·
Point of View
·
Character
·
Setting
·
Theme
PLOT
Plot is different from Story.
The story is a chronological sequence
(arranged in time) of events/episodes.
The plot of a story need not be
chronologically sequenced. The plot can rearrange the elements of the story
such that (for instance) the end is narrated before the beginning. In such an
instance, the plot uses the device of flashback.
To give another example, in a detective tale, the initial action in the story
is not disclosed to the reader until nearly the end, thereby producing the
element of suspense.
The plot explores the causal connection (the
link of cause to effect) between the episodes of a story.
Irony, Suspense, Coincidence,
are some features of Plot.
E.M. Forster illustrated the difference
between Plot and Story thus:
Story: ‘The King died, and then the Queen
died.’
(the question that
propels the story forward is ‘what happened next?’)
Plot: ‘The King died, and then the Queen died
of grief.’
(the question
addressed by the plot is ‘why?’/’how is the second event caused by the first’?)
What are the constituents of Plot?
Exposition/Introduction is the information needed to
understand what will happen during the time frame of a story. It usually
consists of background information.
Complication is the catalyst that begins the major
conflict.
Climax or crisis is the turning point in the story that
occurs when characters try to resolve the complication.
Resolution is the tying up of
the loose ends of the story, the ending or outcome.
Epiphany: a moment of startling, sudden insight gained
by the main character as a result of the unfolding of events in the story
Questions to ask:
1) Why did the author arrange the story elements
the way she did? What effect did she wish the story to produce?
2) How does the plot control our emotional
response and prepare us for reversals or surprises?
3) Is the plot probable?
POINT OF
VIEW
Who tells the story?
The teller of a story is the narrator, who is not to be confused with
the author.
In fiction, who tells the story and how s/he
tells it are critical issues that determine the interpretation of the story. The
tone and feel of the story, and even its meaning, can change depending on who
the narrator is.
The narrator can either ‘show’ or ‘tell’. In
the former case, s/he has the characters speak in their own voices, without any
narrative mediation. In the latter, the narrator reports the events to the
reader and thereby possesses greater control over the interpretation of the
story.
Is the narrator trustworthy?
The credibility of the story will depend on
the (perceived) reliability of the narrator. The narrator could be either objective
(detached) or subjective (biased). An objective narrator’s tale is more readily
believed than that of a subjective narrator.
Here the narrator does not participate in the
action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know about the events
and characters. This is an ‘outside’ voice.
Here the narrator does
participate in the action of the story. S/he is one of the characters in the
story, an ‘inside’ voice.
When reading stories in the
first person, we need to realise that what the narrator is recounting might not
be the objective truth. For instance, a first person narrator might try to
justify her action as she wishes to present herself in a favourable light to
the reader. The trustworthiness of the recounting is thus an issue.
A narrator who knows
everything about all the characters is all-knowing, or omniscient. A narrator
whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a
limited omniscient point of view.
Questions to ask:
1) How does the point of view affect your
response to the story, to the characters and the theme?
2) Is the narrator reliable? How do you
assess her reliability?
3) Are the plot and the point-of-view of the
story linked? If so, how?
Characters are either major or minor, and
either static (unchanging) or dynamic (changing).
Protagonist—the leading character; the main character
Antagonist—the force acting against the main character
E.M. Forster drew the distinction between flat and round characters.
Flat character—a one-dimensional representation, a stereotype
Round character—a multi-dimensional representation, someone who can
convince in a surprising manner
Dynamic character—one that changes or grows from beginning to end
Static character—one that never changes or grows from beginning to
end
Readers can learn about characters in many
ways, including:
Physical traits, Dialogue, Actions, Attire, Opinions,
Point of view
Since a short story aims for brevity, a round
character is usually revealed/disclosed rather than developed in the course of
the plot.
The location of a story's action, along with
the time in which it occurs, is the setting. Setting can add an important
dimension of meaning, reflecting character and embodying theme. Setting could even
be symbolic, in the use, for instance, of pathetic
fallacy.
THEME
The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme
of a parable is its teaching.
The theme of a piece of fiction is its view
about life and how people behave, the narrator’s vision.
The writer's task is to communicate on a
common ground with the reader.
Questions to ask:
1) Does the title have anything to do with
the theme?
2) Are there repeating patterns and symbols
in the story? Sometimes these lead you to the theme.
3) What allusions (references)
are made throughout the story?
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