her body, Laurence
  took her own life in 1987.
• Her best-known novels are The Stone Angel and
  The Diviners. Her 1966 novel, A Jest of God,
  received the Governor Generals Award for Fiction.

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Vocabulary

• genre a class or category having a particular
  form, technique, content, etc. E.g. poetry,
  novels, fantasy, science fiction
• prose the ordinary form of spoken or written
  language, as distinguished from poetry or verse
• fiction the class of literature comprising
  works of imaginative narration

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The Short Story Genre

• The Short Story

• The oldest form of literature.
• Prose fiction.
• A distinct genre (like poetry, novels, plays).
• Every word counts! There is a strong focus on
  word choice, because this is how the author
  prunes and polishes the piece to meet his/her
  objective(s).

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The Short Story Genre

• History of the Short Story Genre

• Ancient Times
• The Bible Old Testament 750-350 B.C.E.
• Middle Ages (800-1400 A.D.)
• Arabia One Thousand and One Nights by
  Scheherezade
• Spain Exemplary Tales by Cervantes
• England Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
• but in the Middle Ages, the genre had not taken
  shape as a recognizable form.

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The Short Story Genre

• History of the Short Story Genre

• The modern short story genre took shape in the
  19th century simultaneously in
• Germany (Hoffman, Brothers Grimm)
• Russia (Pushkin, Gogol)
• France (Balzac, DeMaupassant)
• U.S.A. (Washington Irving, Edgar Allen Poe)
• The short story became a favorite form of
  entertainment for the emerging middle class.

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Initial Short Story Assignment

• Read the short story assigned to you.
• Answer the following questions
• Draw a plot diagram. Label the parts of the
  diagram, and identify the parts of the story.
• What is the setting of the story? How do you
  know? Use proof from the story.
• Identify the main conflict of the story.
  Describe that conflict.
• What purposes does this short story serve?
  Support your answer with proof from the story.
• What is the theme of this story? Explain how the
  author makes this clear through plot and
  character development.

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The Short Story as Art

• Purpose and Audience

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Artist Medium Receiver (art)

• The communication model above demonstrates the
  relationship between an artist and the receiver
  of the art.
• When an artist sets out to create art, she/he
  determines three main things
• Purpose What am I trying to accomplish?
• Audience For whom am I creating this art?
• Medium What art form am I going to use?

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• In terms of a short story, the model looks more
  precisely like this
• Author Short Story Reader
• Short stories are not the spontaneous product of
  the natural world the author deliberately brings
  his/her writing talent to bear, in order to bring
  something to the reader (the purpose).

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PURPOSE Why Short Stories?

• There are principally THREE reasons for
  reading/writing short stories
• To entertain
• The first purpose of a short story is to enjoy
  it. Authors want you to enjoy a short story (and
  usually to pay money for it).

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Why Short Stories?

• 1. To entertain
• 2. To teach
• Often, the author has a particular point of view
  on an issue that he/she wants to share. The
  story is the medium the author uses to convey the
  message.
• This is the stage of analysis at which
  understanding symbol, meaning, and other literary
  devices is important.

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Why Short Stories?

• 1. To entertain
• 2. To teach
• 3. To raise questions
• Often, a specific message from the author is
  not clear other times, there is no message
  from the author per se.
• Rather, the author might be simply trying to get
  the reader to think about things in a new way, or
  to question things that the reader might have
  already made up his/her mind about.

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Why Short Stories?

• 1. To entertain.
• 2. To teach.
• 3. To raise questions.
• It is important to remember that each short
  story can have two or all three purposes at the
  same time.

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The Conversation of Birds

• Crossroads 10 pp. 41-45.
• Complete Responding to the Story b., c., d.,
  and e. Also, write down the definition of simile
  on p. 46, and find 3 examples of similes in the
  story.

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History of the Short Story Author Research
Project

• You will be given an authors name. Go to the
  library.
• Find out information about the author using
  books in the library. Write notes (Cornell
  format).
• Come to class tomorrow with your notes. Be
  prepared to present your author to the class.

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How to Analyze a Short Story
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How to Analyze a Short Story

• In the study of English as a discipline, you
  must approach texts in a variety of ways.
• The only way to truly analyze a work of fiction
  is to return to it more than once, with different
  purposes in mind.
• In a tightly-constructed short story, every
  element and often every word is chosen
  deliberately.
• When you analyze a short story, it is to see the
  authors design. When you can see the authors
  work, it raises the level of enjoyment (from an
  initial knee-jerk reaction to an intellectual
  one).

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How to Analyze a Short Story

• First Reading
• Second Reading
• Subsequent Readings

• Read primarily to enjoy.
• Take notes on anything that seems unusual,
  particularly vivid, jarring, or difficult to
  understand.
• Bring your analytical skills to bear. Look for
  literary devices, and think about how they
  operate in the story.

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How to Analyze a Short Story

• Take notes when you read a short story.
• Remember
• WHEN YOU READ,
• YOU UNDERSTAND ONCE
• WHEN YOU WRITE,
• YOU UNDERSTAND TWICE.

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A Conversation of Birds

• Read the short story, A Conversation of Birds.
• With a partner, discuss what the aim(s) of the
  author might have been for writing the story.
  What is the theme or message?
• Write a persuasive paragraph arguing your
  opinion.

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Elements of a Short Story

• Plot, Character, Setting, Atmosphere, and Style

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The Five Elements of a Short Story

1. Plot
2. Character
3. Setting
4. Atmosphere
5. Style

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Plot
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Vocabulary

• Plot the arrangement of incidents or events in
  a story what happens in the story.
• Plot line a way of visually demonstrating a
  storys structure by plotting incidents along a
  line plot lines can vary for different forms of
  fiction

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Plot of a Short Story
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Plot of a Short Story

• 4
• 5
• 6
• 3
• crises
• 2
• 1

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Plot of a Short Story

1. Exposition (or Opening Situation) The reader is
   informed of the setting and is introduced to the
   main characters.
2. Inciting Force (or Complication) A conflict is
   usually established between characters. This
   conflict gets things started.
3. Rising Action The conflict between characters
   develops and becomes more pronounced. Involves a
   series of crises (conflicts).

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Plot of a Short Story

• 4. Climax The moment of greatest suspense a
  point of conflict that will lead to the
  resolution of the main plot.
• 5. Falling Action The result of the outcome of
  the climactic conflict. Can involve a crisis,
  but in a short story is usually very short.
• 6. Denouement (or Resolution, or Final Outcome)
  The writer attempts to have the reader leave the
  story satisfied.

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The Three Little Pigs
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Plot The Three Little Pigs

• 4
• 5
• 6
• 3
• 2
• 1

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Assignment Analyze The Three Little Pigs

• In your notebook, draw a plot line.
• Label the plotline with numbers and dots for the
  crises.
• Then, using the numbers as a key or guide,
  explain the plot of The Three Little Pigs.
• Also, jot down (in a couple of sentences) what
  you think is the authors intention behind the
  story. How do you know?
• You may work with a partner on this.

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Plot of The Three Little Pigs

1. Exposition (or Opening Situation) The three
   pigs are introduced. Setting is minimal Once
   upon a time, with talking/personified pigs. It
   is time for the pigs to go out into the world
   and seek their fortunes, so they leave home.
2. Inciting Force (or Complication) The big bad
   wolf discovers the first pig in his house of
   straw, and wants to eat him.
3. Rising Action The wolf visits the house of
   straw and the house of sticks, blows them down
   and eats the piggies (these are the crises).

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Plot of The Three Little Pigs

• 4. Climax Failing to blow down the brick house,
  the wolf tries a different tactic to get into the
  house. The wolf climbs down the chimney and
  dies.
• 5. Falling Action The surviving pig invites his
  mother over, and she reinforces the lesson the
  pig (and reader) learned.
• 6. Denouement (or Resolution, or Final Outcome)
  The pig learns his lesson and lives happily ever
  after!

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The Michelle I Know

• Crossroads 10 pp. 16-23.
• Complete Responding to the Story and Story
  Craft Plot chart p. 23.

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Paragraph Example The Plot of The Michelle I
Know

• The Michelle I Know is a short story about a
  girl diagnosed with leukemia who is very unhappy.
  The reader learns in the exposition that
  Michelle is confined to a hospital ward, and that
  she has few visitors except Rob, a boy she likes.
  Through the rising action, Brenda, Michelles
  kind nurse, tries to cheer Michelle up. She
  takes Michelle to meet a man who still has a
  positive outlook, despite also suffering from
  cancer for the past 8 years. The climax occurs
  when Rob finally shows up, and Michelle realizes
  that he likes her for who she is. There is no
  falling action or denouement, other than a kiss
  they almost share. Michelle is changed by the
  end of the story because she is finally happy.

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Plot and Conflict
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Plot and Conflict

• Our lives are full of conflict. Likewise, the
  lives of characters are full of conflict.
• Think of a story as really a look at a conflict
  and its resolution (for better or worse!).
• There is no story without conflict.

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Plot and Conflict

• Really, the plot of a story is literally ALL
  about conflict.
• The inciting force and the crises (in the rising
  action phase), as well as the climax are all
  conflicts of some sort.
• (Note There can be minor conflicts in the
  falling action, but in a short story these are
  rare.)

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Two Main Types of Conflict

• There are two main types of conflict
• Psychological Conflict
• Physical Conflict

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Categories of Conflict

• Conflict can be categorized as
• Internal
• Person vs. Herself/Himself
• OR
• External
• Person vs. Person
• Person vs. Nature
• Person vs. Society
• Person vs. the Unknown
• Person vs. the Supernatural
• Person vs. Time

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Brainstorm Conflicts

• Create a character in your mind. Choose his/her
  name, gender, age, and list a couple of details
  about him/her.
• Example Henry 23-year-old male construction
  worker. Loves to travel, has a dog named
  Rover, oldest of three brothers.
• Look at the kinds of conflict.
• For each type of conflict, create THREE examples
  of that kind of conflict that your character
  might be involved in.
• e.g. Person vs. Nature on the construction
  site, Henry uncovers a prehistoric creature
  that tries to kill them all
• -- Rover is bitten by a rabid mouse and hunts
  Henry
• Person vs. Time Rover is bitten by a rattler,
  and Henry must get him to a vet in time to
  save his life.
• Person vs. the Unknown Called to a building
  project in Brazil, Henrys co-workers start
  disappearing into the night and no one knows
  why

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The Michelle I Know

• Outline a Short Story

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• Divide your page into three equal parts.
• Beginning
• Middle
• End

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• Brainstorm for each part (15-20 mins). In each
  space, cover the following questions
• Who is involved?
• What is happening?
• When is it taking place?
• Where is it taking place?
• Why is it taking place?
• How is it happening? any other details that pop
  into your head.

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The Michelle I Know Outline a Short Story
(Pre-writing)

• Write an outline for your short story. Write a
  brief paragraph (3-4 sentences, unstructured) on
  each of the following elements
• Main Character(s) and Personality
• Setting
• Main Problem (to be solved in the climax)
• Rising Action Crises/Conflicts (at least 3)
• Climax
• Changes Outline what has changed from the
  beginning
• Conclusion
• You will have 20-25 minutes for this exercise.

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Drafting

• Write a first draft of your story, following your
  outline. Do the best you can, but do not
  obsess over every detail.
• Aim for 350-500 words.
• Your final version of this story will be between
  500 and 1000 words.

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Revising

• Remember
• Koch Snowflake

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Revising Adding Details

• A simple way to revise a story is to analyze the
  authors use of details so far, and make
  suggestions for improvement.
• The way to do this is through improving word
  choice, and adding sensual details through
  adjectives and adverbs.

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Revising Adding Details

• Swap stories with a classmate. Let him/her read
  your story draft, and each of you must comment
  on
• What works really well in the story so far.
• What works in the story, but needs some
  improvement.
• What doesnt work so well, and needs some
  revision.
• Wherever you see a NOUN, circle it.
• Wherever you see a VERB, circle it.
• Get back your story. For every NOUN circled,
  write at least ONE adjective that could go with
  that noun. For every VERB circled, write at
  least one ADVERB that could make the image
  clearer.
• Write a second draft of the story, making changes
  that reflect your peers suggestions. Use MLA
  format!
• Remember The idea of getting peer help is to
  IMPROVE your writing, not simply to criticize it!

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Revising Adding Dialogue

• Remember Short story writing is an ART. That
  means, every part of the short story should play
  a part towards the whole!
• When writing dialogue, remember that every time
  a character speaks, there should be a REASON for
  that speaking.
• Dialogue should
• Give the reader previously unknown information.
• Make the speaker and situation more realistic for
  the reader.
• Characterize the speaker and the character(s)
  spoken to.
• Actually, the authors use of dialogue WILL do
  these things! So, the authors job is to make
  them work within the story he/she has written.

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Revising Adding Dialogue

• Swap stories with a classmate. Let him/her read
  your story draft, and
• Where dialogue is present, constructively
  criticize the diction used, and make suggestions
• Indicate points where you think dialogue would
  make the story better, and make suggestions
• When you are finished, discuss these things with
  your partner. Remember The goal is to make the
  writing BETTER!

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Editing

• Swap your second draft with a classmate.
• Peer edit each others work. Pay attention to
  little details like paragraphing, punctuation
  (especially in dialogue!), and grammar.
• When finished, produce a final draft for
  publication.

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Publish

• Your final version of this story is due
  Wednesday, Nov. 12, in MLA format.

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Genre Science Fiction

• Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that
  often involves one or more of the following
  elements
• A setting in the future or in an alternate
  timeline.
• A setting in outer space or involving aliens or
  unknown civilizations.
• The discovery or application of new scientific
  principles or new technology, such as time travel
  or robots.
• Science fiction differs from fantasy in that its
  imaginary elements are usually possible within
  established laws of nature (although some
  elements might be entirely imaginative).

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Ray Bradbury

• Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy,
  horror, science fiction, and mystery writer best
  known for The Martian Chronicles, a 1950 book
  which has been described both as a short story
  collection and a novel, and his 1953 dystopian
  novel Fahrenheit 451.

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A Sound of Thunder

• Answer all questions in complete sentences.

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• 1. How is the readers interest caught?
• 2. How does the exposition part of the story set
  up what is to follow? (setting, main
  characters)
• 3. What relationship does the material presented
  in the introduction bear to the conclusion of the
  story?
• 4. Describe as many conflicts as you can in the
  story. For each, label it as a person vs.
  _____ conflict, and describe who/what is
  involved in it. Indicate the page(s) on which
  the conflict takes place. Try to identify what
  you think is the MAIN CONFLICT.
• 5. What is the climax of the story? Why do you
  think that part is the climax?

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• 6. Bradburys stories are often thought to
  contain outright lessons for the reader. That
  is, one of the goals of this story is to teach,
  and Bradbury has a certain point of view of which
  he wants to convince his reader.
• What do you think is the main lesson of the
  story? In a persuasive paragraph, argue what you
  think is the message (or messages) being
  delivered through the story. Use evidence from
  the story to prove what you say.

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• Two of the goals of this story are to teach and
  to raise questions about larger issues in the
  real world.
• For each of the following ideas, brainstorm what
  Bradbury might be trying to get the reader to
  think about. You have to think on two levels
  what does the story indicate about the issue, and
  how might that message be relevant to the real
  world generally
• Mans relationship with the natural world
  (hunting)
• Scientific progress and its dangers in general
  (time travel, technology, etc.)
• Human nature/psychology
• Politics

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Essays

• For this section, the slides you are to copy
  appear in BLACK.

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The Essay The Basics

• To understand the structure of any essay,
  remember this structure
• Say what you are going to say.
• Say it.
• Say what you said.

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The Essay The Basics

• To understand the structure of any essay,
  remember this structure
• Say what you are going to say.
• (Introduction)
• Say it.
• (Body Paragraphs)
• Say what you said.
• (Conclusion)

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The Essay The Basics - Paragraphs

• There are many ways to write paragraphs. For a
  general rule, follow this formula
• Topic Sentence
• Say what you are going to say.
• Body sentences
• Say it (or prove it).
• Final sentence
• Say what you said AND/OR transition to the next
  paragraph.

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Expository Essay

• You either offer information or explain your
  point of view on a topic you already know
  something about.
• The five-paragraph essay taught in high school
  English classes is of this type.
• There are two basic types of expository essay
• 1. one gives information, and
• 2. the other defends an opinion.

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Expository Essay

• Basic structure
• Paragraph One - Introduction
• Announces the topic and builds to a thesis
  statement in which you state your point of view.
• Paragraphs Two to Four (or more) Body
  Paragraphs
• Supporting evidence and reasoned discussion.
• Final Paragraph Conclusion
• Restates the thesis more emphatically, and
  suggests wider implications. Do NOT simply
  summarize!

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The 5-Paragraph Essay

• Introduction
• Body 1
• Body 2
• Body 3
• Conclusion

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Structure of the Introduction

• General Statement Talk about the broader topic
  in general.
• Linking Statement Name the text and author.
• Thesis Statement

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Body Paragraphs

• Make three statements that support your thesis,
  and provide evidence or proof that supports those
  statements.
• These will be three paragraphs of roughly-equal
  length. They should follow strict paragraph
  structure, and the evidence you use to back up
  your topic sentences should be drawn directly
  from the text whenever possible.

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Structure of the Conclusion

• Re-state Thesis
• Linking Statement Name the text and author.
• General Statement Talk about the broader topic
  in general, AND/OR leave the reader with
  something related to think about.

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Notes and Tips

• In general, except for in Personal Experience
  essays, avoid the first-person pronoun, I, in
  your essays.
• Any sentence can be re-written to remove the
  self-conscious I, me, mine.
• It is not necessary to write, In my opinion, I
  believe, I feel, etc.
• NEVER write things like, In the following essay,
  I shall try to prove, or In conclusion

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Thesis Statements
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What is a Thesis?

• Your thesis is the main point or central idea of
  your paper. It is the backbone of the paper.
• If you ask the question,
• What is the main point of this paper?
• your answer should resemble your essays thesis
  statement.

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What is a THESIS?!?

• The core of an informational writing piece
• The central message of the essay the meaning in
  a nutshell
• A clear, concise statement of what an author is
  going to say.
• An argument with which others may agree or
  disagree.

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A strong thesis

• gives both the reader and writer a sense of
  direction.
• gets readers involved in the conversation of
  the essay it alerts the reader to look for
  details, facts, and quotations that support the
  statement the thesis makes.

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Where is your thesis statement?

• At the beginning of the essay, in order to
• establish your position, and
• give your reader a sense of direction.
• Usually the last line of paragraph 1.
• In longer essays, may appear in paragraph 2.

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Comparison Essay A Sound of Thunder and A
Sound of Thunder

• Watch the film A Sound of Thunder.
• Take notes on the plot, especially how it varies
  from the short story A Sound of Thunder.
• You might want to set your page up in two
  columns to make comparison notes
• Movie Short Story

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• Clearly, the film was inspired by the movie.
  But, the film is very different from the short
  story.
• What messages does the film version carry? How
  does it handle the issues raised by Bradbury?
• In a formal essay, compare Bradburys A Sound
  of Thunder to the film A Sound of Thunder.
• You will want to mention the following
• Consider the purposes of short stories To
  entertain, to teach, and to raise questions.
• Explain how the story and the film work to
  accomplish the three purposes of short stories.
• Look at how the film treats the SAME
  topics/issues. Compare (consider things that are
  the SAME) and contrast (consider things that are
  DIFFERENT) the two versions and their messages.

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Five-paragraph Comparison Essay Structure A
Sound of Thunder

• Structure
• Introduction In your thesis, clearly state for
  the reader what you are going to prove to them.
• Paragraph 2 Compare/contrast the treatment of
  issue 1.
• Paragraph 3 Compare/contrast the treatment of
  issue 2.
• Paragraph 4 Compare/contrast the treatment of
  issue 3.
• Conclusion Re-state your thesis.
• Follow this formula!

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The Essay The Basics - Paragraphs

• There are many ways to write paragraphs. For a
  general rule, follow this formula
• Topic Sentence
• Say what you are going to say.
• Body sentences
• Say it (or prove it).
• Final sentence
• Say what you said AND/OR transition to the next
  paragraph.

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Sample Paragraphs
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How the Writing Process Works

• The writing process is the method by which you
  will develop your writing from idea to published
  form. It includes five important steps
  pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and
  publishing. Pre-writing involves brainstorming
  and organizing your ideas. Drafting is when you
  write your first, rough copy. Revision involves
  adding or removing parts with your audience in
  mind. Fixing spelling, punctuation, and grammar
  mistakes is editing. Finally, publishing
  involves giving your work to the intended
  audience. Using the steps of the writing process
  will improve your writing by taking it from an
  idea to publication.

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The Aims of a Short Story

• When an author writes a short story, he/she has
  three aims in mind To entertain, to teach, and
  to raise questions. The author wants the reader
  to enjoy the story, and the main aim of short
  stories is to entertain. To teach means the
  author has a certain message for the reader to
  understand, and the story is the medium for that
  message. Sometimes, the author does not have a
  specific message, but simply wants to raise
  questions in the readers mind about things that
  the reader already believes, and so get the
  reader to think about things in a new way. Short
  story authors might focus on one aim in
  particular, but all three aims are often in mind.

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Character
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Character

• Characterization

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Characterization

• Characters are the people of the story.
• Characterization is of two main types
• Direct characterization occurs when the author
  (through narration) explicitly tells the reader
  what a particular character is like.
• Indirect characterization is more subtle. The
  author gives certain information and lets the
  reader draw his/her own conclusions regarding the
  character.

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• Indirect characterization is achieved using the
  following methods
• The characters name. (E.g. Old Man Warner in
  The Lottery warns people.)
• The characters appearance.
• What the character says (or thinks).
• What the character does.
• What others say or think about the character,
  including other characters or the narrator.

96

• To analyze a character, look at the characters
  dialogue, appearance, actions, environment,
  character type, and motivation.
• Also note if there are ironies or discrepancies,
  i.e. does the character say he believes one
  thing, but act the opposite way? Do other
  characters say things about him that you do not
  see as true?

97
Two Kinds

• Crossroads 10 pp. 198-209.
• Complete Responding to the Story p. 210.

98
Two Kinds Character Development

• Character development occurs when a character
  changes throughout the course of a story.
• 1. What was your initial reaction to the mother?
  How did you feel about her by the end of the
  story?
• 2. What was your initial reaction to the
  daughter? How did you feel about her by the end
  of the story?
• When you write your own stories, keep this in
  mind!

99
Two Kinds Vocabulary

• conjunction a part of speech used to
  connect and relate words or sentences.
  Common conjunctions are and, but, for, or, so,
  and yet.
• Normally, conjunctions should NOT be used to
  start sentences. In Two Kinds, Amy Tan uses
  conjunctions to begin many sentences. What is
  the effect of this?

100
Two Kinds Assignment-- Thinking Outside the
Text

1. What pressures are there on people to be
   successful?
2. What is success?
3. What images does society use to stand for
   success?
4. Do you think that success is important? Why?
5. Should everyone want to be successful? Why or
   why not?
6. Can everyone be successful?
7. What is character? How does character relate
   to behaviour?

101
Two Kinds Letter of Apology

• Have you ever felt badly about something you
  once did, but you never apologized for doing it?
  Well, heres your chance!
• Write a letter to that person explaining what
  you did and why you have to apologize.
• Will you send your letter? You decide!

102

• Dear Mr. Crowell,
• I hope everything is well with you. It has
  been a long time since we last spoke, so youre
  probably wondering why I am writing now. I feel
  a need to apologize for something I did when I
  was in your grade 7 science class.
• In the spring of that year, we had to do a big
  poster project about something scientific that we
  researched ourselves. When the time came to hand
  them in, I had not finished the assignment. I
  then promptly forgot all about it.
• A few weeks later, you returned the projects to
  the class. Knowing that my mark would suffer
  because I did not hand it in, I asked you where
  my project was, and pretended that I was angry
  because I had handed it in and you lost it. I
  was not a good liar, so I did not keep up the
  charade for long, and you were well-organized and
  knew the truth.
• I want to apologize for that lie now. I know
  that my accusation made you look like either an
  incompetent teacher or a liar in front of our
  class. It was unfair of me to basically accuse
  you of failing to do your job. For the lie, I
  truly apologize.
• Sincerely,
• Toby K. Stoddart

103
Two Kinds Descriptive Paragraph

• Everyone wants to be successful, but people
  have different ideas about what success is.
• How will you know when you have achieved
  success? What would success look like in your
  own life?
• Write a descriptive paragraph in which you
  describe yourself in 10, 15, 20, or 25 years
  when you are successful, according to your own
  definition of success.

104
Character

• Character Sketch

105
What is a Character Sketch?

• A character sketch is a write-up about a
  specific character, giving the characters main
  personality traits and physical attributes. It
  should include the following
• Identifying the Character (1 paragraph)
• Physical Description (1 paragraph)
• Personality Characteristics (1-2 paragraphs)
• Importance of the Character to the Story (1
  paragraph)

106
1. Identify the Character

• This paragraph could be the introduction.
• Tell who the character is by naming the character
  and what role he/she plays in the story.
• Give the title of the novel/story/play.
• Tell whether he/she is a major, secondary, or
  minor character.

107
2. Physical Description

• Tell what the character looks like. Use evidence
  from the novel be specific!
• Look for the best quotes you can note
  characterization methods!

108
3. Personality and Characteristics

• Explain what the character is like.
• This could include
• His/her likes and dislikes
• His/her good and bad qualities
• His/her strong and weak points
• His/her attitude and opinions
• Basically, any personality characteristic that is
  shown through characterization.

109
3. Personality and Characteristics cont.

• IMPORTANT Whatever statements you make about a
  character, they MUST be backed up (proven) by
  evidence from the story!
• Give examples, quotations, and references from
  the story to prove what you say.

110
4. Importance of the Character to the Story

• Explain the importance of this character and
  his/her role in the story.
• (You may also consider how he/she added to the
  story and speculate on how the story might have
  been different had he/she been different or acted
  differently.)

111
Personality Words Exercise

• Each class member will be assigned a letter.
• Working with a partner, take a few moments and
  brainstorm words that describe peoples
  personalities that begin with your letters.
• You should have at least 5 words for each
  letter. You will share them with the class.

112
Personality Words

• Aggressive
• Ambitious
• Anxious
• Bitter
• Boastful
• Cautious
• Clumsy
• Concerned
• Confident
• Considerate
• Courageous
• Courteous
• Cowardly

• Cruel
• Curious
• Dependable
• Disorganized
• Easy-going
• Eccentric
• Excitable
• Faithful
• Friendly
• Generous
• Gentle
• Gloomy
• Greedy

113
Personality Words

• Grouchy
• Gullible
• Helpful
• Honest
• Humble
• Hypocritical
• Ignorant
• Ill-tempered
• Imaginative
• Impatient
• Independent
• Ingenious
• Insecure
• Insistent
• Intelligent
• Inventive

• Irrepressible
• Jealous
• Lazy
• Lonely
• Loving
• Loyal
• Miserly
• Moody
• Nervous
• Obnoxious
• Optimistic
• Outgoing
• Outrageous
• Pessimistic
• Polite
• Proud

114
Personality Words

• Relaxed
• Reliable
• Romantic
• Rude
• Sarcastic
• Scatterbrained
• Secretive
• Sensitive
• Shy
• Sly
• Sneaky
• Sophisticated
• Spontaneous
• Stubborn
• Superficial
• Suspicious

• Tactful
• Timid
• Tiresome
• Treacherous
• Uninhibited
• Unintelligent
• Unpredictable
• Unreliable
• Vague
• Vain
• Virtuous
• Vital
• Vulnerable
• Witty

115
Write a Character Sketch Pre-writing

• Choose a character from a story you know well or
  a television show that you know very well.
• Brainstorm everything you know about that
  character.
• Take a few minutes to do this.

116
Write a Character Sketch Drafting

• Write a character sketch of the character you
  chose.
• Note If you chose a television or film
  character, you must know the show or film well
  enough to be able to provide concrete examples
  that prove what you say!

117
What is a Character Trait Essay?

• Character sketches can take many forms. The
  most common is the Character Trait Essay.
• Character Trait Essays can be longer than 5
  paragraphs, but are structured the same way
  Introduction, main body, and conclusion. They
  try to prove THREE or more main characteristics
  about a character.

118
Character

• Types of Characters

119
Types of Characters

• Characters can be described in several ways. Two
  main ones are
• Flat or Round
• Major or Minor

120
Flat v. Round Characters

• Round (or dynamic) characters change and grow
  throughout the course of a story. The change
  might be emotional, spiritual, or intellectual.
  Through encountering the conflicts and crises in
  the story, they illuminate the message(s) the
  author is sending.
• Flat (or static) characters do not change and
  grow throughout the story.

121
Major v. Minor Characters

• Major characters are important to the story.
  They tend also to be round.
• Protagonist The central character of a literary
  work.
• Antagonist The rival or opponent against whom
  the main character (protagonist) is contending.

122
Major v. Minor Characters

• Minor characters tend to be flat, but are also
  important to a story in that they serve
  particular purposes, which may include
• Giving the author a way to provide background
  information
• Act as a foil (a contrast character) or alter ego
  (a comparison character) to a major character
• Foreshadow events
• Advance the plot
• Illuminate theme
• Enhance the setting
• Establish mood

123
Stereotypes

• Sometimes, characters are stereotypes
  characters that reflect expectations of behaviour
  from particular groups, rather than a fleshed-out
  personality.
• Stereotypes can serve a purpose in a story as a
  minor character, but as major characters they are
  usually simply a sign of weak writing.

124
Ive Got Gloria

• Crossroads 10 pp. 170-176.

125
Ive Got Gloria Character Development

• Character development is a change in how a
  character in a story thinks or deals with life
  situations. It is an awareness that a character
  develops to become who he or she is.
• 1. What is Scott like at the beginning of the
  story? What did you think of him at the
  beginning of the story? How has he changed at
  the end? Did your impression of him change?
• 2. Choose a story you have read recently (or a
  film you have seen) in which you think a
  character changes or develops. Outline the
  events that led to this development. (Follow a
  plot diagram!)

126
Setting
127
Setting

• Setting the physical backdrop of the story
• where (place) and when (time) the story takes
  place.
• When looking at setting, you must try to be as
  specific as possible, but describe where the
  entire story takes place. For example, A
  modern-day city, Jerusalem in the Middle Ages,
  and Anchorage, Alaska c. 1950s are settings
  night-time on a street, then in a car, then a
  store is not.
• Generally, the author will leave it to the
  reader to infer the setting of the story, to some
  extent. Use clues from the beginning of the
  story to figure out the setting.

128
Setting Exercise

• Return to the short stories we have read so far
• Your childrens book.
• The Three Little Pigs
• On A Sidewalk Bleeding
• The Michelle I Know
• A Conversation of Birds
• A Sound of Thunder
• Ive Got Gloria
• It Could Happen to You (test story)
• For each story, describe the setting as
  completely as you can in as few words as you can.
• Return to the first few paragraphs of the story
  if you do not remember.

129
Atmosphere
130
Atmosphere

• Atmosphere the overall mood or tone of the
  story. Atmosphere is usually established at
  the beginning of a story.
• Any number of things can contribute to the
  atmosphere, including (but not limited to)
• Characters
• Clothing
• Furniture
• Natural surroundings
• Light/darkness
• Weather
• Atmosphere has a close connection with setting,
  because the setting often determines the
  atmosphere of the story.

131
The Cask of Amontillado

• As we read, note how the author uses the setting
  to establish mood and reveal character.

132

• A. Introduction
• Why is the introduction successful in capturing
  the readers interest and in creating suspense?
• What purposes in the development of the story are
  served by the introduction?

133

• B. Setting
• In what ways does the setting contribute to the
  creation of mood or atmosphere?
• How does the author use setting to reveal
  character?

134

• C. Plot
• 1. Define the central conflict(s) in the story.
• 2. Where is the climax of the story? Explain why
  you think so.
• 3. What is the denouement? Do you think it is a
  satisfying ending? Why or why not?

135

• D. Dialogue
• To what extent does the author use dialogue to
  advance the plot? Give an example.
• To what extent does the author use dialogue to
  reveal character? Give an example.

136
Style
137
Vocabulary

• Formal
• Discourse

138
Style

• Style the ways an author expresses himself/
  herself and conveys his/her ideas and
  central purpose.
• Style is very personal, like a signature no
  two writing styles are identical.
• In order to examine a writers style, we must
  consider the following six areas diction,
  sentence structure, point of view, irony,
  symbolism, imagery.

139
Style - DICTION

• Diction word choice.
• Diction is what makes the short story an art
  form words are chosen specifically to achieve a
  particular purpose.

140
Style - DICTION

• There are FOUR main types of diction
• Formal diction
• Informal diction
• Colloquial diction
• Slang

141
Style DICTION

• Formal diction is usually found in academic
  texts, academic papers, and formal discourse.
• Informal diction is relaxed conversation, and
  is found in writing that has a lighter tone and
  is sometimes humorous.

142

• insert reading samples of formal diction

143

• insert reading samples of informal diction

144
Style DICTION

• Colloquial diction is the everyday language use
  of a particular group of people.
• For example, we go to the store to buy a loaf
  of bread, but in Cape Breton they buy a bun of
  bread.
• Colloquial diction varies by geographic area and
  cultural region. For example, think about how
  different English is here than in Newfoundland
  (where colloquialisms abound).

145
Style Colloquial Diction

• Can you think of anything that HHS students say
  that might not be understood by people from other
  places?
• What is jonesin? (Mr. Stoddart is
  jonesin!)
• Can you think of other colloquialisms? (This
  might be difficult sometimes it takes someone
  from another place to point them out!)

146
Style - DICTION

• Slang is defined as a newly-coined word not
  accepted for formal usage yet, and is usually not
  found in the dictionary.
• Aint and Doh are slang, but have made
  their way into the Oxford English Dictionary.

147
Style Sentence Structure

• Sentence structure is indicated by whether or
  not the sentences are long, short, simple,
  compound, complex, etc.
• Some authors styles are recognizable by their
  sentence structure alone.

148

• See Crossroads 10 Teacher Manual pp. 460-463.

149
The Michelle I Know Sentence Variety

• Re-read the first few pages of The Michelle I
  Know (Crossroads 10 pp. 16-23), noticing how the
  author uses sentences of varying lengths and
  types. Why would an author do this? What effect
  is created?
• Check one or two of the pieces that youve
  written this year. Do you think youve used a
  variety of sentences?
• In one of your own works, find an example of each
  of the following
• A statement
• A question
• An exclamation
• A very short sentence
• A very long sentence
• If you do not have all of these types of
  sentences, edit some of the sentences until you
  do, then write down those examples.

150
Style Point of View

• Point of view the vantage point from which the
  author presents the action of the story. The
  point of view is presented by the narrator.
• Every work of fiction has a narrator the person
  telling the story is the narrator, NOT the
  author!
• In some stories, there is little separation
  between the narrator and the author, but in
  others the narrator brings his/her own biases to
  the telling of the story.

151
Style Point of View

• There are two ways to describe point of view
• Third person perspective
• vs.
• First person perspective
• AND
• Limited narration
• vs.
• Omniscient narration

152
Style Point of View

• Third person narration
• The person telling
• the story is NOT part
• of the action.
• The reader/viewer sees the action as if from an
  external camera.

They saw the enemy ahead. Creeping up quietly,
John raised his rifle
153
Style Point of View

• First person narration This is a major, minor,
  or silent character who tells the story.
• (Silent means they play no role in the action
  of the story, but are present in it.)

I saw them there, crouched behind the boxes, and
shouted to my team to fire at will!
154
Point of View Language

• You can identify a first- or third-person
  perspective based upon the pronouns used by the
  narrator.
• First person narration I or we are used.
• Third person narration He, she, or they are
  used.

155
Subject and Object Pronouns

• Basic Sentence Structure
• Mary and I went to the park.
• subject verb object
• Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns
  in a sentence.
• There are two types of pronouns Subject
  pronouns and object pronouns.
• Basically, subject pronouns are the do-ers of
  the action in the sentence, and come before the
  verb.
• Object pronouns have the verb acted upon them.

156
Subject pronouns can only go in the subject
position in a sentence object pronouns can only
go in the object position!

• Subject Pronouns
• I
• You (s.)
• He/She/It
• We
• You (pl.)
• They

• Object Pronouns
• Me
• You (s.)
• Him/Her/It
• Us
• You (pl.)
• Them
• ( others, e.g. himself, herself, etc.)

157
French-language students usually understand this
best by recognizing the parallels in French.

• Subject Pronouns
• Je
• Tu
• Il/Elle
• Nous
• Vous
• Ils/Elles

• Object Pronouns
• Moi
• Toi
• Il/Elle
• Nous
• Vous
• Lui

158

• A COMMON MISTAKE! NOTE THIS!
• You probably would not say
• Me went to the park.
• Little children talk this way, because they have
  not absorbed language rules yet. When used in
  public speaking (for example), it is a mark of a
  lack of education.
• You would not do this because me is an object
  pronoun not to be used in the subject position!
• Likewise, then, you should not use the following
• Mary and me are going out tonight.
• Me and him are gonna get together after school.

159
Point of View Verbs and Tenses

• insert lesson on verbs

160
Shoplifting

• Read the three short short stories on shoplifting.

161
Point of View Short Story Exercise

• Choose one of the short stories on shoplifting.
• Choose a character or object from the story.
  For example, you might choose one of the thieves,
  a store clerk, or an object that was stolen (e.g.
  toothpaste tube).
• Choose a tense for the story. You can write it
  as a past-tense story about what happened, or as
  a present tense in the moment story.
• Without changing any of the facts of the story,
  and following the same plot as much as possible,
  re-tell the story from the first-person point of
  view of the character/object you chose.
• Your draft should be 300-500 words in length (or
  more).

162
Style Point of View

• Limited narration The narrators knowledge is
  limited to the direct knowledge of the
  narrator/character.
• This is the point of view that is most like
  real life, and provides an immediacy to the
  action.
• For example, you do not know exactly what is
  happening behind each of the walls of the
  classroom you are in. Likewise, a limited
  narrator would only know what he/she could
  perceive.

163
Style Point of View

• Omniscient narration The narrator knows
  everything about the characters and events, and
  can enter the mind of any character at will.
• Omniscient narration is useful for stories with
  several characters of equal importance, or for
  letting the viewer see the antagonists point of
  view as well as the protagonists.
• Omniscient narration sacrifices immediacy of
  action.
• The omniscient narrator is often confused with
  the author.

164
Style Point of View

• When you describe the narration in a story, you
  must describe the various aspects of the point of
  view.
• There are FOUR basic points of view
• First person omniscient
• First person limited
• Third person omniscient
• Third person limited

165
Style Point of View

• First Person
• Limited Omniscient
• Third Person

166
Point of View Some Examples

• The Three Little Pigs is written from the third
  person omniscient perspective. We can see what
  each of the pigs is doing inside the houses, and
  what the wolf does outside as well.
• The Outsiders is written from the first person
  limited perspective. We only see what Ponyboy
  sees, and events are interpreted for us by
  Ponyboy. (Cue for Treason is the same, with
  Peter being the narrator.)
• The Harry Potter series is written mostly in
  the third person limited perspective. The only
  action that we see happen is when Harry is
  present the rest is reported to the reader by
  other characters. (Most suspense novels are
  written from this point of view, to maintain
  suspense by keeping the reader guessing.)
  Occasionally, the author allows us to see the
  teachers talking, and on one or two occasions
  lets us see the villains scheming (switching
  narrative perspectives).

167
Point of View Exercise

• Complete the following exercise in your
  notebook
• Choose two novels you have read in the recent
  past, or are reading now. Include your
  independent reading selection for class!
• For each, identify the narrative point of view
  and the verb tense employed. Why do you think
  the author deliberately chose these elements?

168
The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine

• Crossroads 10 pp. 60-66.
• Prewriting
• Choose an event that happened to you recently,
  and brainstorm on the event. Write down as much
  as you can, and include details (who, what, when,
  where, why, sights, sounds, smells, tastes,
  feelings, etc.)

169
The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine

• Crossroads 10 pp. 60-66.
• Read 3. Writing and complete the writing
  exercise Choose an event that happened to you
  recently, and describe that event in the first
  person, then again in the third person. (About 1
  page each.)

170
Style - Foreshadowing

• Foreshadowing a literary device in which an