Lit Elements I
The sequence of events in a story
What is plot?
A struggle that happens within a character
A struggle a character faces from outside forces
What is external conflict?
The setting of the story. Be specific!
What is November 2053 in a populated city?
The activity other citizens are doing while Mr. Mead walks outside
What is watching television?
The character driving the events of a story
What is protagonist?
The character, group, or force that keeps a character from achieving their goal
What is antagonist?
The events that lead to the greatest point of interest in the story
What is rising action?
Mr. Mead is considered suspicious by the police because...
What is he is walking outside at night?
Alt answer: Does not own a TV
Elements of the setting that help the reader understand that it is unusual for Mr. Mead to be walking.
"grassy seams," "buckling concrete walk," and "lumpy walk"
The essential building blocks to a story that an author uses
What are literary elements?
A character who does not change
The point in a story in which the forces of the conflict meet one another
What is climax?
Explain how Mr. Mead's house is in contrast with every other house in the story. Use specific details!
The only light from other houses is the light coming from televisions, whereas Mr. Mead's house has every single light brightly lit against the night.
Explain the type of imagery Bradbury uses to describe the majority of houses in this city.
Ghost-like word choice and imagery:
"...it was not unequal to
walking through a graveyard," "grey phantoms," "people sat like the dead", and "tomb-like building"
A character who has depth and personality
What is a round character?
The point in the story in which we see the consequences and impact of the events of the climax
What is falling action?
Introduces characters, background information, and setting of the story
What is exposition?
Identify a type of conflict in the story and explain how your conflict is depicted
Character v. society, character v. technology
Explanations will vary
The place Mr. Mead is told he will be taken to in the resolution of the story
What is the Psychiatric Center for Research on Regressive Tendencies?
The event that sets the conflict in motion
What is inciting incident?
Two rival schools compete in an academic competition in order to represent their region in a state competition. This is an example of...
What is character v. character conflict?
A student sees the answer key to the upcoming test fall off their teacher's desk. Do they take it? This is an example of...
What is character v. self?
Mr. Mead's profession seems to be a threat to this society in some way. What is his profession and why might it be a threat to this society?
What is writer?
Explanations will vary, but should be similar to the following: Being a writer requires creativity and expression of one's self which are not traits that are promoted in this society. In fact, these kinds of things are actively repressed, for Mr. Mead is sent to a facility due to his "regressive" tendencies.
Bradbury's story is a speculative fiction that explores the question "If this goes on..." What warning is he trying to give to readers?
Answers will vary.
Example answer: The dangers of a society that rely too much on technology.