In your notebook, write your own definition of what a short story is.
Do not write “A story that is short”! Use what you know about short stories in the past.
Below your definition, brainstorm about short stories – any words you have learned connected to short stories, titles of stories, authors, etc.

• The short story gives the illusion of life. It is a tiny capsule of living, a moment or two in the lives of other people.
• A short story is a story that is under 40,000 words in length (so, a “short story”).
• A short story is a story that can be read in a single sitting.
…but there is much more to the genre called “the short story”!

Noun – A word that refers to people, places or things.
Common Noun – A noun that refers to a general person, place, or thing. (e.g. boy, dog, city, book)
Proper Noun – A noun that refers to a specific person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are essentially nouns with names , and are always capitalized . (e.g. Johnny, Spot, Saint John,
Cue for Treason )

Write the following words in your notebook. When you do, indicate whether each is a Proper Noun
(PN) or Common Noun (CN).
Begin the word with the proper capital or lowercase letter.
alex river hampton high school sobey’s easter cd player moncton orange tim horton’s
You have 3 minutes to complete this exercise. I will be calling people randomly for answers.

theme – The theme of a story represents what the protagonist (main character) and/or reader learns about life. It is the
“message” that the author is sending through the story – the story is the medium for the message.

“Short stories and novels seem to begin in very different ways in my mind. With a novel, the main characters come first; they grow slowly in the imagination until I feel I know them well… Most short stories I’ve written seem to be triggered off by some event, either in my own life or something I’ve observed. The characters in a short story seem just as real to me as the characters in a novel, but I have not seen them, in my mind, in as many situations – they are visualized more in relation to one main situation. …

One form is not better than the other.
They simply do not serve the same function… When I write a novel, I feel rather like a juggler trying to keep a dozen themes spinning up there in the air. In my
[short] stories, on the other hand, there tends to be one central theme.”
Margaret Laurence

Margaret Laurence is a famous Canadian novelist – one of the core authors in the field known as “Canadian
Literature”.
In 1986, after a grim diagnosis of lung cancer that had spread throughout her body, Laurence took her own life in 1987.
Her best-known novels are
The Stone Angel and The
Diviners . Her 1966 novel, A
Jest of God , received the
Governor General’s Award for
Fiction.

genre – a class or category having a particular form, technique, content, etc.
E.g. poetry, novels, fantasy, science fiction prose – the ordinary form of spoken or written language, as distinguished from poetry or verse fiction – the class of literature comprising works of imaginative narration

The Short Story • The oldest form of literature.
• Prose fiction.
• A distinct genre (like poetry, novels, plays).
• Every word counts! There is a strong focus on word choice, because this is how the author prunes and polishes the piece to meet his/her objective(s).

History of the
Short Story
Genre
• Ancient Times:
– The Bible – Old Testament 750-
350 B.C.E.
• Middle Ages (800-1400 A.D.)
– Arabia – One Thousand and
One Nights by Scheherezade
– Spain – Exemplary Tales by
Cervantes
– England – Canterbury Tales by
Chaucer
• …but in the Middle Ages, the genre had not taken shape as a recognizable form.

History of the
Short Story
Genre
• The modern short story genre took shape in the 19 th century simultaneously in:
– Germany (Hoffman, Brothers
Grimm)
– Russia (Pushkin, Gogol)
– France (Balzac, DeMaupassant)
– U.S.A. (Washington Irving, Edgar
Allen Poe)
• The short story became a favorite form of entertainment for the emerging middle class .

Read the short story assigned to you.
Answer the following questions:
1.
Draw a plot diagram. Label the parts of the diagram, and identify the parts of the story.
2.
What is the setting of the story? How do you know? Use proof from the story.
3.
Identify the main conflict of the story. Describe that conflict.
4.
What purposes does this short story serve? Support your answer with proof from the story.
5.
What is the theme of this story? Explain how the author makes this clear through plot and character development .

Purpose and Audience

Artist Medium
(art)
Receiver
The communication model above demonstrates the relationship between an artist and the receiver of the art.
When an artist sets out to create art, she/he determines three main things:
Purpose: What am I trying to accomplish?
Audience: For whom am I creating this art?
Medium: What art form am I going to use?

In terms of a short story, the model looks more precisely like this:
Author Short Story Reader
Short stories are not the spontaneous product of the natural world; the author deliberately brings his/her writing talent to bear, in order to bring something to the reader (the purpose ).

There are principally THREE reasons for reading/writing short stories:
The first purpose of a short story is to enjoy it . Authors want you to enjoy a short story (and usually to pay money for it).

1. To entertain
Often, the author has a particular point of view on an issue that he/she wants to share. The story is the medium the author uses to convey the message.
This is the stage of analysis at which understanding symbol, meaning, and other literary devices is important.

1. To entertain
2. To teach
Often, a specific “message” from the author is not clear; other times, there is no “message” from the author per se.
Rather, the author might be simply trying to get the reader to think about things in a new way, or to question things that the reader might have already made up his/her mind about.

It is important to remember that each short story can have two or all three purposes at the same time.

Crossroads 10 pp. 41-45.
Complete “Responding to the Story” b., c., d., and e. Also, write down the definition of simile on p. 46, and find 3 examples of similes in the story.

You will be given an author’s name. Go to the library.
Find out information about the author using books in the library. Write notes (Cornell format).
Come to class tomorrow with your notes. Be prepared to present your author to the class.

In the study of English as a discipline, you must approach texts in a variety of ways.
The only way to truly analyze a work of fiction is to return to it more than once, with different purposes in mind.
In a tightly-constructed short story, every element – and often every word – is chosen deliberately.
When you analyze a short story, it is to see the author’s design. When you can see the author’s work, it raises the level of enjoyment (from an initial “knee-jerk” reaction to an intellectual one).

First Reading
Second Reading
Read primarily to enjoy.
Take notes on anything that seems unusual, particularly vivid, jarring, or difficult to understand.
Subsequent Readings
Bring your analytical skills to bear. Look for literary devices, and think about how they operate in the story.

Take notes when you read a short story.
Remember:
WHEN YOU READ,
YOU UNDERSTAND ONCE;
WHEN YOU WRITE,
YOU UNDERSTAND TWICE.

Read the short story, “A Conversation of
Birds”.
With a partner, discuss what the aim(s) of the author might have been for writing the story. What is the theme or message?
Write a persuasive paragraph arguing your opinion.

Plot, Character, Setting,
Atmosphere, and Style

Plot – the arrangement of incidents or events in a story; “what happens” in the story.
Plot line – a way of visually demonstrating a story’s structure by plotting incidents along a line; plot lines can vary for different forms of fiction

1
2
4
5
6
3 crises

1. Exposition (or Opening Situation) – The reader is informed of the setting and is introduced to the main characters.
2. Inciting Force (or Complication) – A conflict is usually established between characters.
This conflict “gets things started”.
3. Rising Action – The conflict between characters develops and becomes more pronounced. Involves a series of crises
(conflicts).

4. Climax – The moment of greatest suspense; a point of conflict that will lead to the resolution of the main plot.
5. Falling Action – The result of the outcome of the climactic conflict. Can involve a crisis, but in a short story is usually very short.
6. Denouement (or Resolution, or Final
Outcome) – The writer attempts to have the reader leave the story satisfied.

1
2
4
5
6
3

In your notebook, draw a plot line.
Label the plotline with numbers and dots for the crises.
Then, using the numbers as a “key” or guide, explain the plot of “The Three Little Pigs”.
Also, jot down (in a couple of sentences) what you think is the author’s intention behind the story. How do you know?
You may work with a partner on this.

1.
Exposition (or Opening Situation) – The three pigs are introduced. Setting is minimal: “Once upon a time”, with talking/personified pigs. It is time for the pigs to go out into the world and seek their fortunes, so they leave home.
2.
Inciting Force (or Complication) – The big bad wolf discovers the first pig in his house of straw, and wants to eat him.
3.
Rising Action – The wolf visits the house of straw and the house of sticks, blows them down and eats the piggies (these are the crises).

4. Climax – Failing to blow down the brick house, the wolf tries a different tactic to get into the house. The wolf climbs down the chimney and dies.
5. Falling Action – The surviving pig invites his mother over, and she reinforces the lesson the pig (and reader) learned.
6. Denouement (or Resolution, or Final
Outcome) – The pig learns his lesson and lives “happily ever after!”

Crossroads 10 pp. 16-23.
Complete “Responding to the Story” and “Story Craft: Plot” chart p. 23.

Paragraph Example –
The Plot of “The Michelle I Know”
“The Michelle I Know” is a short story about a girl diagnosed with leukemia who is very unhappy.
The reader learns in the exposition that Michelle is confined to a hospital ward, and that she has few visitors except Rob, a boy she likes. Through the rising action, Brenda, Michelle’s kind nurse, tries to cheer Michelle up. She takes Michelle to meet a man who still has a positive outlook, despite also suffering from cancer for the past 8 years. The climax occurs when Rob finally shows up, and
Michelle realizes that he likes her for who she is.
There is no falling action or denouement, other than a kiss they almost share. Michelle is changed by the end of the story because she is finally happy.

Our lives are full of conflict. Likewise, the lives of characters are full of conflict.
Think of a story as really a look at a conflict and its resolution (for better or worse!).
There is no story without conflict.

Really, the plot of a story is literally ALL about conflict.
The inciting force and the crises (in the rising action phase), as well as the climax are all conflicts of some sort.
(Note: There can be minor conflicts in the falling action, but in a short story these are rare.)

There are two main types of conflict:
• Psychological Conflict
• Physical Conflict

Conflict can be categorized as:
Internal:
Person vs. Herself/Himself
OR
External:
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Society
Person vs. the Unknown
Person vs. the Supernatural
Person vs. Time

Create a character in your mind. Choose his/her name, gender, age, and list a couple of details about him/her.
Example: Henry – 23-year-old male construction worker. Loves to travel, has a dog named Rover, oldest of three brothers.
Look at the kinds of conflict.
For each type of conflict, create THREE examples of that kind of conflict that your character might be involved in.
e.g. Person vs. Nature – on the construction site, Henry uncovers a prehistoric creature that tries to kill them all
-- Rover is bitten by a rabid mouse and hunts Henry
Person vs. Time – Rover is bitten by a rattler, and Henry must get him to a vet in time to save his life.
Person vs. the Unknown – Called to a building project in Brazil,
Henry’s co-workers start disappearing into the night… and no one knows why…

Outline a Short Story

Divide your page into three equal parts.
Beginning
Middle
End

Brainstorm for each part (15-20 mins). In each space, cover the following questions:
– Who is involved?
– What is happening?
– When is it taking place?
– Where is it taking place?
– Why is it taking place?
– How is it happening? + any other details that pop into your head.

“The Michelle I Know” –
Outline a Short Story (Pre-writing)
Write an outline for your short story. Write a brief paragraph (3-4 sentences, unstructured) on each of the following elements:
1.
Main Character(s) and Personality
2.
Setting
3.
Main Problem
(to be solved in the climax)
4.
Rising Action + Crises/Conflicts
(at least 3)
5.
Climax
6.
Changes –
Outline what has changed from the beginning
7.
Conclusion
You will have 20-25 minutes for this exercise.

Write a first draft of your story, following your outline. Do the best you can, but do not
“obsess” over every detail.
Aim for 350-500 words.
Your final version of this story will be between 500 and 1000 words.

Remember:
Koch Snowflake

A simple way to revise a story is to analyze the author’s use of details so far, and make suggestions for improvement.
The way to do this is through improving word choice, and adding sensual details through adjectives and adverbs.

Swap stories with a classmate. Let him/her read your story draft, and each of you must comment on:
• What works really well in the story so far.
• What works in the story, but needs some improvement.
• What doesn’t work so well, and needs some revision.
Wherever you see a NOUN, circle it.
Wherever you see a VERB, circle it.
Get back your story. For every NOUN circled, write at least ONE adjective that could go with that noun. For every VERB circled, write at least one
ADVERB that could make the image clearer.
Write a second draft of the story, making changes that reflect your peer’s suggestions. Use MLA format!
Remember: The idea of getting peer help is to IMPROVE your writing, not simply to criticize it!

Remember: Short story writing is an ART. That means, every part of the short story should play a part towards the whole!
When writing dialogue, remember that every time a character speaks, there should be a REASON for that speaking.
Dialogue should:
• Give the reader previously unknown information.
• Make the speaker and situation more realistic for the reader.
• Characterize the speaker and the character(s) spoken to.
Actually, the author’s use of dialogue WILL do these things!
So, the author’s job is to make them work within the story he/she has written.

Swap stories with a classmate. Let him/her read your story draft, and:
• Where dialogue is present, constructively criticize the diction used, and make suggestions
• Indicate points where you think dialogue would make the story better, and make suggestions
When you are finished, discuss these things with your partner. Remember: The goal is to make the writing BETTER!

Swap your second draft with a classmate.
Peer edit each other’s work. Pay attention to little details like paragraphing, punctuation (especially in dialogue!), and grammar.
When finished, produce a final draft for publication.

Your final version of this story is due
Wednesday, Nov. 12, in MLA format.

Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves one or more of the following elements:
• A setting in the future or in an alternate timeline.
• A setting in outer space or involving aliens or unknown civilizations.
• The discovery or application of new scientific principles or new technology, such as time travel or robots.
Science fiction differs from fantasy in that its imaginary elements are usually possible within established laws of nature (although some elements might be entirely imaginative).

Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer best known for The Martian
Chronicles , a 1950 book which has been described both as a short story collection and a novel, and his 1953 dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 .

Answer all questions in complete sentences.

1. How is the reader’s interest caught?
2. How does the exposition part of the story set up what is to follow? (setting, main character[s])
3. What relationship does the material presented in the introduction bear to the conclusion of the story?
4. Describe as many conflicts as you can in the story. For each, label it as a “person vs. _____” conflict, and describe who/what is involved in it. Indicate the page(s) on which the conflict takes place. Try to identify what you think is the MAIN CONFLICT.
5. What is the climax of the story? Why do you think that part is the climax?

6. Bradbury’s stories are often thought to contain outright lessons for the reader. That is, one of the goals of this story is to teach , and Bradbury has a certain point of view of which he wants to convince his reader.
What do you think is the main lesson of the story?
In a persuasive paragraph, argue what you think is the message (or messages) being delivered through the story. Use evidence from the story to prove what you say.

Two of the goals of this story are to teach and to raise questions about larger issues in the real world.
For each of the following ideas, brainstorm what
Bradbury might be trying to get the reader to think about.
You have to think on two levels – what does the story indicate about the issue, and how might that message be relevant to the “real world” generally:

Man’s relationship with the natural world (hunting)
 Scientific progress and its dangers in general (time travel, technology, etc.)
 Human nature/psychology
 Politics

For this section, the slides you are to copy appear in BLACK.

To understand the structure of any essay, remember this structure:

To understand the structure of any essay, remember this structure:
Say what you are going to say.
(Introduction)
Say it.
(Body Paragraphs)
Say what you said.
(Conclusion)

There are many ways to write paragraphs. For a general rule, follow this formula:
Topic Sentence
Say what you are going to say.
Body sentences
Say it (or prove it).
Final sentence
Say what you said AND/OR transition to the next paragraph.

• You either offer information or explain your point of view on a topic you already know something about.
• The five-paragraph essay taught in high school English classes is of this type.
• There are two basic types of expository essay:
1. one gives information, and
2. the other defends an opinion.

Basic structure:
Paragraph One - Introduction:
Announces the topic and builds to a thesis statement in which you state your point of view.
Paragraphs Two to Four (or more) – Body Paragraphs:
Supporting evidence and reasoned discussion.
Final Paragraph – Conclusion:
Restates the thesis more emphatically, and suggests wider implications. Do NOT simply summarize!

Introduction
Body 1
Body 2
Body 3
Conclusion

General Statement – Talk about the broader topic in general .
Linking Statement – Name the text and author.
Thesis Statement

Make three statements that support your thesis, and provide evidence or proof that supports those statements.
These will be three paragraphs of roughly-equal length. They should follow strict paragraph structure , and the evidence you use to back up your topic sentences should be drawn directly from the text whenever possible.

Re-state Thesis
Linking Statement – Name the text and author.
General Statement – Talk about the broader topic in general ,
AND/OR leave the reader with something related to think about.

• In general, except for in Personal Experience essays, avoid the firstperson pronoun, “I”, in your essays.
• Any sentence can be re-written to remove the selfconscious “I”, “me”, “mine”.
• It is not necessary to write, “In my opinion,” “I believe”, “I feel”, etc.
• NEVER write things like, “In the following essay, I shall try to prove…”, or “In conclusion…”

Your thesis is the main point or central idea of your paper. It is the “backbone” of the paper.

• The core of an informational writing piece
• The central message of the essay; the meaning in a nutshell
• A clear, concise statement of what an author is going to say.
• An argument with which others may agree or disagree.

• gives both the reader and writer a sense of direction.
• gets readers involved in the “conversation” of the essay – it alerts the reader to look for details, facts, and quotations that support the statement the thesis makes.

• At the beginning of the essay, in order to
• establish your position, and
• give your reader a sense of direction.
• Usually the last line of paragraph #1.
• In longer essays, may appear in paragraph #2.

Watch the film A Sound of Thunder.
Take notes on the plot, especially how it varies from the short story “A Sound of Thunder”.
You might want to set your page up in two columns to make comparison notes:
Movie Short Story

Clearly, the film was inspired by the movie. But, the film is very different from the short story.
What messages does the film version carry? How does it handle the issues raised by Bradbury?
In a formal essay , compare Bradbury’s “A Sound of
Thunder” to the film A Sound of Thunder.
You will want to mention the following:



Consider the purposes of short stories: To entertain, to teach, and to raise questions.
Explain how the story and the film work to accomplish the three purposes of short stories.
Look at how the film treats the SAME topics/issues. Compare
(consider things that are the SAME) and contrast (consider things that are DIFFERENT) the two versions and their messages.

Structure:
Introduction: In your thesis, clearly state for the reader what you are going to prove to them.
Paragraph 2: Compare/contrast the treatment of issue #1.
Paragraph 3: Compare/contrast the treatment of issue #2.
Paragraph 4: Compare/contrast the treatment of issue #3.
Conclusion: Re-state your thesis.
Follow this formula!

There are many ways to write paragraphs. For a general rule, follow this formula:
Topic Sentence
Say what you are going to say.
Body sentences
Say it (or prove it).
Final sentence
Say what you said AND/OR transition to the next paragraph.

The writing process is the method by which you will develop your writing from idea to published form. It includes five important steps: pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Pre-writing involves brainstorming and organizing your ideas. Drafting is when you write your first, rough copy. Revision involves adding or removing parts with your audience in mind. Fixing spelling, punctuation, and grammar mistakes is editing. Finally, publishing involves giving your work to the intended audience.
Using the steps of the writing process will improve your writing by taking it from an idea to publication.

When an author writes a short story, he/she has three aims in mind: To entertain, to teach, and to raise questions. The author wants the reader to enjoy the story, and the main aim of short stories is “to entertain”. “To teach” means the author has a certain message for the reader to understand, and the story is the medium for that message. Sometimes, the author does not have a specific message, but simply wants “to raise questions” in the reader’s mind about things that the reader already believes, and so get the reader to think about things in a new way. Short story authors might focus on one aim in particular, but all three aims are often in mind.

Characterization

• Characters are the “people” of the story.
• Characterization is of two main types:
– Direct characterization occurs when the author (through narration) explicitly tells the reader what a particular character is like.
– Indirect characterization is more subtle.
The author gives certain information and lets the reader draw his/her own conclusions regarding the character.

Indirect characterization is achieved using the following methods:
– The character’s name. (E.g. Old Man Warner in “The Lottery” warns people.)
– The character’s appearance.
– What the character says (or thinks).
– What the character does.
– What others say or think about the character, including other characters or the narrator.

• To analyze a character, look at the character’s dialogue, appearance, actions, environment, character type, and motivation.
• Also note if there are ironies or discrepancies, i.e. does the character say he believes one thing, but act the opposite way? Do other characters say things about him that you do not see as true?

Crossroads 10 pp. 198-209.
Complete “Responding to the Story” p.
210.

Character development occurs when a character changes throughout the course of a story.
1. What was your initial reaction to the mother?
How did you feel about her by the end of the story?
2. What was your initial reaction to the daughter?
How did you feel about her by the end of the story?
When you write your own stories, keep this in mind!

conjunction – a part of speech used to connect and relate words or sentences. Common conjunctions are and , but , for , or , so , and yet .
Normally, conjunctions should NOT be used to start sentences. In “Two Kinds,”
Amy Tan uses conjunctions to begin many sentences. What is the effect of this?

1. What pressures are there on people to be
“successful”?
2.
What is “success”?
3. What images does society use to stand for success?
4. Do you think that success is important? Why?
5.
Should everyone want to be “successful”?
Why or why not?
6. Can everyone be successful?
7.
What is “character”? How does character relate to behaviour?

Have you ever felt badly about something you once did, but you never apologized for doing it? Well, here’s your chance!
Write a letter to that person explaining what you did and why you have to apologize.
Will you send your letter? You decide!

Dear Mr. Crowell,
I hope everything is well with you. It has been a long time since we last spoke, so you’re probably wondering why I am writing now. I feel a need to apologize for something I did when I was in your grade 7 science class.
In the spring of that year, we had to do a big poster project about something scientific that we researched ourselves. When the time came to hand them in, I had not finished the assignment. I then promptly forgot all about it.
A few weeks later, you returned the projects to the class.
Knowing that my mark would suffer because I did not hand it in, I asked you where my project was, and pretended that I was angry because I had handed it in and you lost it. I was not a good liar, so I did not keep up the charade for long, and you were well-organized and knew the truth.
I want to apologize for that lie now. I know that my accusation made you look like either an incompetent teacher or a liar in front of our class. It was unfair of me to basically accuse you of failing to do your job. For the lie, I truly apologize.
Sincerely,
Toby K. Stoddart

Everyone wants to be “successful”, but people have different ideas about what success is.
How will you know when you have achieved
“success”? What would success look like in your own life?
Write a descriptive paragraph in which you describe yourself in 10, 15, 20, or 25 years – when you are successful , according to your own definition of success.

Character Sketch

A character sketch is a write-up about a specific character, giving the character’s main personality traits and physical attributes. It should include the following:
1. Identifying the Character (1 paragraph)
2. Physical Description (1 paragraph)
3. Personality & Characteristics (1-2 paragraphs)
4. Importance of the Character to the Story
(1 paragraph)

This paragraph could be the introduction.
Tell who the character is by naming the character and what role he/she plays in the story.
Give the title of the novel/story/play.
Tell whether he/she is a major, secondary, or minor character.

Tell what the character looks like. Use evidence from the novel – be specific!
Look for the best quotes you can – note characterization methods!

Explain what the character “is like”.
This could include:
– His/her likes and dislikes
– His/her good and bad qualities
– His/her strong and weak points
– His/her attitude and opinions
– Basically, any personality characteristic that is shown through characterization.

IMPORTANT: Whatever statements you make about a character, they MUST be backed up (proven) by evidence from the story!
Give examples, quotations, and references from the story to prove what you say.

Explain the importance of this character and his/her role in the story.
(You may also consider how he/she added to the story and speculate on how the story might have been different had he/she been different or acted differently.)

Each class member will be assigned a letter.
Working with a partner, take a few moments and brainstorm words that describe peoples’ personalities that begin with your letters.
You should have at least 5 words for each letter. You will share them with the class.

Aggressive
Ambitious
Anxious
Bitter
Boastful
Cautious
Clumsy
Concerned
Confident
Considerate
Courageous
Courteous
Cowardly
Cruel
Curious
Dependable
Disorganized
Easy-going
Eccentric
Excitable
Faithful
Friendly
Generous
Gentle
Gloomy
Greedy

Grouchy
Gullible
Helpful
Honest
Humble
Hypocritical
Ignorant
Ill-tempered
Imaginative
Impatient
Independent
Ingenious
Insecure
Insistent
Intelligent
Inventive
Irrepressible
Jealous
Lazy
Lonely
Loving
Loyal
Miserly
Moody
Nervous
Obnoxious
Optimistic
Outgoing
Outrageous
Pessimistic
Polite
Proud

Relaxed
Reliable
Romantic
Rude
Sarcastic
Scatterbrained
Secretive
Sensitive
Shy
Sly
Sneaky
Sophisticated
Spontaneous
Stubborn
Superficial
Suspicious
Tactful
Timid
Tiresome
Treacherous
Uninhibited
Unintelligent
Unpredictable
Unreliable
Vague
Vain
Virtuous
Vital
Vulnerable
Witty

Choose a character from a story you know well or a television show that you know very well.
Brainstorm everything you know about that character.
Take a few minutes to do this.

Write a character sketch of the character you chose.
Note: If you chose a television or film character, you must know the show or film well enough to be able to provide concrete examples that prove what you say!

Character sketches can take many forms. The most common is the Character Trait Essay.
Character Trait Essays can be longer than 5 paragraphs, but are structured the same way:
Introduction, main body, and conclusion. They try to prove THREE or more main characteristics about a character.

Types of Characters

Characters can be described in several ways. Two main ones are:
“Flat” or “Round”
“Major” or “Minor”

• Round (or dynamic) characters change and grow throughout the course of a story. The change might be emotional, spiritual, or intellectual.
Through encountering the conflicts and crises in the story, they illuminate the message(s) the author is sending.
• Flat (or static) characters do not change and grow throughout the story.

Major characters are important to the story. They tend also to be round.
Protagonist – The central character of a literary work.
Antagonist – The rival or opponent against whom the main character (protagonist) is contending.

Minor characters tend to be flat, but are also important to a story in that they serve particular purposes, which may include:
• Giving the author a way to provide background information
• Act as a foil (a contrast character) or alter ego (a comparison character) to a major character
• Foreshadow events
• Advance the plot
• Illuminate theme
• Enhance the setting
• Establish mood

Sometimes, characters are stereotypes – characters that reflect expectations of behaviour from particular groups, rather than a fleshed-out personality.
Stereotypes can serve a purpose in a story as a minor character, but as major characters they are usually simply a sign of weak writing.

Crossroads 10 pp. 170-176.

Character development is a change in how a character in a story thinks or deals with life situations. It is an awareness that a character develops to become who he or she is.
1. What is Scott like at the beginning of the story? What did you think of him at the beginning of the story? How has he changed at the end? Did your impression of him change?
2. Choose a story you have read recently (or a film you have seen) in which you think a character changes or develops. Outline the events that led to this development. (Follow a plot diagram!)

Setting – the physical “backdrop” of the story; where (place) and when (time) the story takes place.
– When looking at setting, you must try to be as specific as possible, but describe where the entire story takes place.
For example, “A modern-day city,” “Jerusalem in the
Middle Ages,” and “Anchorage, Alaska c. 1950s” are settings; “night-time on a street, then in a car, then a store” is not .
Generally, the author will leave it to the reader to infer the setting of the story, to some extent. Use clues from the beginning of the story to figure out the setting.

Return to the short stories we have read so far:
– Your children’s book.
– “The Three Little Pigs”
– “On A Sidewalk Bleeding”
– “The Michelle I Know”
– “A Conversation of Birds”
– “A Sound of Thunder”
– “I’ve Got Gloria”
– “It Could Happen to You” (test story)
For each story, describe the setting as completely as you can in as few words as you can.
Return to the first few paragraphs of the story if you do not remember.

Atmosphere – the overall mood or tone of the story. Atmosphere is usually established at the beginning of a story.
Any number of things can contribute to the atmosphere, including
(but not limited to):
– Characters
– Clothing
– Furniture
– Natural surroundings
– Light/darkness
– Weather
Atmosphere has a close connection with setting, because the setting often determines the atmosphere of the story.

As we read, note how the author uses the setting to establish mood and reveal character.

A. Introduction
1. Why is the introduction successful in capturing the reader’s interest and in creating suspense?
2. What purposes in the development of the story are served by the introduction?

B. Setting
1. In what ways does the setting contribute to the creation of mood or atmosphere?
2. How does the author use setting to reveal character?

C. Plot
1. Define the central conflict(s) in the story.
2. Where is the climax of the story? Explain why you think so.
3. What is the denouement? Do you think it is a satisfying ending? Why or why not?

D. Dialogue
1. To what extent does the author use dialogue to advance the plot? Give an example.
2. To what extent does the author use dialogue to reveal character? Give an example.

Formal
Discourse

Style – the ways an author expresses himself/ herself and conveys his/her ideas and central purpose.
Style is very personal, like a signature – no two writing styles are identical.
In order to examine a writer’s style, we must consider the following six areas: diction, sentence structure, point of view, irony, symbolism, imagery.

There are FOUR main types of diction:
Formal diction
Informal diction
Colloquial diction
Slang

[insert reading samples of formal diction]

[insert reading samples of informal diction]

Colloquial diction is the everyday language use of a particular group of people.
For example, we go to the store to buy “a loaf of bread”, but in Cape Breton they buy “a bun of bread”.
Colloquial diction varies by geographic area and cultural region. For example, think about how different English is here than in Newfoundland
(where colloquialisms abound).

Can you think of anything that HHS students say that might not be understood by people from other places?
What is “jonesin’”? (“Mr. Stoddart is jonesin’!”)
Can you think of other colloquialisms? (This might be difficult – sometimes it takes someone from another place to point them out!)

Sentence structure is indicated by whether or not the sentences are long, short, simple, compound, complex, etc.
Some authors’ styles are recognizable by their sentence structure alone.

[See Crossroads 10 Teacher Manual pp.
460-463.]

“The Michelle I Know” – Sentence Variety
Reread the first few pages of “The Michelle I Know” ( Crossroads 10 pp. 16-23), noticing how the author uses sentences of varying lengths and types. Why would an author do this? What effect is created?
Check one or two of the pieces that you’ve written this year. Do you think you’ve used a variety of sentences?
In one of your own works, find an example of each of the following:
– A statement
– A question
– An exclamation
– A very short sentence
– A very long sentence
If you do not have all of these types of sentences, edit some of the sentences until you do, then write down those examples.

Point of view – the vantage point from which the author presents the action of the story. The point of view is presented by the narrator.
Every work of fiction has a narrator; the person telling the story is the narrator, NOT the author!
In some stories, there is little separation between the narrator and the author, but in others the narrator brings his/her own biases to the telling of the story.

There are two ways to describe point of view:
Third person perspective vs.
First person perspective
AND
Limited narration vs.
Omniscient narration

Third person narration
– The person telling the story is NOT part of the action.
The reader/viewer sees the action as if from an external camera.
They saw the enemy ahead.
Creeping up quietly, John raised his rifle…

First person narration
– This is a major, minor, or “silent” character who tells the story.
(“Silent” means they play no role in the action of the story, but are present in it.)
I saw them there, crouched behind the boxes, and shouted to my team to fire at will!

You can identify a first- or third-person perspective based upon the pronouns used by the narrator.
First person narration – I or we are used.
Third person narration – He, she, or they are used.

Basic Sentence Structure:
Mary and I went to the park.
subject verb object
Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns in a sentence.
There are two types of pronouns: Subject pronouns and object pronouns.
Basically, subject pronouns are the “do-ers” of the action in the sentence, and come before the verb.
Object pronouns have the verb “acted upon” them.

Subject pronouns can only go in the subject position in a sentence; object pronouns can only go in the object position!
Subject Pronouns
I
You (s.)
He/She/It
We
You (pl.)
They
Object Pronouns
Me
You (s.)
Him/Her/It
Us
You (pl.)
Them
(+ others, e.g. himself, herself, etc.)

French-language students usually understand this best by recognizing the parallels in French.
Subject Pronouns
Je
Tu
Il /Elle
Nous
Vous
Ils/Elles
Object Pronouns
Moi
Toi
Il /Elle
Nous
Vous
Lui

A COMMON MISTAKE! NOTE THIS!
You probably would not say:
“Me went to the park.”
Little children talk this way, because they have not absorbed language rules yet. When used in public speaking (for example), it is a mark of a lack of education.
You would not do this because “me” is an object pronoun – not to be used in the subject position!
Likewise, then, you should not use the following:
Mary and me are going out tonight.
Me and him are gonna get together after school.

• [insert lesson on verbs]

Read the three short short stories on shoplifting.

Choose one of the short stories on shoplifting.
Choose a character or object from the story. For example, you might choose one of the thieves, a store clerk, or an object that was stolen (e.g. toothpaste tube).
Choose a tense for the story. You can write it as a pasttense story about what happened, or as a present tense “in the moment” story.
Without changing any of the facts of the story, and following the same plot as much as possible, re-tell the story from the first-person point of view of the character/object you chose.
Your draft should be 300-500 words in length (or more).

Limited narration – The narrator’s knowledge is limited to the direct knowledge of the narrator/character.
This is the point of view that is most like “real life”, and provides an immediacy to the action.
For example, you do not know exactly what is happening behind each of the walls of the classroom you are in. Likewise, a limited narrator would only know what he/she could perceive.

Omniscient narration – The narrator knows everything about the characters and events, and can “enter the mind” of any character at will.
Omniscient narration is useful for stories with several characters of equal importance, or for letting the viewer see the antagonist’s point of view as well as the protagonist’s.
Omniscient narration sacrifices immediacy of action.
The omniscient narrator is often confused with the author .

When you describe the narration in a story, you must describe the various aspects of the point of view.
There are FOUR basic points of view:
»First person omniscient
»First person limited
»Third person omniscient
»Third person limited

Limited
First Person
Omniscient
Third Person

• “The Three Little Pigs” is written from the third person omniscient perspective. We can see what each of the pigs is doing inside the houses, and what the wolf does outside as well.
• The Outsiders is written from the first person limited perspective.
We only see what Ponyboy sees, and events are interpreted for us by Ponyboy. ( Cue for Treason is the same, with Peter being the narrator.)
• The “Harry Potter” series is written mostly in the third person limited perspective. The only action that we see happen is when
Harry is present; the rest is reported to the reader by other characters. (Most suspense novels are written from this point of view, to maintain suspense by keeping the reader guessing.)
Occasionally, the author allows us to see the teachers talking, and on one or two occasions lets us see the villains scheming
(switching narrative perspectives).

Complete the following exercise in your notebook:
– Choose two novels you have read in the recent past, or are reading now. Include your independent reading selection for class!
– For each, identify the narrative point of view and the verb tense employed. Why do you think the author deliberately chose these elements?

Crossroads 10 pp. 60-66.
Prewriting –
Choose an event that happened to you recently, and brainstorm on the event. Write down as much as you can, and include details (who, what, when, where, why, sights, sounds, smells, tastes, feelings, etc.)

Crossroads 10 pp. 60-66.
Read 3. Writing and complete the writing exercise:
Choose an event that happened to you recently, and describe that event in the first person, then again in the third person. (About 1 page each.)

Foreshadowing – a literary device in which an author drops subtle hints about plot developments to come later in the story.
– An example of foreshadowing might be when a character displays a gun or knife early in the story.
Merely the appearance of a deadly weapon, even though it is used for an innocuous purpose — such as being cleaned or whittling wood — suggests terrible consequences later on.
(taken from Wikipedia.org)

Symbolism – A literary symbol means something itself in the story, but also suggests a wealth of meaning beyond what it actually is.
Objects, situations, and actions can all be symbols.

Imagery – There are two types of imagery: i) Sensuous imagery – Images that appeal to the five senses: visual (sight), auditory
(hearing), tactile (touch), gustatory (taste), and olfactory
(smell).
ii) Figurative imagery – metaphor, simile, personification, apostrophe, etc.

“When I write a novel, I feel rather like a juggler trying to keep a dozen themes spinning up there in the air. In my [short] stories, on the other hand, there tends to be one central theme.”
Margaret Laurence

Theme – The theme of a story represents what the protagonist (main character) and/or reader learns about life. It is the “message” that the author is sending through the story – the story is the medium for the message.
Author Short Story Reader
Also recall the three purposes of a short story: To entertain, to teach, and to raise questions.

“The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine”
– Analyze Theme
The subject of this story is how a daughter tries to make her father happy by finding him a partner.
The theme is what the main character and/or the reader discovers about life or people by the end of the story.
In your notebook, write what you think is the theme of the short story. We will be sharing these as a class.

Crossroads 10 pp. 60-66.
Complete “Responding to the
Story” a., c., d., and e.

“The Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine”
– Analyze Theme Group Assignment
Get into groups of 4-5.
In your group, discuss what you think is the theme of “The
Crystal Stars Have Just Begun to Shine”. Try to agree on ONE central theme. (If you can’t agree, that is okay.)
You have five minutes for this.
On the blackboard, write the name of your team and the central theme of the story. If you could not agree, write all options.
We will discuss these as a class.

Book reviews aim to help an undecided reader to select a book by seeing the book’s merits and faults.
Read the following book reviews. As you do, note how the reviews are organized, and what different elements they have.

[insert book review]

Using your knowledge of book reviews, write:
– A review of “The Crystal Stars Have Just
Begun to Shine”
– A review of a novel you read last year for
English class.
These two reviews are due two days from now. Each should be about 200-250 words, and should be in MLA format.

Irony – 1) a literary device in which there is a gap between what a speaker or writer says and what is understood.
2) incongruity between what is expected and what actually occurs
Dramatic irony – the audience knows more about a character's situation than the character does, foreseeing an outcome contrary to the character's expectations, and thus ascribing a sharply different sense to some of the character's own statements

1. Re-read the story briefly. a) Do you think the story is more entertaining when you read it the first time, or is it more entertaining when you read it for the second time, knowing about the irony at the end? Why do you think so? b) Explain the irony in the title.

c) Explain the relationship between historical context and extracting meaning from this story, in your own words.
d) What is (are) the main purpose(s) of this story? Explain each in some detail.

1. How is the reader’s interest caught?
2. How does the exposition part of the story set up what is to follow? (setting, character, main problem)
3. What relationship does the material presented in the introduction bear to the conclusion of the story?
4. Define the main conflict in the story. Be as specific as possible!
5. What is the climax of the story? Why do you think that part is the climax?

6. One of the goals of this story is to story?
teach . What lesson(s) is (are) taught through the irony in this
7. What is ironic about this story? Explain the irony in detail.

8. Re-read the story briefly. a) How does the irony make a re-reading of the story more meaningful? b) What do you understand better about the story once you know about the irony? Be specific.
c) Do you think the story is more entertaining when you read it the first time, or is it more entertaining when you read it for the second time, knowing about the irony at the end? Why do you think so?

Take out a piece of looseleaf and a pen/pencil.
Get into groups of 5-6 people. Move your desks so they are facing each other (i.e. in a circle).

You will be writing stories as a group. Each of you will have a completed story at the end of this period.
As the first writer, you have the responsibility of creating the exposition and inciting force.
Your story begins with this line:
George/Sarah stepped outside into the darkness of …(you finish the line)
Write this line on the top line of your page now.

Every few minutes, we will pass the stories to the person on the RIGHT. When you receive a new story, you will read it, and work with the first person’s idea for the next phase of the story.
Stories will follow short story structure.
Each number represents a person:

1
2
3
5
6
6
4 crises