Short Story Elements
What is a flat character?
A character that the reader does NOT know a lot of information about.
What is the setting of "The Scarlet Ibis"?
Southern USA during WWI
Old Woman Swamp & Horsehead Landing
What is a static character?
A character that does not change throughout the story.
How did Jack's dad meet Jack's mom?
What is Watertown High School's mascot?
Gosling
What is the difference between an antagonist and a protagonist?
An antagonist is usually the bad guy in the story, they are usually in conflict with the protagonist. The protagonist is (most of the time) the main character in the story and usually the hero at the end.
What does Brother force Doodle to touch at the beginning of the story?
His own casket/coffin
How do you tell the difference between first person POV and third person POV?
First person uses I, me, my
Third person uses she, he, and character names
What was Jack's paper menagerie tiger named?
Laohu
What is a verb?
A word that describes an action, state, or occurrence.
What element of plot happens after the climax and before the resolution of the story?
Falling action
Brother started calling him Doodle because he crawled backwards like a Doodle-bug.
Define character vs. society conflict and give an example.
A character struggles with being discriminated against or treated differently by society. Examples can be racism, sexism, ableism, etc.
Identify one type of conflict that was present in "The Paper Menagerie" and explain.
Jack vs. Mark- Mark bullied Jack about his toys and his mom
Jack vs. Society- Society discriminated against Jack because he is half Chinese and his mother is from China
Jack vs. Himself- Jack struggles to accept his identity as a Chinese American and this damages the relationships with his mother
Which is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
What term describes a character who undergoes significant development or change during a story?
In "The Scarlet Ibis," what motivates the narrator to teach Doodle how to walk?
The narrator is motivated by both pride and a desire for Doodle to be "normal" so he won't be embarrassed by him.
What are the five elements of fiction?
Plot, Setting, POV, Character, and Theme
What did the letter from Jack's mom say to Jack?
the letter from Jack's mom to him details her difficult life story in China, including the loss of her parents during the Cultural Revolution, being sold as a domestic slave, and her struggles to adapt to life in America; she expresses her deep love for Jack, her pain at his rejection, and asks him to remember her through the paper animals she made, urging him to embrace his Chinese heritage
What country is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century?
Germany
Internal conflict/Character vs. Self is when a character struggles with something inside themselves. Examples could be confidence/self esteem, mental health, having to make a tough decision, etc.
What does the scarlet ibis symbolize?
The scarlet ibis symbolizes Doodle. The ibis's story parallels Doodle's story, as both are "rare", and both fall victim to forces outside their own control.
What is "third person omniscient" POV?
When the narrator is not a character in the story, but knows the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
What is a possible theme for the story "The Paper Menagerie"?
Don't be ashamed of your culture.
Don't take things/people for granted.
Familial love is always vulnerable to estrangement or destruction.
Etc.
This famous play begins with the line, "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene."
Romeo and Juliet