English 102: Critical Reading: Fiction Due Tuesday February 7th 50 points Choose one of the stories and

answer the questions on a separate piece of paper. 1. Summarize the plot of the story in 2-3 sentences 2. What is the setting of the story? Describe both the time and place. How would the story change if it were set in a different location? (i.e. New York) This is an important question for these two stories. 3. Describe the central conflict in the story. Is the conflict resolved by the ending. Explain. 4. Who are the main characters in the story? Provide three words to describe each character. 5. Are the characters static or dynamic? Explain. (See note below) 6. Describe the ending of the story. Does the story end on comedic, tragic, or unresolved note? Comedy 7. Identify the narrative perspective: first person, second person, or third person. How would the story change if it were written from a different perspective. For instance, imagine The Unforgetting told from Charles s point of view or Woman Hollering Creek told from the husband s perspective. How would this change the story? 8. List three dichotomies in the story. A dichotomy is a set of opposites, and when reading literature, we can often see these sets of oppositions in tension. Examples include good versus evil; youth versus maturity; 9. What is the title of the story? Why do you think the author chose this title? Explain in two-three sentences. 10. What are the main themes of the story? What message(s) do you take away as a reader from this story?

11. Describe the mood of the story For instance, is the mood of the story sad, mysterious, painful, solemn, lonesome, etc.? What in the text gives you this impression? 12. Do you like this story? Why or why not? Can you relate to it? Express your opinion of the story and your personal response to it in 5-6 sentences.
Narrative Perspectives First person: Uses I, me, we, us, etc. Told from the perspective of a character in the story, though that character does not have to be present during the main events or actions of the story. First person is often considered a subjective perspective because the narrator is a supposed to be a person with his or her own interests and biases. Of course, it s up to the reader to figure out what these interests are. Second person: Uses you, etc. Often called direct address because it involves the readers in the events of the story. Not used very often. ChooseYour-Own-Adventure books are the only good example I can think of. Third person: Uses he, she, it, them, etc. Told by a narrator that is not a character and that does not take part in the events of the story. This type of narration can be limited or omniscient. 3rd person limited narration allows the reader into the mind and thoughts of one particular character. 3rd person omniscient, on the other hand, allows readers to be everywhere at once, giving them glimpses into the minds and motives of all the story s characters. This type of narration is often called objective since the narrator is supposed to be a disinterested storyteller, often the author him or herself, that narrates events without taking part in or being influenced by them. Dynamic or Static character: There are basically only two responses thata main character can have to events in a story: they can change in response orthey can remain the same. Dynamic characters change in some way duringthe course of the story, while static characters do not. Atmosphere or Mood: the emotional content of a story as derived from the setting; the feeling that you as a reader take away from the story after reading it.