Exploring Fiction TEKS 7.6 TEKS 7.6 states that…. Students will understand, make inferences, draw conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction AND provide evidence from text to support their understanding. What does that even mean? This means that all 7th grade students will be able to understand a fictional text (such as a story) and be able to: • make inferences related to a whole story • make inferences related to parts of a story • make inferences related to the structure of a story or other type of fiction (e.g., organization, paragraphs) • make inferences related to particular elements of a story (character/narrator, point of view, setting, and plot) AND • summarize a story after reading it Don’t forget the second part…. 7.6 also states that students will provide evidence from the text to support their understanding. This means that we should be able to identify evidence from the story to support the inferences we make. Now, let’s take it a step further… 7.6a - Students will be able to explain the influence of the setting on plot development. • The setting is the time and place in which a story occurs. Elements of a setting may include the physical, psychological, cultural, and historical background which a story takes place. • The plot is the basic sequence of events in a story. • One example of how the setting of a story can have a major impact on the characters and plot is in Scott O’Dell’s novel Island of the Blue Dolphin. The entire plot is centered around the main character Karana, who is struggling to survive by herself on a remote island. Setting & Plot • Usually authors state the setting directly in the exposition, or beginning of the story. Sometimes, however, you have to figure it out. • Look for clues such as a description of the climate, the available technology, or the way people dress or talk. • A book about a boy who used a flying car to travel to Earth would be set in the future. If a story was about a knight fighting a battle in a kingdom, it is most likely set in the Middle Ages. Read this paragraph. • The waves lobbed repeatedly against the side of the little wooden fishing boat as the boy and his grandfather prepared their nets for the day. The sun was just rising over the horizon, and Greek music was playing on the small radio. Turn and talk. Based on the clues in the paragraph, what do you think the setting is? (Make sure you can back up your answer with evidence from the text) The clues in the paragraph indicate that the story takes place on the sea (fishing boat) in Greece (Greek music was playing), early in the morning (sun was just rising), perhaps in the summer. The presence of the radio indicates that it takes place in the present or recent past. Setting &Tone • The setting also sets the tone of a literary work and helps the author convey his or her message. • The tone is the writer’s attitude toward the subject matter. • For example, a certain time and place may go hand in hand with specific attitudes or social behavior. The next slide shows an example. In Mildred D. Taylor’s novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, the Logans, an African American family, live on a farm in rural Mississippi in the early 1930s. This setting, which is at the time hen segregation was practiced in the South, sheds light on the racism that affected southern society at the time. With these attitudes as a backdrop, the plot unfolds and the reader better understands the violence that the family endures. The author conveys the message that racism and violence are wrong without ever saying it directly. A broad message such as this is called a theme !!! Setting & Theme • The theme of a literary text is the central message or lesson. • Themes are often general statements about life or people. They are like proverbs, or sayings. • A literary work may have one or more themes. • To figure out the theme of a story, consider the setting and how it influences what the characters say or do and they lessons they learn. Pay attention to recurring images, events, or objects and see how these elements work together to suggest a central message. • Some common themes are: • • • • • Honesty is the best policy. Don’t be afraid to try something new. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not.. Read the following paragraph, and then answer the questions that follow. The sky grew darker and darker. Chelsea noticed that off to the east, it had taken on a bizarre greenish color. Something was terribly wrong – could a tornado be brewing? Just an hour ago her dad had driven off in that direction, heading toward Navarro County. Chelsea stood at the window, frozen in her tracks. Should she head to the cellar or stay by the phone? Turn and Talk. 1. What is the setting? What clues from the paragraph show you this? 2. How does the setting influence Chelsea’s feelings and motivations? HINT – Think about how Chelsea reacts to the setting. Character & Plot • A character is a person, animal, or other creature in a fictional text such as a story. • The main character is the central, or most important character in the story. • A character in a story can also be the narrator of the story . The narrator is the person telling the story. • Characters have traits, or qualities, that describe and define them. • You can tell what a character’s traits are by: – what he or she says, does, and thinks – what the other characters say or think about that character – how he or she interacts with the other characters in the text • As we already know, the plot is the sequence of events, or what happens, in a story. • The plot is very closely tied to the characters. • How the characters behave often drives the plot – their actions cause reactions by other characters. • Motivation is the reason characters act as they do. A character might be motivated by wanting to be helpful, by greed, by pity for another character, etc. Character & Conflict • Conflict occurs when one character’s motivations cause a problem that need to be resolved. • The conflict is the most important part of the story. Without a conflict, there would be no story at all. • How the character meets these challenges and tries to solve them makes up the events that occur in the plot. • The conflict can be external (outside the character)or internal (inside the character). • Sometimes, a conflict between the main character and another character is described as a conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist. Types of Conflict • character vs. character (or protagonist vs. antagonist) • character vs. self • character vs. nature • character vs. society • In a story, a character may have more than one trait or motivation. • There may also be more than one conflict- for example, a character may find obstacles or face difficulties with a situation, with another character, or even within him or herself. • Characters often change as a result of events in the plot. This is known as character development. It is also a way for the author advance the action of a story. • Elements of plot structure are closely connected to how characters behave, and they unfold logically as the story progresses. • Review the list of plot elements. exposition conflict rising action climax falling action resolution To see how character motivations and plot elements work together, imagine an adventure story about a boy named Vinay. In the exposition, Vinay travels to a rain forest with his uncle. The conflict arises when Vinay finds a treasure map pinpointing the location of a large diamond. Vinay is adventurous, so he decides to find the diamond. Meanwhile, a group of criminals also want the diamond, and they know he has the map. The rising action takes place as Vinay and the criminals search for the diamond. The climax occurs when Vinay is caught by the criminals, but because he is clever, he is able to outwit them and take the diamond .During the falling action, Vinay finds his way back to his uncle. In the resolution, Vinay’s uncle teaches him that greed is dangerous, and they donate the diamond to a museum. Read the following paragraph, and then answer the question that follows. Rachel was the star of her track team. She had set the school record in the 400-meter hurdles . A month before an important track meet against a rival school, Rachel twisted her ankle while jumping over a hurdle. She would have to walk with crutches so that her ankle would heal. Rachel returned to the track a month later. Which sentence in the paragraph states the conflict? Point of View OBJECTIVES: – You will be able to identify different forms of point of view, including first-person, thirdperson omniscient and third-person limited. – You will also be able to determine the advantages and disadvantages of the different forms of point of view. What is point of view? • The perspective from which a story is told and from which all the characters, settings, and events are described. • The narrator is the “storyteller” who tells you what happens. • There are different types of point of view. – first person, second person, & third person First Person • The narrator is the main character in the story and refers to himself or herself using the pronoun “I”. The story is told through his or her eyes (from his or her point of view). • EXAMPLE I couldn’t believe that winter vacation was finally here! I couldn’t wait to go on the class ski trip over the holiday. Second Person • A story told from the second person point of view uses a narrator that addresses a character as YOU. • Authors rarely use this point of view to tell stories. • This point of view is mostly used in expository “How-To” texts or persuasive texts. Third Person • In this case, the narrator is not a character in the story. Instead, the narrator is an outside observer who describes the characters and events. • The narrator refers to all characters as either he or she, but never I. • There are 3 types of third person point of view: – third person limited – third person omniscient – third person objective Third Person Limited • The narrator presents only the thoughts and feelings of a single character (usually the main character). Read the following example: Kayla wanted to fit in with the other kids at school. She just did not understand her classmates very well. They acted so differently than the kids at her old school. It was confusing. • The narrator is an outsider, not Kayla herself, but the narrator is limited to knowing only Kayla’s feelings. The narrator does not speak about how the other kids at school feel. Third Person Omniscient • The outside narrator is all knowing, revealing the thoughts and feelings of more than one character. the prefix omni-,meaning "all," and the verb scire, meaning "to know”. • Read the following example. Kayla wanted to fit in with the other kids at school. She just did not understand her classmates very well. But they were only keeping their distance because they were in awe of her. After all, she was the president’s daughter! • Here, the narrator reveals the feelings of both Kayla and her classmates , which gives the reader a better understanding of why the other students act toward Kayla in the way that they do. Third Person Objective • The narrator does not reveal the thoughts and feelings of any characters in a story. He or she only tells the reader what the characters say and what they do. • Read the following example. Kayla is new to her school. No one talks to her in the hallways or sits with her at lunch. • Here, the narrator only tells the reader what happens in the story. The thoughts and feelings of Kayla and her classmates are not known. Advantages & Disadvantages of First Person POV Advantage #1 - MORE CREDIBLE A story is easier to believe if told by someone who is relaying a first-hand experience. It is far more natural for a character to reveal his or her own thoughts and feelings than it is for the author to tell the reader what the character is thinking and feeling. Advantage #2 - MORE PERSONAL The “I” narrator seems to address the reader directly from the heart, sharing his/her personal observations and insights with an interested listener. Disadvantage – The reader can see, hear, and know only what the narrator sees, hears, and knows. Advantages & Disadvantages of Third Person Omniscient ADVANTAGE The reader is able to learn more about the story because he/she learns more about the characters involved. DISADVANTAGE There is a loss of involvement and familiarity between the reader and the story Advantages & Disadvantages of Third Person Limited ADVANTAGE Encourages personal connections to one character DISADVANTAGE • Surrenders the privileges of seeing and knowing everything and typically follows one character throughout the story, presenting only those incidents in which the character is involved • The reader’s perception of other characters is colored by the narrator’s predispositions, prejudices, and personal limitations Read the following passage, and then answer the questions that follow. My sister, Renee, is a really talented pianist. My brother, Marcus, on the other hand, has no musical ambitions. He wants to play in the NFL one day. I want to be an astronaut. “Lucas, “ he asks me, “aren’t you scared to fly up into space?” My mother smiles when she hears that. “Lucas is fearless, “ she says. TURN & TALK This passage is told from which character’s point of view? How can you tell? THEME We have already discussed how the theme of a literary text is its central message or lesson. Themes are general statements about life and people, such as “family comes first”, or “good things come to those who wait.” Read Aesop’s fable below. Fables always have a moral, or lesson. The moral is the theme of the message. One day, Hare was making fun of Tortoise for being so slow. In response, Tortoise challenged Hare to a race, to which Hare readily agreed. As the race began, Hare immediately pulled far ahead of Tortoise. He decided that he would rest a while, and soon fell asleep. Meanwhile, Tortoise kept moving, and in time reached his goal. Hare awoke too late, for Tortoise had already passed the finish line. Slow and steady wins the race. The moral is “slow and steady wins the race.” In other words, take your time and do things correctly and with purpose, and you’ll succeed in the end. In most stories, plays, and poems, however, the theme is not always so obvious. You will have to figure it out as you read. How do you find the theme in a story? • Look for clues in the setting and events in a story. • Think carefully about the characters’ actions. Does a character change or learn a lesson? • Sometimes even the title of the passage may give you a clue to its theme. Finding the theme continued… • Authors often use repetition to draw attention to important ideas or themes. For example, a play in which a character helps her friends or neighbors in several scenes might have the theme “Be kind to people in need.” • Look for an object or place that appears over and over again. These are symbols. • Authors use symbols to relay a special message to represent a specific idea. Suppose a character always goes to think on a bridge. The bridge might be a symbol of change . • An author often gives clues like this to lead you to the theme. Multiple Themes It is also possible that a written work will sometimes have multiple themes. Different characters may learn different lessons or represent different themes. Usually a longer work such as a novel or play has more than one theme. There will always be a main theme that carries throughout. Other themes, called subthemes, most likely will be secondary. They will relate to the main theme of the story but not be explored as thoroughly. Example of subthemes Suppose that in our play about the helpful person, one character that she tries to help is stubborn and resists. Eventually, that character learns to accept her help. Another theme of the play might be that sometimes we need to trust other people. Myths & Epics Myths and epics are two kinds of writing that often have themes related to a specific culture. Myths • A myth is a traditional story that tells about a particular culture’s beliefs. • Myths are old stories, usually thousands of years old. These stories were told to groups and were passed down through word of mouth from one generation to the next. • Myths often explain how the culture came to be by telling stories of its heroes, ancestors, or gods. • Many myths also tell how the natural world was created or how it works. • A myth generally does not have fixed setting in a real time and place. • Many cultures around the world have myths. How can you tell if a passage is a myth? • To determine whether a passage is a myth, think about the message and purpose. • Is the story telling how something came to be? • Does it involve the natural world? • Myths often address the supernatural as well as the natural world. example- To explain why a volcano erupts, a myth may tell a story about an angry god inside Earth who sometimes gets so mad, his anger explodes. This story is a myth because it explains why a natural phenomenon occurs while attributing the event to a god that the culture believes in. Epics • An epic is a long narrative, usually a poem that tells the deeds of a legendary or historic hero. • It is similar to a myth in that it usually takes place long ago. • Unlike a myth, the setting is more realistic occurring in a a more definite time or place. • Also, unlike a myth, the characters are usually people. The main character is called the hero. He is the hero because the fate of the other people rests on his shoulders. He typically goes through a long ordeal, such such as a difficult journey or quest.. The hero may face a a series of tasks or obstacles in order to fulfill his quest, or or he may travel around the world and encounter many situations. More about epics… • Because epics are often poems, they rely on figurative language such as similes and metaphors to create imagery. • An epic often includes extended similes to describe the hero and his plight. • An extended simile is a simile, or comparison, that extends over several lines for dramatic emphasis. • Read the excerpt from Homer’s Iliad on the next slide. excerpt from Homer’s Iliad But swift Aias… would not at all now take his stand apart from Telamonian Aias, not even a little; but as two wine-coloured oxen straining with even force drag the compacted plough through the fallow land, and for both of them at the bae of the horns the dense sweat gushes; only the width of the polished yoke keeps a space between them as they toil down the furrow till the share cuts the edge of the ploughland; so these took their stand in battle , close to each other. In this excerpt, two men (Aias and Telamonian Aias) stand together to face a battle. Homer compares them to a pair of oxen working together to pull a plow. Notice how the imagery of the oxen continues over several lines, and then the comparison comes back to the two men in the last line. Read the following paragraph, and then answer the questions that follow. In the midst of Chaos there was a great void. It was a time of deep darkness, before the memory of humankind. Into this void came Kane, the god of creation. He picked up a giant gourd and threw it high into the air, where it broke into enormous pieces. The top piece was curved like a bowl and became the Sky. The seeds scattered and became the stars. The remainder of the gourd fell downward and became the Earth. Is this paragraph from a myth or an epic? How can you tell?
