1 / 10

Interpreting Short Stories

Interpreting Short Stories. Focus on the differences between Traditional techniques, especially plot structure, and techniques of Realism. Remember that traditional plot structure is a schematic diagram and is not followed closely in many stories.

aiko
Download Presentation

Interpreting Short Stories

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Interpreting Short Stories • Focus on the differences between Traditional techniques, especially plot structure, and techniques of Realism. • Remember that traditional plot structure is a schematic diagram and is not followed closely in many stories. • Understand and apply “locale,” “setting,” “plot,” “characterization,” “narration,” and “theme.”

  2. Interpreting “The Story of An Hour” • Exposition—What do we learn about Mrs. Mallard? • Formulate the Complication • Rising Action—How does the scene outside the window affect Mrs. Mallard? • R.A.—Trace the conflict between what is struggling toward consciousness and her social conscience.

  3. Interpreting “Story of an Hour” • RA—Explain what is good in her marriage and what is not so good as described by the narrator. • Climax and Resolution—The Climax is obvious but the Resolution needs to be related to the rest of the plot.

  4. Interpreting “To Build a Fire” • Describe the Locale and the Setting. • Comment on Characterization—Is the protagonist more sympathetic or unsympathetic? What’s your evidence? • Comment on the narration. • Formulate the complication. • What are the main details in the Rising Action?

  5. Interpreting “To Build a Fire” • Where exactly is the Climax? • Comment on the Resolution. • Literary Realism • Quote several details that show first-hand experience or expertise. • Point to examples of objective narration and omniscient narration.

  6. Traditional or Realistic Techniques • Omniscient narration or objective, effaced narration? • Dramatic plot (suspense) or slice of life (little or no suspense)? • Extraordinary characters and events or ordinary characters and events?

  7. Interpreting “Young Goodman Brown” • Each group should find two passages that illustrate the specific technique of traditional storytelling. • Omniscient point of view • Complication or Rising Action in plot (suspense) • Climax and Resolution of the plot • An extraordinary character and an extraordinary event • Non-realistic dialogue (high style, not colloquial)

  8. Interpreting “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” • What do we learn in the Exposition? • What is the complication? • What are some details in the Rising Action? • Where is the climax? What is the tone of the Resolution and how is that like the title? • Where do you see clear examples of details suggesting first-hand experience or expertise? • Where is the point of view objective, where is it limited (p-of-v character), where is it omniscient?

  9. Interpreting “The Things They Carried” • Main Interpretive Task: Relate the Realistic catalogues to the Traditional Plot in which Lt. Cross is the protagonist. • Notice the difference between tangible things and intangible things. How do these things shape the characterization of the men? • What are some details that show the narration to be objective or omniscient? • What are the five traditional steps in Lt. Cross’s relationship with Martha?

  10. Interpreting “Before the Firing Squad” • Location? Clarify the historical situation and the types of characters. • What are the mustard-yellow Fritzes and what are the black Ludwigs (para 4)? • What are the men doing in the mountains? • How is the protagonist’s wounded knee relevant to the climactic scene? • Do you sense a Complication? If so, where? Is the action more of a dramatic plot or a slice of life?

More Related