The Canterbury Tales

Frame TaleA literary device in which one or more smaller stories are placed inside of a single story. (a story within a story)

A Frame Tale consists of two parts:1. Introductory Narrative- The beginning and ending of the story make up the

introductory narrative. it contains: the exposition, the setting, what unites the characters,

and the theme A Theme is the insight into human nature

2. Individual Tale(s) – the smaller stories within the introductory narrativethey contain: a moral

a Moral is a lesson learned

Frame Tale ActivityDirections: Create your own Frame Tale

Must include:Introductory narrative will all partsAt least one individual story with moralCorrect Grammatical structure and SpellingCover page

Must be:Typed in 12 pt font or handwritten in blue or black inkAt least 350 words in lengthCreative and Neat

You will be grade on:Exposition SettingWhat unites charactersThemeIndividual TaleMoralCreativityNeatness and legibilityGrammar/Spelling (1 pt for ever two mistakes)

Word countFormat

Remember your writing process when doing this. It will help.

Character/Characterization

Character – a person in a story, play or poem(This does not have to actually be a person. In

some stories the characters are animals, objects, aliens, etc)

In a story you must discover a character’s personality in order to understand who they are and what they do.

This is called Characterization – the process of revealing the personality of a character

There are two types of 1. Direct Characterization – when the writer tells you exactly what the

character is like. (You don’t have to figure it out)

Ex)Mrs. Jenkins is a strong woman. She is brave and will help anyone in need.

However, when an author uses direct characterization you have to be careful of his BIAS

the unfair influence of someone's actions or thoughts; prejudice

Just because he tells us about the character doesn’t mean that his interpretation is correct.

(Take it with a grain of salt)

2. Indirect Characterization – when the writer gives hints to the character’s personality and you have to use your own judgment to determine what they are like.

Ex) Mr. Cod always looks at the right side of the menu, where the prices are, when he takes Mrs. Cod to dinner. He also makes her walk six blocks to the restaurant instead of getting on the bus.

In indirect characterization the writer will reveal the characters personality using five indirect indicators.

Indirect Indicators

Speech – the tone of voice and the words a character uses

Appearance- the way a character looks and dresses

Private Thoughts – What a person thinks or feels about something

What others say – how others see or view a character

Actions – what a character does (physically)

Classifying Characters

1. Static or Dynamic• Static – a character that

doesn’t change much throughout the story. They keep the same traits and personality

• Dynamic – a character that changes as a result of the story

2. Flat or Round• Flat – a character with only

one or tow traits that can be easily described

• Round – (like a real person) a character with many traits that sometimes class with each other

There are two categories of Classification

Note: when classifying a character you would say that they are one of each type. They are static and flat or round and static, etc.