10: Short Stories

 

NORTH END FAUST by ED KLIEMAN

Terms:

1. isolation: to be set apart, separate from others, kept alone
2. isolate (psychology): a person who avoids social contacts
3. pathological: dealing with diseases or concerned with diseases
4. Faust: protagonist in a German legend who makes a pact with the devil in return for knowledge

1. Alex experiences isolation throughout his life. Five five separate instances of isolation Alex experienced and indicate what caused the isolation.

2. Discuss the experiences of three people, other than Alex, who experience the isolation chamber. What is their response?

3. What is Alex’s relationship with his wife and children? Explain his response to them.

4. There are two ways of looking at Alex’s increasing detachment from reality; he may be experiencing a mental breakdown or he may be under the influence of evil. There is evidence in the story for both views. Indicate which view you believe is at the root of Alex’s problem and find five sentences from the story to prove your point.

5. Using the five sentences you found as proof in Question 4, write a 10 -15 sentence paragraph on what you believe to be the reason for Alex’s breakdown. (Your five sentences should be quoted in the paragraph.)

Your paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, thesis statement, beginning, middle, and end. It should clearly prove your point.

Marking Criteria:

Grammar/Usage         /10

Clarity/Logic                  /10

Click here to read about the real life isolation chamber!

Total marks for North End Faust :  /45  * Question #1   /10  *  Question #2     /3  *  Question #3     /5  *  Question #4     /7  *  Paragraph   /20

THE METAPHOR by BUDGE WILSON

Theme: the central topic, subject, or concept the author is trying to point out  (not to be confused with moral or message)

1. What is the theme of the story? Choose from one of the following possibilities and find five sentences that prove your choice.

•  the power struggle between parent and child
• the acquiring of wisdom
• excellence is in the eye of the beholder
• hypocrisy
• the human need for acceptance
• guilt
• the impact of a teacher

2. Find five examples of metaphor from the story.

3. For each of the following characters, give three character traits with a quote from the story to prove your point.

•  Charlotte
•  Ms. Hancock
• Charlotte’s mother
• Charlotte’s father

Example: Charlotte’s mother is callous: “If you would examine this whole, perfectly natural situation with a modicum of rationality, you would se that she got exactly what she deserved.”

4. Using three of the sentences you found as proof in Question 1, write a 10 -15 sentence paragraph on what you believe to be the theme of The Metaphor. Your paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, thesis statement, beginning, middle, and end. It should clearly prove your point. The five sentences you chose in Question 1 should be quoted in your paragraph.

Marking Criteria:

Grammar/Usage         /10

Clarity/Logic                /10

Total marks for The Metaphor :  /40  *  Question #1 /7  *  Question #2  /5  *  Question #3  /12  *  Paragraph  /20

THE PORTABLE PHONOGRAPH by WALTER VAN TILBURG CLARK

Setting: the physical background of the story – where and when the story takes place.

Atmosphere: the mood or tone of the story. Usually established at the beginning of the story,  atmosphere is shown in the behaviour of the characters, clothing, furniture, natural  surroundings, light, darkness, shadows, weather.

Theme: the central topic, subject, or concept the author is trying to point out (not to be confused with moral or message.)

1. What is the setting of the story? Be specific.

2. The first three paragraphs set the tone of the story. What is the tone or atmosphere? Find five sentences that prove your point.

3. When the protagonist unwraps the books, the others watch him with the“same ritualistic gaze.” Name three ceremonies or events in our society that would have that level of reverence. (Look up the word “reverence” before answering this question.)

4. What is the theme of the story? Choose from one of the following possibilities and find five sentences that prove your choice.

• man is innately reverent
• man is innately violent
• man is innately social
• man is innately drawn to beauty

5. Using the five sentences you found as proof in Question 4, write a 10 -15 sentence paragraph on what you believe to be the theme of The Portable Phonograph. (Your five sentences should be quoted in the paragraph.) Your paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, thesis statement, beginning, middle, and end. It should clearly prove your point.

Marking Criteria:

Grammar/Usage         /10

Clarity/Logic /10

Total marks for The Portable Phonograph :  /37  *  Question #1     /2  *  Question #2     /5  *  Question #3     /3  *  Question #4     /7  *  Paragraph   /20

A BOLT OF WHITE CLOTH by LEON ROOKE

Symbol: something that stands for or represents something else. Characters, objects, events, conflicts, and settings can all be symbolic.

1. Find five sentences that describe the cloth.

2. The white cloth is symbolic. What does it represent?

3. The man with the white cloth seems to have some supernatural powers. Find five sentences from the story that show these unusual abilities.

4. Who do you think the man with the white cloth is? Find three sentences from the story to prove your belief.

5. Using three of the sentences you found as proof in Question 1, write a 10 -15 sentence paragraph on the nature of the cloth in A Bolt of White Cloth.  What does it symbolize? Why is the woman able to sew the curtains so fast? Why was this couple chosen to receive the white cloth?

Your paragraph should have a clear topic sentence, thesis statement, beginning, middle, and end. It should clearly prove your point.

Marking Criteria:

Grammar/Usage         /10

Clarity/Logic                /10 

Total marks for A Bolt of White Cloth :    /35  *  Question #1   /5  *  Question #2   /2  *  Question #3   /5  *  Question #4   /3  *  Paragraph   /20