1 ELA8 Exam Review Sheet Elements of a Short Story/Novel/Play/Poem All good story telling develops around the plot. The term "plot" refers to the systematic chain of events which make up the short story. Each link in this chain helps to build suspense and to solve a problem. The main character is presented with a situation which presents a problem or conflict which he must resolve. The largest part of the story will deal with the main character’s struggle to resolve this problem or conflict. Plot Line Climax Complication exposition Resolution Key Terms This is the plan, or main story of a short story, novel, play, poem, etc.- always the product of conflict. There are three phases of the plot (See Diagram Above): 1. Rising action: This includes the introduction (exposition) where the setting, characters, and situation are given, and the conflict and Plot complication of the conflict. It is also where suspense builds up. 2. Climax: turning point (the highest point of suspense) 3. Resolution: falling action A person in a short story is called a Character. The person around whom the conflict revolves is called the Main Character. This is a situation in which a struggle must take place (a struggle between two opposing forces). There are three types of conflict: External: The main character fights something outside (character vs. nature or character vs. society) Conflict Internal: The main character battles against own emotions, feelings, or “demons”. Interpersonal: The two characters are in conflict with each other (character vs. character) ELA8 Review Exam Review Sheet | Mr. Morrison | St. Mark’s School 2 A person a short story is called a character. The Person around whom the Character conflict revolves is called the main character. Character This is the change in the person from the beginning to the ending of a story. The way of showing what a character is like: The way that person Development looks, talks, acts or thinks is termed Characterization. Types of Characterization: Direct Characterization: The author tells the reader information about characters directly: Sarah was tall and had red hair. Indirect Characterization: The author shows the character in action and lets readers make their own interpretations: Each time Sarah Characterization entered the room she would have to duck, so that her wild auburn locks barely skimmed the top of the door frame. o We say the person who changes in personality or attitude is Dynamic or Round. o Those that remain the same are referred to as Static or Flat. Example: Ebenezer Scrooge is Dynamic (his personality changes) while Cinderella is Static (her personality stays the same). This is often seen as the time, place, and circumstance of the action in a story. It has a definite impact on the character development and plot. The setting of the short story tells the Time and Place of the action and often sets the mood and tone of the story. To make a setting or background that causes the main character to come alive, we often use descriptive language which is not meant to be taken in its literal sense, called Figurative Language. You mah regonize some of these examples of figurative language from your poetry study: 1. Simile: A comparison between two unlike things that uses the words like or as; "This bread is as hard as a rock." 2. Metaphor: A comparison between two dissimilar things that does not Setting use the words like or as; "Life is a short story of conflicts and compromise." 3. Personification: That which give human traits to non-human things; "The waves danced on the jagged rocks." 4. Allusion :Metaphor making direct comparison to a historical or literary event or character, a myth, a biblical reference, etc."He is a Sampson of strength but a Thomas of faith." 4. Oxymoron:A short paradox, usually consisting of an adjective and noun with conflicting meanings;"The touch of her lips was sweet agony." 5. Hyperbole: Overstatement, a comparison using conscious exaggeration."He shot the puck so hard it caught the goalie’s mitt on fire." Using language that appeals to any sense or any combination of senses is Imagery called Imagery. These senses are: Sight, Hearing, Taste, Touch, or Smell. Sometimes using an object, person, place, or action that has a meaning in itself and stands for something larger than itself; an idea, belief, or value called a Symbolism Symbol helps to improve our writing and understanding of a story. Example: a lion can symbolize royalty; a circle can symbolize unity; and a dove can symbolize peace. ELA8 Review Exam Review Sheet | Mr. Morrison | St. Mark’s School 3 the overall feeling (mood) which surrounds a piece of writing: fear, Atmosphere happiness, melancholy, anger, etc. An unexpected twist of events, the opposite of what was expected. There are 3 types of irony: 1. Situational: When the action that occurs is the opposite of what is expected. Example: A frog kissed by a princess turns into an ugly old man. 2. Verbal: When words used are the opposite of what they describe. Irony Example: A giant named Tiny Tom. 3. Dramatic: When the irony that occurs in a story is only noticed by the reader or viewer and is not noticed by the characters in the story. Example: A character overhears a conversation between two people and thinks that they are talking about her, however the reader (or viewer) knows that they are talking about someone else. Flashback A move back in time to an earlier incident. Foreshadowing A hint or allusion to events which will occur in the future The action in a short story can be seen through point of view or perspective. There are two types of perspective or point of view: 1) First person the main character tells his own story and refers to himself as "I" 2) Third person: There are also 2 sub-types: Point of View a) omniscient point of view the narrator knows all, the thoughts, motives and feelings of each character b) limited point of view the narrator views things as an observer but does not know all (like a movie camera or a fly on the wall). The main message of a story. It is that controlling idea or belief as to what is important and unimportant in life. It gives a basic meaning to a literary work. Theme A Theme is not stated as one word. For example, "War" cannot be a theme; "War" is a topic or subject. "War causes all to suffer," can be a theme because it makes a universal statement about the topic. Poetic Devices The repetition of initial consonant sounds, as in: “tried and true,” “safe and Alliteration sound,” “fish or fowl,” and “rime or reason,”. Overstatement. A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used in the Hyperbole service of truth. “I’m starved” or “I’ll die if I don’t pass this course”. The representation through language of sense experience. Hearing, seeing, Imagery smelling, or feeling is portrayed through the use of words. Ex: “The grey sea and the long black land” A figure of speech in which there is a direct comparison between two unrelated things. Metaphor Ex. The sea is an angry dog. The use of words that supposedly mimic their meaning in their sound (for Onomatopoeia example, boom, click, pop). The assignment of human traits to things, colours, qualities, and ideas. Personification Ex: The flowers danced Rhyme scheme Any fixed pattern of rhymes that characterize a whole poem or its stanzas. ELA8 Review Exam Review Sheet | Mr. Morrison | St. Mark’s School 4 See an example of a rhyme scheme in Limerick. A figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two unlike things, using “like” or “as”. Simile Ex. The sea is like an angry dog A group of lines whose pattern of metre ( and usually its rime scheme as Stanza well) is repeated throughout the poem. Exam Outline Your exam should take you between 1 and 2hrs to complete. It will follow this format: Part A: Poetry (30%) (10-15 multiple choice questions) Part B: Prose (20%) (5-10 full sentence questions) Part C: Demand Writing (50%) (Two essay/long answer questions) Novel Chapter Summaries Do not, in any way, use these chapter summaries for anything other than to remind yourself of key parts of the novel. Questions on your exam will go beyond simple what happened after Jonny destroyed the death-star or what happened after David meet his father. The Outsiders Summary: Chapter 1 Ponyboy Curtis, the narrator, begins the novel with a story: he is walking home one afternoon after watching a Paul Newman film, and his mind starts to wander. He thinks about how he wants Paul Newman’s good looks, though he likes his own greaser look. He also thinks that, although he likes to watch movies alone, he wishes he had company for the walk home. Ponyboy steps back from his story to explain that walking alone is unsafe for greasers, the East Side gang of friends to which he belongs. When they walk by themselves, greasers attract the harassment of Socials, or Socs, the rich West Side crowd. Ponyboy says that greasers are poorer and wilder than the Socs, whom the newspapers condemn one day for throwing parties and praise the next day for good citizenship. Greasers wear their hair long and put grease in it. They dress tough, steal, and get into gang fights. They often carry switchblades, mainly to help them stand their ground against the Socs. Ponyboy says he does not participate in typical greaser mischief because his oldest brother, Darrel (known as “Darry”), would kill him if he got into trouble.