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Short Story Elements and Book Report Guide

The document outlines desired learning outcomes for students, focusing on identifying elements of short stories, writing plots, and composing book reports. It includes activities such as interviewing individuals about personal loss and analyzing the elements of short stories, including setting, characters, plot, theme, and point of view. Additionally, it provides a sample book report outline and discussion questions related to 'War and Peace' to facilitate deeper understanding and analysis of literature.

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11 views4 pages

Short Story Elements and Book Report Guide

The document outlines desired learning outcomes for students, focusing on identifying elements of short stories, writing plots, and composing book reports. It includes activities such as interviewing individuals about personal loss and analyzing the elements of short stories, including setting, characters, plot, theme, and point of view. Additionally, it provides a sample book report outline and discussion questions related to 'War and Peace' to facilitate deeper understanding and analysis of literature.

Uploaded by

bodyofagod1108
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Desired Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session the students should be able to:

a. Identify the elements of the short story;


b. Write the plot of the story;
c. Write a book report.

Activity 1

Interview an individual, a parent, who had experience losing a pet or a dear child.
Ask them about the circumstance and how it happened . also ask them to share
their feelings about losing a pet or even a member of a family , who were under
their care at the time of their disappearance.

Explain

Before engaging further into the story, first, it is very important to have knowledge
about the different elements of the story. Understanding this part is essential in
the study of a story because it help in the organization of the order of ideas and
events that happened in the story in the later part of the study.

The elements of the short story are the following:

The setting refers to the place where the events in the story happened or take
place, and the time when the story happened.

The characters and characterization, are the people involved in the development
of he story . however they don’t always have to be people , in the case of some
short stories that ivolve fantasies may include plants, animals or non-living things
as characters. A protagonist is a character who represents the forces of good
and an antagonist is one who causes or presents a problem or difficulty as the
story develops. Characterization means the role of each character played in the
story or shall we say their jobs or their participation tthe story.
The plot is known as the arrangement of the events in the [Link] is where the
conflict and or the complications in the series of events are being revealed. In
other words, it is the series of events, or it is the sequence and order of
happenings in the story.

The Theme, is the overall message of the story.

The Point of view serves as the story teller.

Under Freytag’s pyramid, the plot of a story is consist of five parts. These are
the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and the denoument,catastrohe,
resolution or the revelation.

A Book Report Sample

Book report content outline

A. Book Title: Still Missing


B. Author of the Book : Beth Gutcheon
C. Background of the story
D. Setting of the story: Freemont Street, Brooklyn Heights, New York, May
15, 1980, school.
E. Characters in the story: Refer to the book
F. The Plot/outline of the story
G. Synopsis
H. Readers critic and comparison
I. Vocabulary
Elaborate

War and Peace

Activity 1

Intellectual Discussion

Literal Questions and discussions

1. What was the agenda of Anna Pavlovna Schere in meeting with Prince
Vasili Kuragin? B-1.
2. What favor did Prince Vasili Kuragin asked from Anna in return?
3. Who believes that peace is still possible at that time?
4. What nations were allies and at war with what nation during the war in
1805? B-2.
5. Identify the illigetimate son and heir to the fortune of count Bezukhova?
6. Why do you tink that the critics of Peirre suddenly becomes very friendly
to him? B-3.
7. Explain what happened to Pierre and dolokhov during the duel.
8. What wa the greatest transformation in the life of Pierre after he left his
unfaithful wife, Helene? B-5.
9. Discuss the significance of the old oak tree to Prince Andrey’s realization
of “Life.” B-6.
10. Discuss the reasons why Pierre discontinued his affiliation with the
Freemasonry Society.
11. Explain the changes that Pierre had noticed in his wife after they were
reconciled as husband and wife.
12. Examine and explain the effect of Bazdyev on Pierre’s spirituality. B-8.

Inference

[Link] does Tolstoy mean with this,” inspite of the war, inspite of all the self-
sacrificing, people continue with their personal lives, these daily human activities
are more significant than the public ones we know. Those who are concerned
with their immediate problems, has the most utilized role in history, while tose
who tries hard to hold the general flow of events, and try by heroism and sel-
sacrifice to take a hand in it, are themost vain in society.” If you were to compare,
to whom would you like compare these two opposing forces in tis picture. Explain
and cite specific example. [event/scenario].B-12.
2. Expound this statement,” Happines is merely the absence of suffering.”

3. Peirre was happy despite cruelty and deprivation he experienced in the hands
of the French army while in prison.

[Link] this,” Life is God, and to love life is to love God”, Peirre Bezuhov.

Evaluation

Aesthetic Discussion

Directions: Choose one book from the Books 1-15 and do the following activities.

[Link] the book that you have chosen to work on, write the characters and their
characterization.

2. Write the plot of the story. Follow the organization pattern of events in the
story.

1. exposition

2. initial action

3. rising action

4. climax

5. falling action

[Link]/resulotion

3. Write a book report.

Follow the sequence of writing a book report as shown in the book report
sample, “Still Missing.”

Common questions

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After divorcing his unfaithful wife, Helene, Pierre undergoes a significant transformation, finding himself liberated from the constraints of an unhappy marriage. This personal freedom allows him to explore his own identity, pursue spiritual enlightenment, and ultimately reinvent his life with a greater sense of personal fulfillment and purpose .

In 'War and Peace', the setting and characterization enrich the narrative by providing a vivid backdrop against which the characters' personal struggles and growth are portrayed. The historic and geographic setting informs their motivations and societal roles, while nuanced character development ensures that individual experiences resonate within the broader themes of war, peace, and personal destiny. This interplay enhances the complexity and realism of the narrative .

In 'War and Peace', the old oak tree symbolizes Prince Andrey's realization of the resilience and persistence of life. Initially, the tree appears barren, mirroring Andrey's own existential despair. However, witnessing it in full bloom later triggers a transformative realization about the potential for renewal and growth, thus symbolizing the rekindling of hope and purpose in his life .

Pierre discontinued his affiliation with the Freemasonry Society because he became disillusioned with its practices and the overarching influence it had promised but failed to deliver in terms of personal spiritual enlightenment. His evolving understanding of life led him to seek more authentic and individual spiritual experiences outside institutional confines .

Bazdyev greatly influences Pierre's spiritual journey by introducing him to a more profound, mystical understanding of life and spirituality. Through Bazdyev's conviction and expressed beliefs, Pierre is inspired to reflect more deeply on his existential purpose, thus initiating a deeper exploration of personal faith and autonomy in spiritual matters .

Tolstoy contrasts the significance of daily personal lives with heroic public acts by suggesting that despite the grandeur of war and public heroism, the most meaningful and impactful aspects of human experience lie in the pursuit and maintenance of personal happiness and the continuity of daily life. He implies that those focusing on personal problems play a more substantial role in history as opposed to those attempting heroic public acts .

The critics of Pierre become friendly to him after he inherits a fortune because they are motivated by self-interest and the desire to benefit from his newfound wealth. This shift in behavior reflects the societal tendency to prioritize financial status and social power over genuine character evaluation .

The elements of a short story include the setting, characters, plot, theme, and point of view. Understanding these elements is crucial because they organize the order of ideas and events in a narrative, assisting in the comprehension of the story's structure and meaning. The setting provides the time and place of the events, characters drive the story development, plot includes the sequence of events, theme conveys the overall message, and point of view offers the perspective through which the story is told .

The thematic statement “Happiness is merely the absence of suffering” in 'War and Peace' suggests a philosophical stance where happiness is not an independent state of exuberance but is defined by the lack of distress or pain. It challenges the reader to consider happiness as relative and dependent on one's experiences of suffering, thus opening a discussion on the subjective nature of contentment .

Freytag's Pyramid structures the plot of a story into five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. The exposition introduces the main characters and setting. The rising action builds tension and develops the conflict. The climax is the turning point with the highest tension. The falling action follows the climax and leads towards resolution, where conflicts are resolved and the story concludes .

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