How to Read (and enjoy) a Short Story

1. How to Read (and enjoy) a Short Story

2. 5 Ws and an H • Think like a reporter or interviewer • Who • What • When • Where • Why • How

3. Who • Who is the author of this story? • Does this author have a particular style? • Who is telling (narrating) the story? • Point of view • Who is the story about (main characters)? • Protagonists and antagonists

4. What • What is the story about (plot)? • What are the characters’ motivations? • What does the author want us to feel (mood)? • What sort of conflict is occurring? • What things does the author make us think about (theme)?

5. When • When does the story take place?

6. Where • Where does the story take place (setting)?

7. Why • Why do characters do what they do? • Why does the author use the language he/she uses?

8. How • How does the story move from beginning to end? • How does the author create mood, tone, suspense and theme? • How do characters grow and change? • How is conflict resolved? • How does the author use symbols to further our understanding of the story?

9. Practice “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht.

10. Who Doesn’t use the word “I.” Third person point of view. “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht.

11. What Author wants us to feel suspense and mystery. “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht. They are sailing.

12. When “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht.

13. Where They are near this island. “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht. They are in the tropics. They are sailing.

14. Why is the author using these words? Remember this as the plot develops. Why “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht. Why can’t Rainsford see it? Watch for this to be explained.

15. How How have characters changed? Compare characters now to how they are at the end of the story. “Off there to the right – somewhere – is a large island,” said Whitney. “It’s rather a mystery –” “What island is it?” Rainsford asked. “The old charts call it Ship-Trap Island,” Whitney replied. “A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition –” “Can’t see it,” remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness upon the yacht. How does the author create mood? Remember these words and look for similar ones throughout.

16. Your turn As you read the text on the next slide, write down key words that you think answer the questions we discussed. Then write the question that the word answers next to it. You can use the same word to answer more than one question. For example: night (when)

17. “You’ve good eyes,” said Whitney, with a laugh, “and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.” “Nor four yards,” admitted Rainsford. “Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.” “It will be light in Rio,” promised Whitney. “We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up in the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.” “The best sport in the world,” agreed Rainsford. “For the hunter,” amended Whitney. “Not for the jaguar.”