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name____________________________________-date______________________handout 1
The Short Story Unit
This quarter, we will be studying the genre of the short story. Here’s a brief outline of what we’ll be doing:
1. What is a Short Story?2. Introduction to Key Concepts3. Edgar Allan Poe: “The Tell-Tale Heart”4. Saki: “The Open Window”5. John Cheever: “Reunion”6. Alice Walker: “Everyday Use”7. D.H. Lawrence: “The Rockinghorse Winner”8. Mini-Essay: Comparing Parent-Child Relationships in Two Stories9. Stephen Crane: “The Open Boat”10. Writing a Short Story
You will: read, discuss, and write about a variety of short stories explore the traditional elements of the short story and how these are (or are not) found
in specific stories discuss what each writer is telling us about life explain the literary strategies each writer uses, with special attention paid to point of
view write an original short story
Some essential questions to ponder:
Are stories lies?What makes a story true?People have always told stories. Why?
Assignments:
Quizzes after reading most stories. Be sure you know the major characters, the setting (where and when the story takes place) and the major events.
Significant quote assignments. Reading comprehension questions on each story (open book). Mini-essay comparing parent-child relationships in two stories. An original short story—start now by keeping a list of possible short story ideas. Active class discussions: each person is expected to contribute to our understanding
of the stories.
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name____________________________________________________date______________handout 2
What’s In a Story?
Directions: Please answer these questions honestly and completely, explaining your reasons thoughtfully.
1. Why do you think people tell and write stories?
2. List some stories that you remember someone reading to you when you were little:
3. Pick one of these stories, and explain why you think you still remember it now, at your advanced age.
4. Think of a story that you remember hearing someone tell, not write. (This could be one of your grandma’s stories about “back in the day,” or someone’s story of an exciting event in his or her life, or a friend’s story of a sports triumph, or a teacher or preacher’s story with a moral to it—any story you remember.) Summarize it, and say who told it:
5. Was this a true story? Does that matter? What made this story memorable?
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6. What short stories do you remember reading as a student so far?
7. Were there any that you especially enjoyed or hated? Why?
8. What do you think makes a good short story?
9. Do you think people’s responses to stories change as they get older? Why or why not?
10. Have you ever written a short story? If so, describe it, and tell whether you enjoyed writing it or not.
12. In this unit, we will be reading and studying short stories, and then each writing one of our own. What do you hope to get out of this unit? What do you look forward to (if anything), and what do you dread (if anything)?
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name____________________________________________________date_____________handout 3
Elements of a Short Story
Most of these terms should be familiar to you from previous years, and most also apply to novels; some also apply to poetry. This year you will work toward a deeper understanding of these elements and how they operate (or do not operate, and why not) in individual stories. Plot: the events in the story; the rising and falling action
Characterization: characters and how we get to know them:A: Direct characterization : Characters are clearly and obviously described (“The teacher was seven feet tall. He had an aggressive, often angry, personality…”)B. Indirect characterization: Characters are not described directly, and we have to infer what they are like from how they affect the story (“I felt Mr. Ratfoot’s shadow looming over me, and dreaded hearing his loud voice yelling at me about my homework, as usual…”)
Setting: time (time period, time of day, season) and place
Narration: how the story is being told, including:A: Point of View: Through whose eyes are we experiencing the story? Is it
being told in the first person (I, we) or third person (he, she, they)? If third person, are we seeing things primarily through the eyes of one character (third person limited), or is the narration focusing on several characters equally (an omniscient, or all-seeing, narrator)?
B: What narrative techniques does the author use in telling the story? Foreshadowing (hints about events ahead)? Flashbacks (passages describing previous events)? Stream-of consciousness narration (where events are told through a series of thoughts, as if we’re inside the mind of a character)? Climax: the high point of the action, usually near the end of the story. A story,
especially a long one, may have more than one climax.
Conflict: a struggle between two characters, between a character and him/herself, between a character and society, or between a character and nature.
Problem: a dilemma a character faces (not necessarily the same as a conflict)—often a moral question (“Should Susie rat on her best friend for running off with her 30-year-old boyfriend?” OR “Is going to college worth working midnight shifts at McDonalds’s? Jimmy is getting tired and discouraged…”)
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Resolution: how the main conflict or problem is resolved (if it is; sometimes the point is that there is no resolution)
Motivation: what makes a character behave as he/she does. This can be exterior motivation (forces outside the character, like poverty, a natural disaster, inheriting money) or internal motivation (forces from within a character, like ambition, kindness, jealousy, etc.)
Irony: a discrepancy between two elements in the story, e.g., between what a character says and what he/she does, between what the reader expects and what happens, between the setting and the mood, etc. This includes paradox (seeming contradiction that is nonetheless true, like someone who looks big and fierce but is really a sweetheart) and oxymoron (same thing, just expressed in one phrase, such as “killing with kindness.”)
Subject:
Theme: big idea explored in the story, e.g., ambition, romantic love, loss of innocence, the indifference of nature, etc.
Mood/tone: the emotional atmosphere of the story: scary, gloomy, peaceful, joyous, tense, etc.
Image, or imagery: painting a picture in words, through appealing to the senses: “She ran along the warm, sea-scented beach under a bright blue sky” or “The tiny gray eyes of the rat glittered as it rummaged through the stinking garbage strewn about the street.”
Figurative language: You remember this from poetry. It’s when you express your idea not literally but through comparison with something else, or through having one thing stand for another:
simile: comparing by using like or as : “My love is like a red red rose.” metaphor: comparing without using like or as: “My love is a red red
rose.” personification: a type of metaphor, in which something non-human s
given human qualities: “The sun smiled down on me.” hyperbole: deliberate exaggeration for effect: ”He was more
obnoxious than a dog with rabies.” symbol: where one thing is made to stand for something else; a dove
is a symbol of peace, etc.
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name____________________________________________________date____________handout 4
Vocabulary, “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Directions: Copy the sentence from the story that contains each word. Then, on another sheet, write a sentence of your own using the word correctly.
1. dissimulation: hiding one’s true feelings (look for a related word at end of story)
2. acute: very sharp or sensitive
3. deathwatches: bugs that burrow into wood and make tapping sounds; people used to believe they were signs of death
4. tattoo: not the usual meaning; a steady beat, like a drum beat
5. crevice: a narrow crack
6. audacity: boldness
7. gesticulations: energetic gestures, such as waving the arms or hands
8. derision: scorn or mockery
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name______________________________________________date_________________handout 5
Quiz: “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Directions: Answer in complete sentences. Each answer is worth 20 points.
1. Describe the two main characters.
2. Is the story being told in the first person or the third person? What does this mean?
3. Describe the setting (time and place).
4. List five important events in the story:
5. Describe the mood of the story, and how the author creates this mood.
***Academic Challenge (worth 5 points apiece): Define any of the following words (the way they’re used in this story): Dissimulation, acute, deathwatches, tattoo, crevice, audacity, gesticulations, derision.
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name______________________________________________date______________handout 5m
Quiz: “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Directions: Answer as fully as you can. Each answer is worth 20 points.
1. Describe the two main characters.
2. Who is telling the story?
3. Describe the setting –where does the story take place? What time of day does most of the action take place?
4. List three important events in the story:
5. Describe the mood of the story (happy, sad, spooky, etc.) Why do you say this?
***Academic Challenge (worth 5 points apiece): Tell what any of the following words mean (the way they’re used in this story): Dissimulation, acute, deathwatches, tattoo, crevice, audacity, gesticulations, derision.
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name____________________________________________ date _____________handout 6
The Ticking of “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Directions: Answer these questions in complete sentences, explaining your thinking thoroughly and giving examples where needed. Use your own paper.
1. From what point of view is the story narrated? (Refer to your handout, “Elements of the Short Story,” if needed.) Copy a sentence that illustrates this point of view.
2. Why do you think Poe chose this point of view for this story? Is it effective? Why or why not?
3. What do we know about the narrator? What do we know about the old man?
4. What do you think is the relationship between the old man and the narrator? Give examples to back up your theory.
5. What about the old man really bothered the narrator, and how is this obsession evidence of the narrator’s mental illness?
6. To whom do you think the narrator is telling his story? Why?
7. What do you see as the climax of the story? (Refer to your handout if necessary.) Why? Be specific.
8. The narrator tries desperately to convince his listener that he is sane. What evidence does he give? How does this evidence backfire, instead proving his madness?
9. The narrator says that he feels some sympathy with the old man, because he himself has felt some of the same terrors. Find and copy a sentence that shows this. How does this add to the horror of the murder?
10. Look at your handout, “Elements of the Short Story,” for the four types of conflict. There’s an obvious conflict in this story between the narrator and the old man. What other types of conflict do you observe? Explain.
11. Describe three sounds that get on the speaker’s nerves during the story.
12. Explain the symbolism of the tell-tale heart. The narrator says it made him confess; what do you think the deeper reason was?
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13. Describe what you imagine were the real thoughts of the police officers as they “chatted pleasantly and smiled.” Why do you think we aren’t told what they actually said, after the initial explanation of a neighbor’s complaint?
14. Explain what you see as an important theme (big idea) of the story, and why.
15. Do you feel any sympathy for the narrator? Why or why not?
16. Do you think the narrator would be entitled to plead in court: “Not guilty by reason of insanity”? What do you think should happen to the narrator?
17. Describe the mood of the story (see handout). How does Poe establish this mood?
18. Poe is noted for his skillful use of figurative language (see handout). His use of hyperbole is especially important here. Find and copy two examples of hyperbole, and explain why you think Poe chose to have the narrator use it.
19. What, if anything, did you find confusing or disturbing about this story?
20 Have you ever known any one who suffered from any form of mental illness? What do you know, or think, about how society should deal with mentally ill people?
21. Give your opinion of this story, and your reasons. (Remember, this doesn’t mean do you agree with what the narrator did—it means did you find the story interesting and well-written, or boring and poorly written.)
*** Academic Challenges:1. (worth up to 5 points) Most readers assume that the narrator is a young man. Would
the story be different if we assumed that the narrator is a young woman? How could this assumption change the emotional tone of the story?
2. (worth up to 8 points) Pick a significant quote that we have not written about in class. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, what was going on) and significance (why it’s important, what it shows about the character and/or the development of the plot or theme).
These next options are longer-term projects and can be turned in later. Check with me to arrange a deadline:3. (up to 10 points) Do a detailed, full-color illustration of a scene from the story.
4. (worth up to 15 points) Do some research on the life of Edgar Allan Poe, and volunteer to present your findings to the class.
5. (up to 15 points) Do some research on paranoid schizophrenia (what was probably wrong with the narrator) and share your findings with the class.
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6. (worth up to 25 points) Read another story by Poe (for example, “The Black Cat,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” or “The Pit and the Pendulum. Write a two-paragraph mini-essay comparing that story to “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
name____________________________________________ date _____________handout 6m
The Ticking of “The Tell-Tale Heart”
Directions: Answer these questions, explaining your thinking thoroughly and giving examples where needed. Use your own paper.
1. Who is telling this story? Copy a sentence that shows how you know this.
2. Why do you think the author chooses to have the narrator telling the story, rather than having it told by someone outside the story?
3. What do we know about the narrator? What do we know about the old man?
4. What do you think is the relationship between the old man and the narrator? Is it father-son, employer-employee, or what? Explain your thinking.
5. What about the old man really bothered the narrator, and how does this show the narrator’s mental illness?
6. To whom do you think the narrator is telling his story? Why?
7. Do you see the climax ( high point) of the story as the murder of the old man or as the narrator’s confession? Why? Be specific.
8. What does the narrator say to the listener to try to show that he is not crazy?
9. The narrator says that he feels some sympathy with the old man, because he himself has felt some of the same terrors. Find and copy a sentence that shows this.
10.Look in your handout, “Elements of the Short Story,” for a description of the four types of conflict commonly found in stories. In this story, we
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see an obvious conflict between the narrator and the old man. Explain how we also see a conflict between the narrator and himself. Can you see any other types of conflict described in the handout?
11.Describe two sounds that get on the speaker’s nerves during the story.
12. The narrator says that the ticking of the old man’s heart made him confess. What do you think the deeper reason was? What does the heart symbolize?
13.What do you think the police officers were really thinking as they “chatted pleasantly and smiled” near the end of the story, while the narrator was yelling and acting wild?
14.Explain what you see as an important theme (big idea) of the story, and why.
15.Do you feel any sympathy for the narrator? Why or why not?
16.The law doesn’t hold insane people responsible for their crimes. Instead, they are usually sent to a mental hospital. What do you think should happen to the narrator?
17.Describe the mood of the story (happy, sad, spooky, wild, or what?). What details in the story help create this mood?
18.A type of figurative language that Poe uses here is hyperbole (see handout), which means deliberate exaggeration: “He’s as big as a house,” or “My head is splitting.” Find and copy an example of hyperbole in this story, and explain why you think Poe has the narrator talk this way.
19.What, if anything, did you find confusing or disturbing about this story?
20.Have you ever known anyone who suffered from any form of mental illness? How do you think society should deal with these people?
21.Give your opinion of this story, and your reasons. (Remember, this doesn’t mean do you agree with what the narrator did—it means, did you find the story interesting and well-written, or boring and poorly written?)
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*** Academic Challenges:1. (worth up to 5 points) Most readers assume that the narrator is a young
man. How would the story be different if we assumed that the narrator is a young woman? Would our feelings about the narrator change? If so, how?
2. (worth up to 8 points) Pick a significant quote that we have not written about in class. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, what was going on) and significance (why it’s important, what it shows about the character and/or the development of the plot or theme).
These next options are longer-term projects and can be turned in later. Check with me to arrange a deadline. 3. (up to 10 points) Do a detailed, full-color illustration of a scene from the
story.
4. (worth up to 15 points) Do some research on the life of Edgar Allan Poe, and volunteer to present your findings to the class.
5. (worth up to 15 points) Do some research on paranoid schizophrenia (the type of mental illness that the narrator probably suffered from). Present your findings to the class.
6. (worth up to 25 points) Read another story by Poe (for example, “The Black Cat,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” or “The Fall of the House of Usher.” Write a 100-word journal entry comparing that story to “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
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name_________________________________________________date___________________ handout 7
Vocabulary, “The Open Window”
Directions: Copy the sentence from the story that contains each word. Then, on another sheet, write a sentence of your own using the word the way it appears in the story.
1. self-possessed: poised; in control of one’s feeling and behavior (How many times does this word occur? Why is it important?)
2. rectory: house in which the minister of a church lives
2. bog: swampy area with quicksand
3. delusion: mistaken idea; a way of fooling oneself
4. mackintosh: English word for raincoat (the “waterproof coat” referred to earlier)
5. Ganges: a river in India
6. romance: not the usual meaning: the art of making up stories
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name_____________________________________________date_______________handout 8
Quiz: “The Open Window”
Part One: Identify each character and explain his/her importance in the story.
1. Vera
2. Framton Nuttel
3. Mrs. Sappleton
Part Two: Answer in complete sentences and explain your reasoning fully.
4. From what point of view is the story told?
5. What is supposedly wrong with Framton Nuttel? Why did his doctor suggest that he spend some time in the country?
6. Describe the setting of the story: place and time of year, time of day.
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7. Briefly summarize the story that Vera tells Nuttel:
8. Explain the ending—who returns from hunting, and why does Nuttel run out?
9. What does the ending tell us about Vera?
10. Were you surprised by the ending? Explain.
*** Academic challenge (up to 5 points): Explain the irony in Vera’s name (comes from the Latin word veritas, or truth).
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name_____________________________________date____________________handout 8m
Quiz: “The Open Window”
Part One: Explain who each character is:
Vera
Framton Nuttel
Mrs. Sappleton
Part Two: Answer as fully as you can.
“The Tell-Tale Heart” was told in first person (by a character in the story, using I or we). This story is told differently. How?
What is supposedly wrong with Framton Nuttel? Why did his doctor suggest that he spend some time in the country?
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Where and when does this story take place?
Briefly summarize the story that Vera tells Nuttel:
Explain the ending—who returns from hunting, and why does Nuttel run out?
What does the ending tell us about Vera?
Were you surprised by the ending? Explain.
*** Academic challenge (up to 5 points): Vera’s name comes from the Latin word veritas, or truth. Explain why this is ironic (strange and contradictory).
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name____________________________________________date_________________handout 9
Through “The Open Window”Directions: Answer these questions in complete sentences, explaining your thinking thoroughly and giving examples where needed. Some answers will need to be whole paragraphs. Use your own paper.1. Compare Saki’s use of point of view in this story with Poe’s in “The Tell-Tale
Heart.” Why do you think Saki chose not to use the first person here? Why are we only told Nuttel’s thoughts, never Vera’s?
2. What about Framton Nuttel allows him to be fooled? Consider not only the facts of his situation as a stranger in the neighborhood, but also his personality (what is he primarily interested in?).
3. What details of the hunters’ return does Vera use to trick Nuttel? How do you think she knew of these details?
4. What role does the aunt (Mrs. Sappleton) play in Vera’s trickery and in Nuttel’s reactions?
5. How does the story that Vera tells her relatives, at the end, about Nuttel help to clarify our understanding of what is really going on?
6. What do you see as the climax of this story, and why? Is there a resolution?
7. On one level, Framton Nuttel is the victim in the story. But on another level, Saki seems to be saying that he deserves his fate. Discuss the evidence for this interpretation.
8. What do you see as Vera’s motivation for tricking Nuttel? Do you think this justifies her actions?
9. Explain how Saki uses the traditional elements of a ghost story to trick the reader here. Consider the story’s mood and setting, and Vera’s fake tone when telling the story of the hunter’s and reacting to their return.
10. Give your opinion of this story, especially to Saki’s writing style. (Remember, your opinion here has nothing to do with whether or not you agree with Vera’s actions. It means, do you think the story is interesting and well-written, or boring and poorly written?) Give your reasons.
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**Academic challenges:1. (worth up to 5 points) Discuss the characters’ names, and how they subtly reveal
Saki’s true attitude.
2. (worth up to 8 points) Pick a significant quote that we have not discussed in class. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, and what was going on) and significance (why it’s important; what it reveals about the character and/or the development of the plot).
3. Using your handout, “Elements of the Short Story,” discuss Saki’s uses of direct and indirect characterization.
4. (up to 10 points): Do a detailed, full-color illustration of a scene from the story.
5. (up to 20 points) Read another Saki story: “The Storyteller,” “Sredni Vashtar,” or “The Schwartz-Metterclume Method.” Look online at www.bnlhost.com. Write a two-paragraph mini-essay comparing that story to “The Open Window.”
NOTE: #s 4 and 5 can be turned in later. Check with me about deadlines.
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name__________________________________________date_________________handout 9 m
Through “The Open Window”
Directions: Use your own paper. Answer these questions as fully as you can, giving examples where needed.
1. “The Tell-Tale Heart” is told by a character inside the story (first person). Here, the story is told in the third person (by a narrator outside the story). Why do you think Saki chose not to have Vera or Framton Nuttel tell the story? Why are we told only Nuttel’s thoughts, and never Vera’s?
2. In some ways Nuttel is a perfect victim for Vera. Besides his being a stranger to the area, his personality sets him up to be fooled. Describe Nuttel’s personality, and how this helps Vera to trick him.
3. Give three details about the hunters’ return that Vera uses to trick Nuttel.
4. How does Nuttel react when Mrs. Sappleton (the aunt) starts talking about the hunters returning home soon? Why is this important?
5. Vera tells another story at the end, about Nuttel trapped by a pack of dogs. How does this story help us understand her real nature?
6. What do you see as the climax of the story (the high point in the action)? Why?
7. On one level, Nuttel seems to be the victim in the story. But on another level, Saki seems to be saying he deserves his fate. What details about Nuttel could you use to show that he deserves to be fooled?
8. Why do you think Vera decided to trick Nuttel? Do you think she was wrong for what she did?
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9. One reason the story is so tricky for readers is that it sounds like a ghost story. What about the story makes it sound this way? (Think about where and when it takes place, and the tone Vera uses in telling her story about the hunters.)
10.Give your opinion of this story—not whether or not you agree with Vera’s actions, but: Do you think the story is interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written? Give your reasons.
*** Academic challenges:
(worth up to 5 points) Discuss the names Vera and Framton Nuttel, and what they might mean about Saki’s real attitude towards the characters.
(worth up to 8 points). Pick a significant quote. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, what was going on) and significance (why it’s important, what it shows about the character and/or the meaning of the story).
(worth up to 8 points) Explain how Saki lets us know what Framton Nuttel is like, without actually telling us directly that he is boring, selfish, and obsessed with his own health. Use specific sentences from the story as examples.
(up to 10 points) Do a detailed, full-color illustration of a scene from the story.
(up to 20 points) Read another Saki story: “The Storyteller,” “Sredni Vashtar,” or “The Schwartz-Metterclume Method.” (Ask me or look online, www.bnlhost.com. ) Write a page comparing that story to “The Open Window.”
NOTE: Numbers 4 and 5 can be turned in later. Ask me about deadlines.
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name_______________________________________________date________________handout 10
John Cheever’s “Reunion”—or is “The Disaster”?
Directions: Each of these questions is meant to be a journal-type entry in itself. Answer as completely as you can, giving examples where necessary. Use your own paper.
1. Explain what you think Charlie was thinking and feeling at the beginning of the story when he says, “. . . as soon as I saw him I felt that he was my father, my flesh and blood, my future and my doom.” What do you infer about their relationship in the past, and Charlie’s hopes and fears for the future? Why does Charlie not tell us his thoughts after the first paragraph?
2. Explain why you think Cheever chose to use the first person point of view in this story. How would it have changed if he had used the third person? What does this show about the special value, and the limitations, of using the first person?
3. Choose a part of the story and rewrite it from the father’s point of view. Use the same dialogue—just add the father’s thoughts and reactions.
4. We are told almost nothing about Charlie through direct characterization, yet we can infer quite a bit. Write a paragraph describing Charlie—his age, looks, personality, kind of school he goes to, social life, relationship with mother, etc.
5. The father does have some positive qualities. Pick two and explain them, giving specific examples and quotes to back up your assertions.
6. Write a sequel to the story, following Charlie as he reacts to this “reunion.” What is he thinking, doing, feeling? You could have him on the train, writing a letter to someone or a journal entry. Or you could follow him to his mother’s beach cottage and have him talk to her or to a friend about seeing his dad. Use the first person (I, we, me., etc.) This should be at least 50 words.
7. What do you see as the most important theme (big idea) of the story? (Remember the list we made.) Explain why you see this as an important theme.
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8. Give your opinion of this story. Have you ever felt like Charlie?
****Academic challenges:
(up to 5 points) What do you think the father was thinking/feeling as he left Charlie? Write a paragraph following the dad as he leaves the train station to go back to his regular life.
(up to 5 points) What do you think the father was thinking/feeling as he left Charlie? Write a paragraph following the dad as he leaves the train station and goes…?
(up to 8 points) Pick a significant quote and copy it. Then explain the context (who said, to whom, when) and the significance (why it’s important, what it shows about the character and/or the meaning of the story).
(up to 10 points) Translate the foreign words that the dad uses. Hints: garcon is French and means waiter or boy. There is one German word, and most of the rest are Italian. Add a couple of sentences explaining why you think these are in the story. Make a poster out of your findings and share with the class.
(up to 15 points) Do some research on John Cheever’s life and share your findings with the class.
(up to 20 points) Read another Cheever short story (for example, “The Five Forty Eight”) and write a 100-word journal-type entry summarizing it and giving your reactions to the characters.
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name_______________________________________________date________________handout 10m
John Cheever’s “Reunion”—or is “The Disaster”?
Directions: Each of these questions is meant to be a small journal-type entry in itself. Answer any five of these as completely as you can, giving examples where necessary. Use your own paper.
1. Explain what you think Charlie was thinking and feeling at the beginning of the story when he says, “. . . as soon as I saw him I felt that he was my father, my flesh and blood, my future and my doom.” What do you guess about their relationship in the past, and Charlie’s hopes and fears for the future? Why does Charlie not tell us his thoughts after the first paragraph?
2. Explain why you think Cheever chose to use the first person point of view in this story (having it told by a character inside the story). How would it have changed if he had used the third person (told by someone outside the story)? What does this show about the special value, and the limitations, of using the first person?
3. Choose a part of the story and rewrite it from the father’s point of view. Use the same dialogue—just add the father’s thoughts and reactions.
4. We are told almost nothing about Charlie through direct characterization, yet we can infer (guess) quite a bit. Write a paragraph describing Charlie—his age, looks, personality, kind of school he goes to, social life, relationship with mother, etc.
5. The father does have some positive qualities. Pick two and explain them, giving specific examples.
6. Write a sequel (or part two) to the story, following Charlie as he reacts to this “reunion.” What is he thinking, doing, feeling? You could have him on the train, writing a letter to someone or a journal entry. Or you could follow him to his mother’s beach cottage and have him talk to her or to a friend about seeing his dad. Use the first person (I, we, me., etc.) This should be at least 30 words.
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7. What do you see as the most important theme (big idea) of the story? (Remember the list we made.) Explain why you see this as an important theme.
8. Give your opinion of this story. Have you ever felt like Charlie?
(over)
****Academic challenges:
(up to 5 points) What do you think the father was thinking/feeling as he left Charlie? Write a paragraph following the dad as he leaves the train station to go back to his regular life.
(up to 5 points) What do you think the father was thinking/feeling as he left Charlie? Write a paragraph following the dad as he leaves the train station and goes…?
(up to 8 points) Pick a significant quote and copy it. Then explain the context (who said, to whom, when) and the significance (why it’s important, what it shows about the character and/or the meaning of the story).
(up to 10 points) Translate the foreign words that the dad uses. Hints: garcon is French and means waiter or boy. There is one German word, and most of the rest are Italian. Add a couple of sentences explaining why you think these are in the story. Make a poster out of your findings and share with the class.
(up to 15 points) Do some research on John Cheever’s life and share your findings with the class.
(up to 20 points) Read another Cheever short story ( examples) and write a 100-word journal-type entry summarizing it and giving your reactions to the characters.
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name_______________________________________________date___________________handout 11
Quiz: “Everyday Use”
Part One: Identify each character and explain his/her importance in the story:
1. Maggie
2. Dee
3. Hakim-a barber
4. The mother
Part Two: Answer in complete sentences, explaining your thinking fully.
5. Explain the point of view from which the story is told. How is this important?
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6. Describe the setting of the story.
7. Explain two different conflicts in the story.
8. Name two physical objects that are important in the story, and explain their importance.
9. What crucial decision does the mother make at the end of the story? Why do you think she makes her choice this way?
10. Give your opinion of the story (interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written). Explain your opinion.
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***Academic challenge: Explain the importance of the publishing date (1973) in understanding this story.
name_______________________________________________date___________________handout 11m
Quiz: “Everyday Use”
Part One: Tell who each character is:
1. Maggie
2. Dee
3. Hakim-a barber
4. The mother
Part Two: Answer each question as fully as you can.
5. Who is telling the story? Why is this important?
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6. Describe the setting of the story—where and when does it take place?.
7. Explain a conflict between two people in the story.
8. Name one physical object that is important in the story, and explain its importance.
9. What crucial decision does the mother make at the end of the story? Why do you think she decides to do what she does?
10. Give your opinion of the story (interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written?). Explain your opinion.
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***Academic challenge: How does it add to our understanding of the story to know that it was published in 1973? (Hint: think about our discussion of the 1960s.).
name____________________________________________________date___________handout 12
Getting the Most out of “Everyday Use”
Directions: Answer in complete sentences, explaining your reasons thoroughly and giving examples and quotes where appropriate. Use your own paper.
1. You’ve probably noticed by now that point of view plays a big role in what we get out of a short story. Discuss the point of view that Alice Walker chooses to use in this story. How does it affect our understanding of the events of the story, the “reunion” between Dee and her family?
2. Retell a portion of the story from Dee’s, Maggie’s or Hakim-a-barber’s point of view (about 50 words). Use the same dialogue and events but change the thoughts and reactions.
3. What purpose do the African and Arabic words serve in the story? How do they add to Walker’s portrayal of the misunderstandings between the mother and Dee?
4. Discuss the mother’s use of hyperbole in describing Dee’s dress on p. 74. Copy a sentence using hyperbole, and explain why you think Walker had the mother use these words.
5. The setting is crucial to the meaning of this story. Discuss the importance of both the time period and the place in the interactions among the characters (a short paragraph for each). Be sure to include Dee’s changing attitudes toward the home place, and why you think she came back to visit it.
6. Explain the symbolism of the quilts—what do they mean to Dee? to Maggie? to the mother? Why did the mother end up giving Grandma Dee’s quilts to Maggie?
7. What do you see as the climax of the story, and why?
8. Do you think Alice Walker intends us to see Dee as the villain of the story? Why or why not? Does Dee have any good qualities?
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9. Discuss the ending of the story—do you feel any of the characters have achieved a better understanding of each other? What do you think Dee is feeling as she drives away? Has Maggie’s position in the family changed or stayed the same?
10. Which character in the story do you feel most sympathy with? Why?
11. What do you see as an important theme of the story? Explain your reasons.
12. This story is also a reunion. Compare it to John Cheever’s story of that title—which do you think is sadder? more complicated? more interesting? Why?
13. Explain the title of this story. Do you think it’s a good one? Does it express something important about the story? Why or why not? If not, can you suggest a different one?
14. Where do you think each of these family members will be in ten years? What will they be doing? Will their feelings about each other have changed?
15. Give your opinion of this story (interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written). Explain.
**** Academic challenges: (up to 3 points) If you could really ask one question to the mother, Dee, and Maggie,
what would you ask? (3 questions total)
(up to 8 points) Choose a significant quote that we have not written about yet. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, what was going on) and significance (what it means, why it’s important, what it shows about the characters and/or the meaning of the story).
(up to 10 points) Rewrite a portion of the story in the third person (50 words). Use the same dialogue and events. At the end, write a couple of sentences explaining what differences you think this point of view made in the story.
(up to 10 points) Write a comparison of Dee and Maggie, and their respective strengths and weaknesses. (50 words)
(up to 20 points) Read another story by Alice Walker (“To Hell With Dying,” for example). Write a summary comparing it to this story.
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name____________________________________________________date___________handout 12m
Getting the Most out of “Everyday Use”
Directions: Answer these questions as thoroughly as you can, giving examples and quotes where appropriate.
1. You’ve probably noticed by now that point of view plays a big role in what we get out of a short story. Discuss the point of view that Alice Walker chooses to use in this story. Who is telling the story, and what difference does this make in our understanding of what happens?
2. Retell a portion of the story from Dee’s, Maggie’s or Hakim-a-barber’s point of view (about 25 words). Use the same dialogue (talking aloud) and events but change the thoughts and reactions to show what this different character is thinking and feeling.
3. Why do you think Walker includes African and Arabic words in the story?(p. 74 especially)?How do they help us see the misunderstandings between the mother and Dee?
4. The mother uses hyperbole in describing Dee’s dress on p. 74. (Remember, hyperbole is exaggeration to make a point, like “I’m about to starve to death!” when lunch is late.) Copy a sentence using hyperbole, and explain why you think Walker had the mother use these words.
5. The setting is very important to the meaning of this story. How have Dee’s feelings about the home place changed over the years, and why do you think she wants to visit it now?
6. Why do you think the mother ended up giving Grandma Dee’s quilts to Maggie, when Dee asked for them?
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7. What do you see as the climax (high point of action) of the story, and why?
8. How do you feel about Dee as a character? List her good and bad qualities.
9. Discuss the ending of the story—do you feel any of the characters have achieved a better understanding of each other? What do you think Dee is feeling as she drives away?
10.Which character in the story do you like best? Why?
11.What do you see as an important theme (big idea) of the story? (Some possible themes are: the difficulties of family love, the importance of understanding each other, people should value their differences, etc. Remember our class discussion about this.) Explain your reasons.
12.This story and John Cheever’s story are both about family reunions. How do you think these stories are alike? How are they different?
13.Explain the title of this story. Do you think it’s a good one?
14.Where do you think Dee and Maggie will be in ten years? What will they be doing? Will their feelings about each other have changed?
15.Give your opinion of this story (interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written). Explain.
**** Academic challenges: (up to 3 points) If you could really ask one question to the mother, Dee,
and Maggie, what would you ask? (3 questions total)
(up to 8 points) Choose a significant quote that we have not written about yet. Copy it, and explain the context (who said it, to whom, what was going on) and significance (what it means, why it’s important).
(up to 10 points) Rewrite a portion of the story in the third person (25 words), as if it’s being told by a person outside the story (like in “The Open Window.”)
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(up to 10 points) Write a comparison of Dee and Maggie, and their respective strengths and weaknesses. (25 words)
(up to 20 points) Read another story by Alice Walker (“To Hell With Dying,” for example). Write a summary comparing it to this story.
name _____________________________________________date________________handout 13And Thereby Hangs a Tale
Title of fairy tale or folk tale your group read?__________________________________
1. Did you like this story when you were a little kid? Why or why not?
2. Explain the central problem in this story that caused the child or children to have to go out into the world and face some danger.
3. How did the parents and children in this tale seem to feel about each other? Did this change during the story?
4. Copy the opening sentence of this tale. Compare it to the first sentence of “The Rockinghorse Winner.”
5. What part does “luck” play in this tale? Copy some phrases or sentences referring to luck.
6. Does the family’s “luck” change? How?
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7. Very few fairy tales are told in the first person. Why do you think this is?
8. If this story were to be told in the first person, who would be telling it? Why?
name_________________________________________date_____________________handout 14
Vocabulary, “The Rockinghorse Winner”
Directions: While you’re reading the story, underline or highlight each word as you come to it. Later, on this sheet, copy the sentence containing that word. Then, on another sheet, write a sentence of your own using the word as it’s used in this story.
1. bonny: old English/Scotch word for pretty
2. discreet: minding their own business; not “messy”
3. brazening: acting with boldness and defiance
4. parried: used a counter argument. This is a term from the sport of fencing, where you parry a blow, turning it aide. Here Paul is doing this with words.
5. obscure: little known; not famous or highly regarded
6. romancer: someone who makes up stories (like Vera in “The Open Window.”
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7. iridescent: shiny and rainbow-like (as in a soap bubble or a pigeon’s feather’s)
8. overwrought: too excited; exhausted and upset
9. uncanny: not normal; supernatural
10. emancipated: freed
11. arrested: here it means stopped, as if put on pause on a VCR
Below list any other new words you want to remember from this story….
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name_______________________________________________date________________handout 15
Respond to “The Rockinghorse Winner.”
Directions: Respond to these questions, which we discussed at the beginning of the story. Include your own thoughts and reflections on your personal experience, and also include examples and quotes from the story. Your responses should be at least 50 words per question (in addition to quotes). Use your own paper.
1. What makes children love their parents? Consider your own observations of life, but also the relationship between Paul and his mother in the story. Did he succeed in winning her love? Why did she not love her children to start with?
2. What kinds of stresses can money place on a family? Discuss families you know, as well as Paul’s. Can people ever have enough money? What is “enough”?
3. What does it mean to be “lucky”? Can people become lucky? Do you consider yourself lucky or unlucky? What about Paul—did he achieve his goal, to become lucky, and change the luck of his family?
4. How do writers use echoes of older stories to add meaning to their own? Is this a valid literary strategy? Discuss Lawrence’s use of the fairy tale genre—is it effective? What other examples can you think of where writers use references to old stories? What about public speakers? Does this strategy work?
***Academic Challenges: (Some of these can be turned in later. Check with me for deadlines.)
(up to 5 points) Write a paragraph explaining what you see as the most important theme (big idea) in the story, and why.
(up to 8 points) Find out the current exchange rate between the dollar and the pound, and convert some of Paul’s transactions into dollars. Share your findings with the class.
(up to 10 points): Rewrite a portion of the story in the first person, from the point of view of any character. Use the same dialogue and events, but add first-person thoughts/reactions.
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(up to 10 points): Write a sequel to the story, showing what happens to the family—especially the mother—as a result of Paul’s death and the 80,000 pounds.
(up to 20 points): Read another story by Lawrence and write a response comparing it to “The Rockinghorse Winner.”
name________________________________________________date_________________handout 16
Vocabulary: “The Open Boat”
Directions: Underline each word in the story as you come to it. Find and copy the sentence in the book that each word appears in. Later, on your own paper, write a sentence for each word using it the way it’s used in the story.
1. indifference (p. 178 and elsewhere—why do you think it appears so frequently?): lack of interest or opinion; absence of caring one way or the other
2. oration (p. 178): speech
3. dinghy (p. 179): small open boat
4. doggedly (p. 180): stubbornly, without giving up
5. foundering (p. 182) : sinking
6. opprobrious (p. 184): reproachful, accusing
7. epithet (p. 184): curse; bad name
8. caroused (p. 191): acted wildly or drunkenly; partied
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9. carmine (p. 192): deep red
10. implacable (p. 193): not able to be persuaded; unmerciful
name________________________________________________date______________handout 17
Quiz: “The Open Boat”
Part One: Identify each character by describing his personality and his role on the boat.
1. The correspondent
2. The oiler
3. The cook
4. The captain
Part Two: Answer each question in complete sentences, supplying detail and examples as needed.
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5. Describe the setting of the story, and explain its importance.
6. Describe three dangers or obstacles the men face during their ordeal.
7. From what point of view is the story told (first or third)? Why is this surprising?
8. How do the four men seem to get along together in the boat? Are there any conflicts?
9. Explain the ending of the story.
10. Give your opinion of the story—interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written? Why?
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***Academic Challenge: Summarize what we learned about Stephen Crane’s life.
name________________________________________________date______________handout 17 m
Quiz: “The Open Boat”
Part One: Describe each character:.
1. The correspondent
2. The oiler
3. The cook
4. The captain
Part Two: Answer each question as fully as you can.
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5. Describe the setting of the story—where and when does it take place?
6. Describe two dangers the men face during their time on the boat.
7. Is this story being told by a character in the story (first person—using I or we) or by someone outside the story (third person—using he or they)? Why is this surprising?
8. How do the four men seem to get along together in the boat? Are there any conflicts?
9. What happens at the ending of the story?
10. Give your opinion of the story—interesting and well-written or boring and poorly written? Why?
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***Academic Challenge: Summarize what we learned about Stephen Crane’s life.
name___________________________________________date________________handout 18
Steering “The Open Boat”
Directions: Answer in complete sentences, using specific examples and quotes to back up your interpretations, and explaining your own reactions as fully as possible. Use your own paper.
1. Explain the first paragraph of the story—what does it say about the men’s experience, and how does it help to set the tone of the story? What are the men focusing on and why?
2. Choose a paragraph (not the first) that exemplifies Crane’s use of impressionist writing—emphasizing shape and color rather that small details, to show how the scene feels to a specific observer. Give the page number and paragraph number, and explain how this shows Crane as an impressionist. Refer to specific words and phrases to show what you mean. Is this more or less effective than describing every detail?
3. Discuss Cranes’s use of third person point of view. Why do you think he chose this, even though the story is based on his real experience? How would it have been different if he had written it from the correspondent’s point of view in the first person? What if one of the other characters had told the story?
4. Find, copy, and explain two examples of figurative language. How does Crane use these to show his characters’ experience?
5. What do you see as the climax of the story, and why?
6. The narration tells us on p. 182 that the comradeship and friendship the men experience were for the correspondent “ the best experience of his life.” Give some specific examples of that comradeship, and tell why you think it was so important.
7. Discuss the allusion on p. 190 to the poem about a soldier dying in Algiers. Why does Crane include this? What does it show about the correspondent’s state of mind? Why does the poem pop into his mind, and why does he suddenly empathize with this fictional soldier?
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8. Give the context and significance of this quote (p. 70 and 184): “If I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?”
(over)9. Discuss the irony of the oiler’s death, and what this illustrates about the nature of luck
(remember our discussions about “The Rockinghorse Winner”). Does the universe (represented here by the sea) care about us and our efforts? Did any good come of the oiler’s heroism?
10. The sea is described over and over as being either angry or indifferent (uncaring). Here, the men’s experience with the sea seems to represent the difficulty of understanding nature as a whole. But at the end, the narration tells us, “. . . the wind brought the sound of the great sea’s voice to the men on the shore, and they felt that they could then be interpreters.” What do you think the men have learned? What would they say as the interpreters of the waves?
11. What do you see as the most important theme of the story? Why?
12. Think of an experience in your own life. Write a paragraph of at least 30 words telling a piece of that experience in the third person, as Crane did in this story.
**** Academic Challenges: (Some can be turned in later—check with me on deadlines.) (up to 5 points) Explain the importance of either the bird episode (p. 180) or the shark
episode (p. 189).
(up to 7 points) Explain why you think the people on the shore were behaving as they did (p. 185-87), why this is described mainly through dialogue, and what effect this episode had on the men in the boat.
(up to 10 points) Rewrite a portion of the story in the first person (25 words), and add a sentence or two explaining what difference you think this makes in the story.
(up to 20 points) Do a detailed, full-color painting or drawing of a scene from the open boat, using impressionist techniques (emphasizing light and color).
(up to 20 points) Read another story by Crane and write a one-page comparison of that story with this one. See www.geocities. com: “The Blue Hotel,” “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky,” “The Fight.”
(up to 10 points) Do some research on the life and art of a Realist or Impressionist painter. Share your findings with the class.
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name___________________________________________date________________handout 18 m
Steering “The Open Boat”
Directions: Answer as fully as possible, giving specific examples to show what you mean, and telling why you think what you do. Use your own paper.
1. Explain the first sentence of the story. Why don’t the men know the color of the sky? What are the men focusing on and why?
2. Choose a paragraph (not the first) that shows Crane’s use of impressionist writing—emphasizing shape and color rather than small details. Give the page number and paragraph number. What specific words and phrases does Crane use in describing color and light?
3. Discuss Cranes’s use of third person point of view (having someone
outside the story tell the events). Why do you think Crane chose to write the story this way, even though the story is based on his real experience?
4. On p. 179, Crane uses a simile to describe the boat and the wave: “As each wave came and she rose for it, she seemed like a horse making at a fence outrageously high.” Explain this simile—what is it saying about the men’s experience in the boat in the middle of the waves?
5. What do you see as the climax (the high point of the action) of the story, and why?
6. The narration tells us on p. 182 that the friendship the men experience on the boat was for the correspondent “ the best experience of his life.” Give some specific examples of that friendship, and tell why you think it was so important.
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7. Discuss the poem quoted on p. 190 about a soldier dying in Algiers. Why do you think the poem pops into the correspondent’s mind, and what are his feelings about the soldier in the poem?
8. Give the context (who is thinking this, and what’s going on) and significance (What the quote means and why it’s important) of this quote (p. 70 and 184): “If I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned—if I am going to be drowned, why, in the name of the seven gods who rule the sea, was I allowed to come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was I brought here merely to have my nose dragged away as I was about to nibble the sacred cheese of life?”
9. How was the oiler’s death ironic (unexpected and seemingly unfair)? Can someone earn luck? (Remember our discussions about “The Rockinghorse Winner”).
10. At the end, the narration tells us, “. . . the wind brought the sound of the great sea’s voice to the men on the shore, and they felt that they could then be interpreters.” What do you think the men have learned? What would they say as the interpreters of the waves?
11.What do you see as the most important theme (big idea) of the story? (Some possible themes are friendship, survival, fate, etc. explain your theme, and why you think it’s important.
12.Think of an experience in your own life. Write a paragraph of at least 20 words telling a piece of that experience in the third person, as Crane did in this story.
**** Academic Challenges: (Some can be turned in later—check with me on deadlines.) (up to 5 points) Explain the importance of either the bird episode (p. 180)
or the shark episode (p. 189).
(up to 7 points) Explain why you think the people on the shore were behaving as they did (p. 185-87), why this is described mainly through dialogue (conversation) and how this affected the men in the boat.
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(up to 10 points) Rewrite a portion of the story in the first person (20 words), having a character in the story tell it using I or we.
(up to 20 points) Do a detailed, full-color painting or drawing of a scene from the open boat. Use an impressionist style full of light and color.
(up to 20 points) Read another story by Crane and write a one-page comparison of that story with this one. See www.geocities.com: “The Blue Hotel,” “The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky,” “The Fight.”
(up to 10 points) Do some research on the art and life of an Impressionist or realist painter, and share your findings with the class.
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name__________________________________________date___________________-handout 20
Writing the Great American Short Story
Now that we know a good bit about short stories, and have opinions on what makes them work, we’re going to try writing our own. We will work on these a good bit in class, and will talk to each other about them while we are writing. The final draft will need to be typed (double spaced) and about ____words. It will be due on __________.
Before we actually start the writing, we need to do a little planning—not the whole plot, but just enough to get started.
First, look at the list of story ideas you have been keeping in your binder all quarter. Talk to your friends about your ideas, and add some more notes. Find an idea that you think you can try out. (If it doesn’t work for you, you can always try another.) Then jot down your ideas on this sheet, and show it to me:
Setting (time period, place, time of year, time of day, weather—whatever’s important):____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Characters (have at least two to start with, and describe them):
(A) __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
(B) __________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ Point of view (first person or third person—if first, told by whom?)____________
____________________________________________________________________
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Beginning action (how’s it going to start off?)________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
name___________________________________________date_______________handout 21
So, you’ve finished your short story…….
Fill out this sheet to make sure you have done everything you need to do. Take care of any missing pieces in your story. Make sure it’s long enough. Then save this sheet to turn in with your final draft and your rough draft.
1. Describe the opening situation—how does your story start off? Is it clear to the reader what’s going on?
2. From what point of view is the story being told?
3. Have you maintained point of view consistently throughout the story? Make sure you don’t switch back and forth from first (I, we, etc.) to third (he, she, they, etc.), except in dialogue.
4. List four or five major events. (These should include conflicts or problems):
5. Describe the climax of your story (should be near the end; the high point of the action):
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6. Copy one sentence from your story describing the setting (time and place).(Make sure you have at least five sentences describing the setting.)
6. Copy one sentence describing a character’s thoughts/feelings (cannot be dialogue):(You should have at least five such sentences.)
7. Copy a sentence of dialogue:
8. Explain examples of at least two different types of conflict in your story (individual vs. individual, individual vs. nature, individual vs. society, individual vs. him/herself):
Example A:
Example B:
9. Read your story to someone else, and have him/her write comments and sign his/her name below:Comments:
_____________________________________________ reader’s name
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10. Now you are ready to begin editing for grammar and spelling. Be sure you are writing your dialogue correctly. Check in a grammar book for this. Especially remember to change paragraphs with each new speaker. You can indicate this in your rough draft by inserting a .name____________________________________________________date____________handout 22
Short Story Rubric: Two Separate but Equal Grades
Content/Format Grade: ___________(The components below are worth 8 points apiece.)
_______ on time
_______ well-edited rough draft and “So you finished…” worksheet attached
_______ final draft neatly typed, double-spaced, and of the length we agreed on
_______ has at least five sentences describing the setting
_______ consistent point of view
_______ appropriate balance of dialogue and narration
_______ characters’ thought and feelings described adequately in the narration
_______ contains at least two types of conflict
_______ dialogue is realistic and lively (but in good taste)
_______ contains at least four important events besides the climax
_______ has an identifiable climax
_______ has a title reflecting a theme of the story
Grammar Grade: _______________ (not based on exact count but on general quality in each category, out of 20 points each)
___________ no run-ons
_________divided appropriately into paragraphs
_________spelling
_________dialogue written correctly
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___________other punctuation and capitalization
OVERALL COMMENTS ON STORY:
name________________________________________________date______________handout 22 m
Short Story Rubric: Two Separate but Equal Grades
Content/Format Grade: ___________(The components below are worth 8 points apiece.)
_______ on time
_______ well-edited rough draft and “So you finished…” worksheet attached
_______ final draft neatly typed, double-spaced, and of the length we agreed on
_______ has at least three sentences describing the setting (time and place)
_______ consistent point of view (doesn’t keep switching from I to you)
_______ has an appropriate balance of dialogue and description
_______ characters’ thought and feelings described in the narration
_______ contains at least two types of conflict
_______ dialogue is interesting and sounds real (but appropriate for school)
_______ contains at least three important events besides the climax
_______ has an identifiable climax (high point of action)
_______ has a title reflecting a theme of the story
Grammar Grade: _______________ (not based on exact count but on general quality in each category, out of 20 points each)
___________ no run-ons
_________divided appropriately into paragraphs
_________spelling
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_________dialogue written correctly
___________other punctuation and capitalization
OVERALL COMMENTS ON STORY:
name_________________________________________________- date________________handout 23
Wrapping it All Up
Part One: Please respond to the essential questions that we started off this unit discussing. Have your thoughts changed on these? Please use examples from the stories as well as from your own thoughts/experiences:
1. Are stories lies?
2. What makes a story true?
3. People have always told stories. Why?
Part Two: Please number these short stories in the order in which you liked them (#1 = best, #7 = worst). Add comments if you like:
_______ “The Tell-Tale Heart”
_______”The Open Window”
_______ “Reunion”
_______ “Everyday Use”
_______ “The Rockinghorse Winner”
_______ “The Open Boat”
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_______your own short story
Part Three: Answer these questions honestly, please. I really want to know!
1. What did you enjoy most from this short story unit? (Reading, writing, discussing, activities? Be specific.) Why?
2. What did you enjoy least? Why?
3. What would you say is the most important thing you learned about reading and understanding short stories?
4. How do you feel about your own short story? Do you think it turned out well? Did you enjoy writing it?
5. What was hardest or most confusing to you about this unit? How could your teacher have helped you better?
6. How about your own work in this unit? What grade would you give yourself for reading and understanding short stories? __________ What grade would you give yourself for your contributions to class discussions?____________ . What were your strengths and weaknesses in this unit?
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7. Any other comments/suggestions/complaints/ rave reviews??
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