WHY DO PEOPLE READ STORIES? Stories concern people. We are curious about other people. A Good story makes us feel more truly alive. UNDERSTANDING SHORT STORIES - less than 10,000 words ELEMENTS: CHARACTER Dynamic/Static Round/Flat Antagonist/Protagonist Main Character/Minor Character PLOT Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution CONFLICT Man vs Man, Man vs Himself, Man vs Nature Man vs Society LITERARY APPROACHES - Ways in interpreting stories that we read Lenses in which we understand literature. Readers have to look beyond the surface of the text. They have to widen their own perspective. MORAL CRITICISM - Moral or the virtue that the story teaches. HISTORICISM - Focuses on the historical context in which the story is written. READER-RESPONSE - Focus on what you, the reader, make of a story MARXISM - Concerned with issues of class conflict, wealth, work,etc. FEMINISM - Study gender issues and each gender's roles in society based on literature. An argumentative essay presents evidence for a claim in order to let the reader know why it is more favorable. It also shows why the other side of an issue is unfavorable or less favorable. It also includes, like any other essay, an introduction and conclusion. An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that takes a stance on an issue. In a good argumentative essay, a writer attempts to persuade readers to understand and support their point of view about an issue by stating their reasoning and providing evidence to support it. Issue – an idea about which the opinions of people are different. Claim – a statement by an author about an issue. A claim is debatable so it needs supporting arguments. A claim is also called a position, stand, or point of view. Argument – an idea that supports the claim. An argument needs supporting evidence. Evidence – facts in the real world that can be used to support an argument. Examples of evidence are statistics, data from studies, historical events, habitual practices, and other facts that can support an argument. Counterargument – an idea given by the opposing side against the claim given in the argumentative essay. Rebuttal – the response to the counterargument Why is it important to learn to write an argumentative essay? Learning how to write an argumentative essay will help you to develop critical thinking and research skills along with developing how to rationally defend a position. These skills will help you progress academically and occupationally. STORYTELLING TECHNIQUES Monomyth (Hero's Journey) Folk tales, myths and religious writings the hero is called to leave their home and sets out on a DIFFICULT JOURNEY. They move from somewhere they know into a threatening unknown place. After OVERCOMING A GREAT TRIAL, they return home with a reward or newfound wisdom – something which will help their community. The Mountain - way of mapping the tension and drama in a story. Doesn't necessarily have a happy ending, a SERIES OF SMALL CHALLENGES and rising action before a CLIMACTIC. CONCLUSION - like a TV series – each episode has its ups and downs, all building up to a BIG FINALE at the end of the season. In Medias Res - begin your narrative in the HEAT OF THE ACTION, before starting over at the beginning to explain how you got there. By dropping your audience right into the MOST EXCITING PART of your story they'll be gripped from the beginning and will stay engaged to find out what happens. Nested Loops - LAYER THREE OR MORE NARRATIVES within each other. You place your most important story the CORE OF YOUR MESSAGE – in the center, and use the stories around it to elaborate or explain that central principle Sparklines - CONTRAST our ORDINARY WORLD with an ideal, improved world. COMPARE what is and what could be Converging Ideas - shows the audience how different strands of thinking came together to form one product or idea. Used to show the BIRTH OF A MOVEMENT Or explain how a single idea was the culmination of several GREAT MINDS WORKING TOWARDS ONE GOAL. show how several equally important stories came to a single strong conclusion False Start - begin to tell a seemingly predictable story, before unexpectedly disrupting it and beginning it over again. lure your audience into a FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY, and then SHOCK THEM by turning the tables. great for talking about a time that you failed in something and were forced to 'go back to the start' and reassess. Petal Structure - way of ORGANIZING MULTIPLE SPEAKERS OR STORIES around one central concept. weave a rich tapestry of evidence around your central theory. the petals can OVERLAP AS ONE STORY INTRODUCES THE NEXT but each should be a complete narrative in itself TOAST SPEECHES - Toasts are FORMAL expressions of GOODWILL, APPRECIATION, or calls for group attention to an issue or person in a public setting, often followed by synchronous consumption of beverages. Toasts SERVE TO UNIFY the group, ACKNOWLEDGE a person or event, or mark a special occasion. BELONGING is a basic human need that requires reinforcement, and a toast can be characterized as a REINFORCEMENT RITUAL, acknowledging RESPECT for the individual or team, and also reinforcing group affiliation, common symbols and terms, beliefs and values, goals and aspirations. TOAST to a wedding congratulating the couple and general toast to health for everyone on a holiday or other special occasion. ROAST SPEECHES - a speech HONORING someone, usually a CLOSE FRIEND or colleague. The lead-up to the honoring part is full of HUMOROUS STORIES, jokes of all sizes and descriptions, and sometimes biting SARCASM and satire. A roast honors someone in a position of power or influence by allowing them to demonstrate they can TAKE A JOKE AT THEIR EXPENSE GRACEFULLY. It is NOT INTENDED TO DO HARM to the individual or create divisions in the community. The speaker BALANCES LOVE and SARCASM as the goal of the speech is to POKE FUN WITHOUT OFFENDING or hurting. Performed at birthday parties or retirement parties The BEST TOASTERS AND ROASTERS ARE THOSE WHO KNOW US BEST. You can be as creative as you can be in telling the story of the person you're honoring. WRITING A LITERARY CRITIQUE - two-to three-page written document evaluating a literary selection with 500-700 words. A critique i s an in-depth evaluation of a story, novel, film, or other reading/viewing materials for the purpose of giving the public an insight into the text. Seeks to shed light on the content of a "text" (the story, novel, song, movies etc.) in order to help future readers or viewers understand better the material that they are reading or viewing. COMPONENTS OF A CRITIQUE INTRODUCTION Mention the name of the author and the title of the work. Describe the work and its Creator.. Indicate the elements you need to examine and state the purpose of your critique. BODY Give a brief summary,including a description,background or context of the work. Give a systematic and detailed assessment of t h e different elements of the work, but make sure that your discussion and judgement will be supported by specific details such as quotes or examples from the work itself. Application of the literary/critical approach:FORMALISM. FORMALISM Discovers the true meaning of a work by giving attention to the form or structure, elements and literary devices operating in it.It studies how the elements work together to form unity and to give meaning to a text. It examines a text exclusively as a self contained object in isolation from t h e world,biographical information about the author,or the text's effect on the reader. It does NOT concern the historical events outside of the story,social,cultural,religious or political ideas. It emphasizes the value of the text as an entity in itself.
