Discussion/ Journal 2

Lesson 2 PLOT Due by Tuesday Sep 1

• Read Chapter 2 “Plot” (pages 75-83)
• Read at least 2 of these 4 stories. When reading, consider their plot and use of plot devices (foreshadowing, conflict, climax, suspense, etc.)
  • “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates (page 114)
  • “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin (page 91)
  • “King of the Bingo Game” by Ralph Ellison (page 83)
  • “I’d Love You to Want Me” by Viet Thanh Nguyen (page 127)
• Read  Chapter 30, “Basic Moves: Paraphrase, Summary, and Description” (pages 1914-1918)

It looks like there is lots of pages to read but they aren’t that long. I’ve attached everything.

This week, you will write a thesis statement that could be used to lead a three-to-five-page fiction analysis essay. Choose a short story we’ve read during this lesson (one of the four listed above) and consider its use of plot elements (climax, conflict, resolution, flashbacks, foreshadowing, etc) and write a thesis statement that includes: (1) the author’s name, (2) the story’s title, and (3) an arguable, supportable claim regarding the plot of the story. Your claim should emphasize how the plot elements create or reinforce meaning in the story (what purpose do they serve?).

Example thesis statement:

In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien uses flashbacks and foreshadowing to illustrate how interconnected the events in the story are, revealing the truth that events from the past continue to affect the present

Lesson 3 Character

• Read: Chapter 4 “Character” pages 210-216 
• Read these short stories:
  • “Model’s Assistant” by Alissa Nutting (page 250) or “Good People” by David Foster Wallace (245)
  • “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor (page 516)
• Read: Chapter 32: “The Writing Process (pages 1938-1950)

Use one of the two attached documents to complete the assignment for this lesson. You will :

1. Consider the stories we have read so far.
2. Find three quotes in the story that are examples of characterization (revealing traits). Remember that character traits are long-lasting, like “Shy,” or “Friendly,” but not moods like “Sad,” or “Angry.” Your three quotes can come from the same story or different stories and you may use more than one quote for the same character, or all of your quotes can be about different characters.
3. See the examples on the attachments as guides and then include three quotes of your own.
4. You will type on one of the two documents (chart or bullet points), save it, and submit it to assignment space in the lesson.

Lesson 5 Setting (DB)

• Review Chapter 5: “Setting” (pages 282-284)
• Read these short stories:
  • “A Pair of Tickets” by Amy Tan (page 293)
  • “Volar” by Judith Ortiz Cofer (page 306)

Think of your favorite story, book, movie or play. Consider the elements of its setting (time, place, social environment, and weather). In four-to-five sentences, discuss the impact the setting plays on the story. You can discuss how it affects the characters or how it contributes to the meaning of the story. Be sure to include the name of the story, book, movie or play, and to rely on what you’ve learned about setting during this lesson.

Your original post should be written using academic language (though some use of first person may be appropriate), and be written clearly in complete sentences. Be sure to proofread carefully.

No outside sources should be consulted for this assignment. You are welcome, though, to attach images or links to related items to help your classmates visualize or understand the story. (For example, if you were writing about Harry Potter, you could include an image of Hogwarts.)

Setting Paragraph (MLA Format)

Respond to the stories we’ve read, and apply your understanding of setting to a story from this lesson. You may respond to either story we’ve read for this lesson.

Write a well-composed paragraph (topic sentence, integrated quotes and summary from the story, and your analysis explaining how the quotes illustrate the point made in your topic sentence) that answers one of the questions below.

How does the setting create a mood that is relevant to the story’s main idea?

How is the setting a window into one of the characters?

Is the setting an expression of the story’s theme? If so, how?

Are the living and working conditions in the story relevant to its characters or overall meaning? If so, how?

How does the weather create or emphasize meaning?

Example topic sentences starters:

In Kate Chopin’s “The Storm,” weather is central to the meaning of the overall story because….

In “The Location of the River,” water helps to express the story’s theme of…

Your paragraph should be about 200 words. Use MLA format, and be sure to cite the story you reference. Do not use or consult outside sources for this assignment. Submit your paragraph, using the guidelines regarding file types and submissions from the syllabus, to Blackboard. Do not paste text – submit this as an attached Word document.

Lesson  6 Theme

• Read: Chapter 7, “Theme,” pages 429-433
• Choose a short story to re-read:
  • “Boys and Girls”
  • “A&P”
  • “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
  • “Sonny’s Blues”
  • “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
  • “A Pair of Tickets”
  • “Volar”
  • “Cathedral”
  • “A Wall of Fire Rising”
• Choose a story to read for the first time:
  • “Wildwood” by Junot Diaz (page 459)
  • “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien (page 609)

For this journal entry, write about two of these stories that either (a) share a theme, which means that both stories essentially make the same point in their own ways or (b) share a topic, but have differing themes, which means they make different points about the same topic. For example, if there are two stories about growing up that seem to make the same point, that would be option (a); if there were two stories that each made a different point about growing up, that would be option (b).

In your journal entry, write about the two stories and their themes. How are they expressed in the story? What other literary elements contribute to the theme (symbol, setting, etc)? What quotes show or emphasize the theme? Is the theme the same as the lesson learned by the main character?

Your journal entry should be about 300 words long, written in an academic style. There’s no formatting requirements for journal entries, but be sure you include the names of the stories and authors. If you use quotes from the stories, be sure to include page numbers. Do not consult or use outside sources for this assignment. This is a journal entry, so no introduction or conclusion is required. Just be sure you follow the assignment, answer the questions, proofread carefully, use complete sentences, and include details to support your points.

Think about all of the stories we’ve read for this class so far.

• “King of the Bingo Game”
• “I’d Love You to Want Me”
• “The Lesson”
• “Good People”
• “Model’s Assistant”
• “Boys and Girls”
• “A&P”
• “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
• “Sonny’s Blues”
• “I Stand Here Ironing”
• “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
• “A Pair of Tickets”
• “Volar”
• “Cathedral”
• “A Wall of Fire Rising