Mrs. Hammond ~ Ms. McCall ~ Mrs. McNesby
Fall 2012
Upper Dublin High School
SHORT STORY VOCABULARY
“The Lady, or the Tiger?”
· Impartial adj. not favoring one side more than another; fair
· Emanate v. to come forth
· Dire adj. dreadful; terrible
· Fervent adj. having or showing great intensity of feeling; passionate
· Novel adj. new and unusual
“The Most Dangerous Game”
· Tangible adj. capable of being touched or felt
· Discern v. to detect or recognize; to make out
· Condone v. to excuse or overlook an offense, usually a serious one, without criticism
· Imperative adj. absolutely necessary
· Zealous adj. very eager; enthusiastic
“The Interlopers”
· acquiesce v. to consent or agree without protest
· pious adj. having either genuine or pretended religious devotion
· endeavor n. a serious or strenuous attempt to accomplish something
· languor n. weakness; fatigue
· reconciliation n. a settlement of a controversy or disagreement
“The Gift of the Magi”
· Imputation n. an accusation
· Parsimony n. stinginess
· Depreciate v. to lessen the price of value of
· Prudence n. caution; good judgment
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
· distraught adj. very upset; confused
· haggard adj. having a worn and tired look
· craven adj. extremely cowardly
· pandemonium n. wild uproar
· disdainful adj. showing scorn for something or somebody regarded as unworthy
“The Necklace”
· incessantly adv. endlessly; constantly
· disconsolate adj. so unhappy that nothing can comfort; hopeless and depressed
· aghast adj. filled with fear, horror, or amazement
· gamut n. the entire range or series of something
· privation n. the lack of comforts or basic necessities of life
LITERARY ELEMENTS (SHORT STORY)
I. Plot: a series of related events and character actions that relate to the central
conflict
a. Exposition: setting, characters, character relationships, and all other
background information necessary to understanding the
story
b. Complication: the point at which the conflict is introduced to the
story. This marks the beginning of the rising action.
c. Rising Action: the conflict of the story is revealed; all action and
events leading up to the climax.
d. Climax: the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.
e. Falling Action: the conflict(s) start to resolve themselves.
f. Denouement (resolution): the final outcome of the story. All “loose
ends” are tied up and conflicts resolved.
II. Character: a person, or sometimes even an animal, who takes part in the action of
a literary work.
a. Protagonist: the person around whom the plot is centered.
b. Antagonist: the person, force, or element that is set against the
protagonist and who is at the root of the conflict.
c. Round Character: a complex, multi-faceted, well-developed
character.
d. Flat Character: a one dimensional character; can be described by
one or two character traits.
e. Dynamic Character: a character that grows, develops, or
undergoes some permanent change
throughout the course of the story.
f. Static Character: a character that remains the same from
beginning to the end of the story
g. Stock Character: a character that fits a well known stereotype
h. Foil: two characters intentionally paired or set against one another
to produce a desired effect
III. Characterization: the techniques a writer uses to develop a character and to make him/her
believable (four methods)
a. physical description
b. author/ narrator’s comments
c. character’s speech and actions
d. other characters’ speech and actions
IV. Setting: the time and place in which a story takes place (may be
specific or vague)
V. Point of View: the vantage point from which a story is told
a. First person: the protagonist or another main character tells his own
story and refers to himself as “I”
b. Omniscient: the narrator is all knowing, allowing the reader to see the
actions, the thoughts and the emotions of ALL characters
in the story.
c. Limited Omniscient: (3rd person) the author only allows the reader to
see the actions, thoughts, and emotions of one or
two characters
d. Objective Narrator: the narrator offers no opinions or interpretations
of characters thoughts.
e. Subjective Narrator: an unreliable narrator (often 1st person)
VI. Irony: a contrast or difference between what is stated and what is really meant, or between what
is expected to happen and what really happens.
a. verbal irony: when a writer or speaker says one thing and means
something entirely different
b. dramatic irony: when a reader or audience perceives something that
a character in the story or play does not know
c. situational irony: a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.
Rather, when the event happens opposite of what the character expects, but the reader knows the opposite is going to occur. (e.g., the audience knows that Sylvester will never eat Tweetie Bird; however, Sylvester always expects to catch Tweetie.)
VII. Conflict: Conflict is essential to plot.It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments. Rather, it is any form of opposition that faces the main character. Within a short story, there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones. Without conflict, there is no plot.
a. Two types of conflict:
1) External conflict: A struggle with a force outside one’s self.
2) Internal conflict: A struggle within one’s self; a person must make some decision, overcome
pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.
b. Four kinds of conflict:
1) Man vs. Man (physical): The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men or animals.
2) Man vs. Supernatural/Circumstances (classical): The leading character struggles against fate, supernatural forces (e.g., ghosts, Frankenstein, alien life) or the circumstances of life facing him/her.)
3) Man vs. Society (social): The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.
4) Man vs. Self (psychological): The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.
5) Man vs. Nature (natural): The leading character struggles with forces of nature (i.e., volcano tornado, drought).
VIII. Figurative Language: using language more creatively – in an abstract way. (The opposite of figural is literal language; the writer says exactly what he/she means – formal writing.)
a. simile: a direct comparison of two unlike things using the words like or as. Sometimes clichés are also similes. (e.g., She is as thin as a toothpick.)
b. metaphor: a direct comparison of two unlike things not using like or as. (e.g., Sam’s smile is a ray of hope.)
c. personification: When human characteristics are given to inanimate (non-living) objects or animals. (e.g., The wind whispered softly.)
d. hyperbole: great exaggeration (e.g., I have a million things to do after school).
e. oxymoron: two contradictory (opposite) words used together to form an expression (e.g., terribly happy, good grief, jumbo shrimp)
f. cliché: a creative expression (figure of speech) that is worn out from too much use (e.g., The routine was a walk in the park.)
g. alliteration: repetition of the same initial letter, sound, or group of sounds in a series of words (e.g., She sells seashells by the seashore).
h. onomatopoeia: the use of a word to describe or imitate a natural sound or the sound made by an object or an action (e.g., crash, pop, boom)
IX. Other Literary Terms
a. theme: the main idea or the basic meaning of a literary work. Theme may be the author’s thoughts about a topic or view of human nature. The title of the short story often points to what the writer is saying.
b. foreshadowing: a suggestion of what is going to happen.
c. tone: suggests an attitude toward the subject which is communicated by the words the author chooses. Part of the range of tone includes playful, somber, serious, casual, formal, ironic. Important because it designates the mood and effect of a work.
d. symbol: any object, person, place, or action that has a meaning in itself and also stands for something larger than itself, such as a quality, an attitude, a belief, or a value.
e. imagery: concrete words and details that appeal to the senses to create images in the readers’ mind
“The Lady, or the Tiger?” (pg. 14)
by Frank Stockton
1. What is the setting of the story? How important is this?
2. How does Stockton characterize the king?
3. Explain the king’s system of administering justice.
4. How many paragraphs does the exposition last?
5. What do you feel is the central conflict of the story?
6. What do you think the princess decides? Why?
7. Would the story be better with an “ending”?
8. What is the larger question that Stockton poses to the reader about human nature and the nature of love?
9. What would you do in her position?
“The Most Dangerous Game” (pg. 20)
by Richard Connell
1. How does Rainsford feel about the animals he hunts?
2. How does Whitney explain the troubled mood of the sailors as they near Ship-Trap Island?
3. What is the abrupt sound that startles Rainsford as he reclines in a steamer chair?
4. How does Rainsford arrive at the mysterious island?
5. Describe the building that Rainsford approaches.
6. Describe General Zaroff’s physical appearance.
7. Describe Zaroff’s personality.
8. How does the reader know Zaroff is an intelligent and sophisticated man?
9. Who is Ivan?
10. How does Zaroff justify hunting and killing humans?
Dangerous Game cont.
11. How does Zaroff stock his island with ‘game’?
12. Explain the rules of the hunt.
13. According to Zaroff, why is Rainsford the ideal prey?
14. Where does Rainsford spend the first night of his hunt?
15. What happened to Lazarus?
16. How can the reader tell who won the final encounter between Rainsford and Zaroff?
17. Do you think Rainsford’s attitude towards hunting changes through the story?
18. How does the author create suspense and inspire fear in the reader?
“The Interlopers” (pg. 79)
by Saki
1. Define interloper.
2. What is situational irony? (pg. 80)
3. What is the situational irony in the first paragraph?
4. Describe the strip of land that Ulrich von Gradwitz and George Znaeym were fighting over. Was it a very valuable piece of land? What does this say about their feud?
5. What did each of the men hope would happen that night in the woods?
6. What happens when George and Ulrich finally meet face to face? Explain the irony in this.
Interlopers cont.
7. Describe the first conversation that the two men have after being trapped under the tree. Do you believe each man is telling the truth? Why or why not?
8. Who makes the first gesture of friendship? What does he do and why do you believe he does this?
9. How does the story end? What is the irony of this ending?
10. To whom or what might the story’s title refer? Explain.
11. Were there any hints that something would “go wrong” in the forest? If so, what were they?
12. Do you believe that it is realistic that two sworn enemies would become friends under such circumstances?
“The Gift of the Magi” (pg. 114)
by O. Henry
1. Were you surprised by the outcome of the story? Why or why not?
2. What do Della and Jim sacrifice for each other and what gifts do they buy?
3. Explain how irony is used in this short story.
4. According to the narrator, who were the Magi? Why do you think the narrator refers to these characters as the Magi?
5. Is the characterization of Della and Jim direct, indirect or both? Support your answer with examples from the story. (see pg. 123)
“The Secret Life of Sir Walter Mitty” (pg. 186)
by James Thurber
1. Contrast Walter Mitty’s real life with his secret life. Why does he feel the need to escape from reality?
2. Each of Mitty’s daydreams is sparked by some detail of everyday life. For example, Mitty drives past a hospital and imagines himself a famous doctor. Explain how his other daydreams grow out of actual events.
3. What kind of person is Mrs. Mitty? Explain.
4. The final incident of the story shows Walter Mitty dreaming of himself before a firing squad. How is this incident symbolic of his view of himself? Is this final daydream of Mitty’s an adequate summing-up of the total effect of the story? Why or why not?
5. Humorist writing embodies two contrasting aspects; things that are funny and things that are serious. Readers have found “The Secret Life of Sir Walter Mitty” both funny and sad. How is it funny and how is it sad?
6. Is Sir Walter Mitty a static or dynamic character? THINK about this. James Thurber uses three methods to characterize Mitty. What are they?
“The Necklace” (pg. 196)
by Guy de Maupassant
1. Could you imagine feeling and acting as Madame Loisel does in the story? Why or why not?
2. At the beginning of the story, why is Madame Loisel unhappy with life? How would you describe her idea of happiness?
3. How does Madame Loisel react to the party invitation? What do Monsieur Loisel’s reactions to her suggest about him?
4. How do the Loisel’s pay for the replacement necklace? Why do you thing the Loisel’s did not tell the truth about the lost necklace?
5. Is the attempt to replace the lost necklace admirable or foolish? Explain your opinions.
6. When she finds herself in debt, Madame Loisel “plays her part…with sudden heroism.” What does she do that might be called heroic? Why might those actions be surprising?
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