Lit Terms Quiz scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 30 (A) and Wednesday, Oct. 1 (B).
Review Notes:
Character
Setting
Plot
Point of view
Unit 1 - Short Stories is now available for practice in AP Classroom.
YOUR TURN
Activity: Review the following slides and take notes.
Discussion Preparation: Consider the short stories you have read and be prepared to discuss:
Characterization
Setting
Narrative structure
Point of view for each of the stories.
REVIEW CHARACTERIZATION
Characterization Definition: The process by which writers develop characters, crucial for understanding motives and actions.
Methods of Building Characterization:
Character description
Dialogue and inner thoughts
Character behavior
Point of view/perspective
Motivation
REVIEW SETTING
Setting Definition: The location and time of the action, including descriptive details that enhance the understanding of the story and characters.
Time: Can be historical, present, or future.
Example: Waking from a deep sleep in the morning may be normal, but waking up after everyone else has had dinner signals something unusual is about to happen.
Place: The social, cultural, and physical context in which the action occurs.
Values: Recognizable concepts of worth and principles associated with the time and place of the story (e.g., values of peace associated with a church, depending on the context).
EXAMINING PLOT AND NARRATORS
PLOT – THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Questions to Consider: How does the plot order the events of the narrative, and what functions does a particular sequence of events serve?
TERMS
Plot: The progression or sequence of events in a narrative.
Cause-and-effect: The relationship of events in a narrative where one event leads to another, establishing a causal relationship.
Dramatic Situation: The setting and action of the plot, including how narrative developments create conflict and affect characters' fortunes.
Exposition: Background information and explanations that contextualize the story.
Importance of Exposition: Focuses reader attention on crucial narrative parts—characters, relationships, and locations.
Sequence: The chronological order of events in the story's unfolding.
PLOT - CONNECTIONS
Opening Exposition: Introduction of the setting and characters.
Incitement: An event that initiates the main conflict, leading to character actions.
Rising Action: A series of related events that complicate the conflict and build tension.
Dénouement or Falling Action: Resolution of unresolved conflicts or plot points; leads into the resolution.
Resolution: The final scene that provides closure.
PLOT AND CONFLICT
Mention of the close connection between characters, setting, and the events leading to conflicts that dynamically affect characters' fortunes.
WRITER KURT VONNEGUT ON STORY SHAPES
Quote: "Stories have shapes which can be drawn on graph paper."
Graph Description:
X-axis: Represents time of the story (from the beginning to the end).
Y-axis: Represents a character's fortunes (from good health and wealth at the top to misery and poverty at the bottom).
Middle Point: Represents a neutral starting point in terms of fortune.
STORY SHAPES EXAMPLES
THE MAN IN THE HOLE
Narrative Shape:
Character starts in a positive situation.
Encounters conflict (falls into a hole).
Struggles to escape and succeeds, resulting in a better state than before.
Note: The 'hole' is metaphorical for any conflict.
BOY MEETS GIRL
Narrative Shape:
Good event occurs leading to raised fortunes (boy meets girl).
A conflict arises causing a loss of fortune (girl falls in love with someone else).
Resolution occurs where the character overcomes misfortune and ends in a better place.
CREATION STORY
Narrative Pattern: Aligned with the biblical creation story.
Successes build on each other (God creating light, then sky, land, etc.).
Pattern seen more often in non-Western narratives.
CINDERELLA
Narrative Shape:
Begins similarly to the creation story: Cinderella in a miserable state.
Fortune increases due to the fairy godmother's interventions.
A fall occurs at midnight, resulting in a worse situation than before.
Closure returns when the glass slipper is found, restoring happiness permanently.
DISCUSS
Discussion Prompt: Which story shape fits "The Appropriation of Cultures"? Be prepared to justify your choice from the following options:
Man in the hole
Boy meets girl
Creation story
Cinderella
PLOT, EXPOSITION, AND SEQUENCE
Understanding Plot: More than just the order of events; characteristics include:
Arrangement of narrative parts.
Relationship of parts to each other.
Sequence of information revealed in the text.
SEQUENCES
Key Aspect: Stories have a discernible beginning and end.
Effective Plot Presentation: Choosing a thoughtful sequence in which to present plot points enriches narrative significance.
RECOGNIZING PLOT STRUCTURES
Plot Definition: The interconnected sequence of narrative events.
Linear Plot: Follows chronological order with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Non-linear Plot: Presented out of chronological order; may involve multiple plot timelines.
RECOGNIZING PLOT STRUCTURES (continued)
In Medias Res: Latin term meaning “in the midst of things”; stories start in the middle of the action and provide backstory later.
Common in long works, scarce in short fiction.
Flashback: An interruption that provides background information from before the plot commenced.
Crucial for character development.
Epistolary: Stories told through letters (e.g., "Bridget Jones’s Diary", "The Color Purple").
Frame Narrative: Envelopes a story or set of stories, providing context.
Foreshadowing: Hints at future plot developments.
Stream of Consciousness: A style displaying character thoughts and feelings in a continuous flow.
ARCHETYPAL STRATEGIES
Introduction: Certain dramatic patterns are archetypes; these set expectations for character progress and resolution.
ARCHETYPAL STRATEGIES (continued)
Archetypes Defined: Commonly used examples in literature, relating to character types, symbols, motifs, or plot strategies.
STATIC CHARACTERS
Character Dynamics: Characters who remain unchanged throughout the story are static, contrasting with dynamic characters who undergo significant changes.
Example: "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle illustrates static character dynamics.
SUDDEN EXPOSITION
Exposition in Short Stories: Writers may bypass traditional backstories, plunging straight into conflict to maintain brevity.
Example: "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry begins directly at a critical moment of conflict.
THE TWIST ENDING / IRONY
Definition: A popular technique in short stories where the resolution surprises the reader, often involving situational irony.
THE TWIST / IRONY EXAMPLE
Case Study: "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant showcases a twist ending that starkly contrasts expected outcomes, revealing life's ironic nature.
FORESHADOWING EXAMPLE
Case Study: "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier uses foreshadowing to build tension and anticipation of conflict.
ALSO FORESHADOWING EXAMPLE
Case Study: "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury exemplifies foreshadowing that sets the tone for impending events.
ANOTHER ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Narrative Perspective: Identification of the narrator and how point of view functions within a story.
MORE KEY TERMS
NARRATORS AND SPEAKERS
Definitions:
Narrator: The person telling the story that relates it to the readers.
Perspective: How narrators or characters perceive circumstances.
Point of View: The position from which events are recounted, defining the narrative filter that influences the reader's understanding.