Unit 7: Short Fiction III

Historical context

An important aspect of literature, as it helps readers to better understand the social, political, and cultural climate in which a particular work was written.

Scenes

Typically have more detail and involve a characters direct experiences, while summaries are briefer and summarize what has occurred.

Slow Pacing

Involves taking a longer amount of time to tell the story.

Fast Pacing

Involves rushing through events in the story.

Varied Pacing

Involves using different speeds to tell a story.

Pacing

An essential aspect of storytelling that can contribute to the overall meaning of a literary work.

Setting

An essential element in literature that can be used as a symbol to convey deeper meaning and enhance the overall theme of a work. It is where the work takes place.

Close Reading

An approach to reading and analyzing a text that focuses on the details of the text in order to uncover its meaning.

Foreshadowing

A literary device in which the author drops subtle hints or clues about future events in the story.

Irony

Is a contrast between appearance and reality.

Verbal irony

Occurs when a character says something but means the opposite (sarcasm).

Situational irony

When there’s a discrepancy between what’s expected to happen and what actually occurs.

Dramatic irony

When the audience or reader knows something that the characters in the story do not.

Symbolism

Involves the use of symbols or objects to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Allegory

A more extended form of symbolism where the entire story or elements within it represent broader themes or ideas.