Short Story Unit
If it is written in yellow, you DO
NOT NEED to write.
If it is written in white, you need
to write.
Activities / Assignments
Notes on each Short Story
Notes on Literary Terms
Discussion
Quizzes on Literary Terms
Reading Questions
Reading Quizzes
Test
Project
Stories we will read…
The Open Window
The Cask of Amontillado
The Lady, or the Tiger?
The Most Dangerous Game
The Gift of the Magi
Literary Terminology
• 1. Irony- an outcome of events
contrary to what was expected.
contrast between what is stated and
what is meant or what is expected to
happen and what actually does.
• 2. Understatement- The presentation
of a thing with under emphasis in
order to achieve a greater effect.
Irony
Irony
Irony
Irony
Understatement: It’s going to be a little windy today
Understatement: My office is a little messy right now.
Understatement: I don’t think we’re going
anywhere.
Understatement: You need to work
on your parallel parking.
3. Setting - where a literary work takes place.
4. Theme - the central message, lesson, or
idea of a story.
Setting
Setting
Setting
Setting
5. Conflict - struggle between two forces
A. Internal -struggle the character faces against
himself (Man vs. Self)
B. External -struggle the character faces
against an outside force
(Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs.
Supernatural)
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Self
Man vs. Supernatural
6. Foreshadowing - use of clues to suggest
events that have yet to occur.
7. Mood – feeling created in the reader by a
literary work or passage.
8. Narrator - the speaker or character who
tells the story.
Narrator
9. Metaphor- A figure of speech in which
a comparison is made between two
things essentially unalike.
10. Simile - A figure of speech in which a
comparison is expressed by the
specific use of a word or phrase such
as: like, as, than, seems or "as if."
11. Symbol- A thing (could be an object,
person, situation or action) which
stands for something else.
Metaphors
“Wyatt, I stand corrected, you’re an oak.”
“We would have had more pizza to eat if
Tammy hadn’t been such a pig.”
“He has an alligator mouth and a canary
behind.”
“He is lightening on the baseball field.”
“Jonathan is a beast on the soccer field.”
Similes
As dead as a doornail
Doing drugs is like playing with fire.
As cool as a cucumber
As nutty as a fruitcake
As poor as dirt
As slow as molasses
As snug as a bug in a rug
Down like four flat tires
Symbols
12. Plot - sequences of events; what happens in
a story
A. exposition -part of the plot graph that
introduces the characters, setting, and
the basic situation.
B. conflict - struggle between two forces
C. Rising action - the series of events that
lead to the climax; contains minor conflicts and
tries to get the reader interested.
D. Climax - the point of highest tension or
drama
E. Falling action - any event that follows
the climax; conflicts are resolved
F. Resolution - the main conflict is
resolved
G. Denouement - anything that happens
after the resolution
The Gift of the Magi
13. Point of View - the perspective from
which a story is told.
A. 1st person -the narrator is a character
and refers to himself as "I".
B. 3rd person limited- the narrator's
knowledge is limited to one character.
C. 3rd person omniscient - the narrator
knows everything about all the characters
Literary Terminology
14. Antagonist - An antagonist is a character or
group of characters who represents the
opposition against which the protagonist(s)
must contend.
Contrary to what some believe, the antagonist
is not always the villain (bad guy), but simply
those who oppose the main character.
The Most Dangerous Game
15. Personification A type
of metaphor in which
distinct human qualities are
attributed to an animal,
object or idea.
Personification
16. Diction - a writer's word choice; may be
formal or informal, plain or ornate,
common or technical, abstract or concrete
17. Character - person or animal that takes part in the
action of a work
A. main character -the character on whom the work
focuses
B. major - main character and any other characters
who play important roles
C. minor - one who does not play an important role
D. round - character who changes or becomes more
developed throughout the story
E. static (flat) - one who doesn't change in the course
of the work: usually less developed
18. Figurative Language - a
way of saying something other
than by the literal meaning of the
words.
Examples of figurative language
“Taking notes is killing me.”
“Wow! Money must grow on trees around
here.”
19. Paradox- A statement or situation
containing apparently contradictory or
incompatible elements, but on closer
inspection may be true.
20. Hyperbole- A bold, deliberate
overstatement not intended to be taken
literally, it is used as a means of
emphasizing the truth of a statement.
Examples of paradox
• “Man learns from history that man learns
nothing from history."
• “Lose your life and you will find it.”
• "This truth is false."
• "Moderation in all things, including
moderation."
Examples of hyperbole
• Your dog is so ugly you can’t tell if it’s
coming or going.
• This is the worst day of my life.
• It’s freezing in here.
• Your mamma’s so old, her social security
number is 1.