1. Lesson 25

2. Today’s Agenda Sentence Completion – Cause & Effect Signal Words
SAT Question of the Day #3
“Story of an Hour”
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Read story and complete handout – due Lesson 26
Objective: Students will be able to identify and explain major literary devices in “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”

3. SIGNAL words CAUSE-EFFECT
Look for words or phrases that indicate one thing causes another.
Because of _______, this happened.
Accordingly
Because
Consequently
For
Hence
In order to
So…that
Therefore
Thus
When…then

4. Spot Clues in the Sentence
Tarantulas apparently have little sense of ____, for a hungry one will ignore a loudly chirping cricket placed in its cage unless the cricket happens to get in its way.
touch
time
hearing
self-preservation
temperature
“FOR” SETS UP A RELATIONSHIP OF CAUSE AND EFFECT. WHY DOES THE TARANTULA IGNORE THE LOUDLY CHIRPING CRICKET? BECAUSE IT SEEMS THE TARANTUAL DOES NOT HEAR THE CRICKET’S CHIRPS. APPARENTLY, IT HAS LITTLE SENSE OF HEARING.

5. SAT Question of the Day #3
The heretofore peaceful natives, seeking ___ the treachery of their supposed allies, became, ___ according to their perspective, embittered and vindictive.
acquiescence in…understandably
magnanimity towards...logically
evidence of….impartially
retribution for…justifiably
exoneration of…ironically
Cause – effect signal word – “heretofore” D
Given the treachery on the part of their allies, it is likely that the natives would seek vengeance – synonym of vengeance – retribution
Acquiescence – agreement
Magnanimity – generosity of spirit
Exoneration - vindication

6. “Story of an Hour”
Highlight your examples of IRONY & CONFLICT & POINT OF VIEW.
Discuss. Add to your notes with a different color writing utensil than you used originally.

7. IRONY SITUATIONAL VERBAL DRAMATIC
FIND AND LABEL AT LEAST ONE EXAMPLE OF EACH.
SITUATIONAL
“Someone was opening the front door with a latchkey. It was Brently Mallard who entered…”
Neither the reader nor Mrs. Mallard knows that Mr. Mallard is actually alive; Mrs. Mallard had just begun to look forward to leading a long life and then she dies..
VERBAL
“Free! Body and soul free!”
After learning her husband died, we would not expect her to respond with these words.
DRAMATIC
She died of “a joy that kills.”
The reader knows that she was HAPPY that her husband was dead. She was not so happy to see him walk through the door. There was no joy present.
VERBAL
DRAMATIC
SITUATIONAL – NEITHER THE READER NOR MRS MALLARD KNOWS THAT MR MALLARD IS ACTUALLY ALIVE; MRS MALLARD HAS JUST BEGUN TO LOOK FORWARD TO LEADING A LONG LIFE AND THEN SHE DIES;
DRAMATIC IRONY – THE READER KNOWS THAT THE MRS MALLARD IS HAPPY THAT HER HUSBAND IS DEAD BUT THE CHARACTERS DO NOT

8. CONFLICT INTERNAL EXTERNAL INTERNAL CONFLICT EXTERNAL CONFLICT
Find and label at least one example of each.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
“…she was striving to beat it back with her will…”
Mrs. Mallard was fighting against the feeling of relief that was taking her over. She knew she should not feel relieved that her husband was dead and she tried to keep that feeling away.
EXTERNAL CONFLICT
Mrs. Mallard v. Institution of Marriage
INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
INTERNAL – MRS MALLARD IS HAPPY THAT HER HUSBAND IS DEAD
EXTERNAL – MR MALLARD AND MR MALLARD

9. Imagery
How does Chopin’s use of IMAGERY contribute to your understanding of Mrs. Mallard’s character and situation? Did the IMAGERY make you more or less sympathetic toward her? Explain, citing specific lines from the story that influenced your response.
THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS FROM HER WINDOW ARE IMAGES OF LIFE, HOPE, PROMISE, AND FREEDOM; THEY SUPPORT HER YEARNING FOR FREEDOM BECAUSE THESE IMAGES ARE ALL OUTSIDE AND DISTANT. THESE IMAGES SUGGEST THAT FREEDOM IS A NATURAL RIGHT, MAKING HER ASPIRATIONS MORE SYMPATHETIC

10. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambroce Bierce
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Audio available at

11. Theme and Tone Possible themes Possible tones
The human mind is powerful and it shapes its own reality.
One can never trust one’s own perception of the world.
Possible tones
Sardonic (cynical)]
Portrays Farquhar as a sympathetic character who didn’t deserve to be where he found himself
THEME: Some variation of the blur between reality and perception. Used the federal spy posing as a confederate soldier and the entire escape sequence as proving points. The truth of situations is blurred by the perceptions of Peyton the entire story and the reader is unable to distinguish between what is real and what is fake until the very end of the story, when Peyton is hanging from the bridge. The only true reality of the entire story is that he dies at the end
Sardonic – “man who was engaged in being hanged”

12. Plot EXPOSITION CONFLICT (inciting incident) CLIMAX FALLING ACTION
Scene is set; moments before man’s execution; man who disobeyed military law
CONFLICT (inciting incident)
Farquhar learns from a disguised Union scout that Union troops have rebuilt a bridge above Owl Creek.
CLIMAX
Farquhar swims toward shore as the Union soldiers fire on him.
FALLING ACTION
Farquhar makes his way through the forest toward his home. The landscape is unfamiliar and foreboding. Though he has miraculously survived hanging, drowning, and getting shot at, something seems wrong. He reaches the gate to his property. As he rushes toward his wife, he feels a blow against the back of his neck.
CONCLUSION
Despite his seemingly miraculous escape, Farquhar’s body hangs from Owl Creek bridge.

13. The Video
"Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

14. Practice for Test “A Sound of Thunder” with questions
Answers will be posted on classroom website after school today.
Test is Lesson 44. You will be required to read a new-to-you short story and complete the same kinds of tasks we have practiced for the last 3 weeks.