Class Review: 1.15.09

In today's class we discussed each of our stories in terms of the old-fashioned plot pyramid (See illustration above: exposition, development of plot, leading to the turning point, climax, and resolution of the story). Once we understand the different elements of a short story (the "who," "what" and "where") , we can begin to shape an interpretation of the story.


One of the first steps in moving beyond a plot summary to an analysis is to search for details in the story that give us clues to why certain events occur, why a character acts a certain way or makes certain choices.

One of the keys to finding out why events happen or why characters make certain choices is discovering a character's motivations (what she wants and believes about herself and others).

Once these motivations are understood, we move from the surface plot into the depth of the story.

We then begin to see what lies beneath the surface of plot; we move to interpretation of the larger ideas expressed by the story. These ideas may be what the author is trying to dramatize about human nature or the world, and what you the reader take away from the story. In other words, underneath the plot pyramid lies the theme.

Essay Development Writing Exercises:

1. Reviewing the stories you have read so far, select one story and fit the different parts into a plot pyramid model.
2. Select the protagonist from one of the stories and write a one-to-two-paragraph character analysis using clues in the story, such as how the character is described, his actions, and how another character reacts to him or how the protagonist acts toward that character.
   
3. Repeat #2 by examining the antagonist.
4. Select a passage detailing the setting. How does the setting shape the character? What in the setting may represent (symbolize) aspects of the characters?