Aha Moments
Definition
• Aha Moments are when a character’s
sudden insight or understanding helps us
understand the plot’s movement, the
development of the character, or the internal
conflict he faces. An Aha Moment is
sometimes revealed by language: “realize,”
“understand/understood,” “know/knew,”
“notice”
Question to Ask
• How might this change things?
– An Aha Moment reveals change – by asking
yourself this question, you dig into deeper
analysis of why this change is important or how
this moment might change the course of the
text.
– More specific:
• How might this change the character’s actions?
• How might this change the character’s thinking?
• How might this change the direction of the plot?
Biggest Aha Moment
• Known as the climax: when the Aha
Moment becomes so large that it changes
everything that the character has
known/taken for granted.
• But there are lots of Aha Moments along the
way: we have to catch them!
Example: A Separate Peace
Finny’s eyes continued their roaming across my face. “I
don’t know, I must have lost my balance. It must have been that.
I did have this idea, this feeling that when you were standing
there beside me, y—I don’t know, I had a kind of feeling….this
feeling doesn’t make any sense. It was a crazy idea, I must have
been delirious. So I just have to forget it. I just fell, that’s
all…I’m sorry about the feeling I had.”
I couldn’t say anything to this sincere, drugged apology
for having suspected the truth. He was never going to accuse me.
It was only a feeling he had, and at this moment he must have
been formulating a new commandment: Never accuse a friend of
a crime if you only have a feeling about it.
And I thought we were competitors! It was so ludicrous I
wanted to cry.
If Phineas had been sitting here in this pool of guilt, how
would he have felt, what would he have done?
He would have told me the truth.
Again and Again
Definition
• A pattern or repetition of images, words,
events, ideas or concept = MOTIFS
• Makes you think about: the character’s
development, the conflicts of the story, or
the theme of the text
Question to Ask
Why does the author bring this up again and
again? What larger understanding or theme is
the author trying to guide the reader to?
Motifs vs Symbols
• Motifs: repeating images, words, events,
ideas or concepts
• Symbols: physical objects that stand for
something greater than the object itself
– Example: scars of a soldier might represent his
sacrifice/loyalty for his country
– Could be used just once, but might be repeated
and thus create a motif about an idea
Day 2
Aha Moments
• What are some of the Aha Moments in “The
Most Dangerous Game”?
• What is the biggest Aha Moment (climax) in
“The Most Dangerous Game”?
Aha Moments
• What are some of the Aha Moments in
“Hunters in the Snow”?
• What is the biggest Aha Moment (climax) in
“Hunters in the Snow”?
Again and Again
• What images, words, events, ideas or
concepts do you notice again and again in
“The Most Dangerous Game”?
• What images, words, events, ideas or
concepts do you notice again and again in
“Hunters in the Snow”?
• What images, words, events, ideas or
concepts do you notice again and again in
“How I Met My Husband”?