Short Story Boot Camp 2014 Introduction to Analysis using Short Fiction
What are the various parts of a piece of fiction? Brainstorm with a person sitting next to you.
Literary Terms review in one slide A writer creates some people (characters) puts them in a time and place (setting) lets them talk (dialogue) allows things to happen to and between them (plot)… which results in a struggle (conflict) has a voice (narrator) to tell the story from a position (POV) using language (diction, fig language, imagery, symbolism) so that the reader makes meaning (THEME)
By the end of this unit: Write a short story including these elements Write an analytical essay based on a prose piece Teach a lesson using these devices to a small group Analyze stories for their content
What is analysis? With a partner, create a 1-2 sentence definition.
Analysis: Analysis is taking something apart to see what parts it is made of and how they work together to make the thing function. Literary analysis is taking a work of literature apart to see how it makes meaning with the reader, which is the function of literature.
Three easy steps… What is the story about? The answer to this question is nt about what the story is! Usually an abstract noun. This is the topic, not theme.
Step 2 What does the story say about the topic? This is your personal answer about what it says to you as a person at this time. Now this is theme!
Warning Every piece of literature may have numerous themes, but each MUST be supported by evidence from text.
Step 3 How does the writer of the story tell me that? You analyze to see how the writer has made the parts of fiction work together to give you the idea you received. This is analysis.
What? Another warning? Although we have mentioned what YOU think and how the writer communicates a meaning to a reader, we are NOT going to use these words in our analysis: I You The Reader One
A tastier way to think of it? M – meaning, theme & M – method – how does the writer tell me the meaning of work as a whole? (MOWAW)