POV
How would you define first person point of view?
The story is told from the point of view of one character, using "I." The narrator is a character.
What does it mean if something is cliché?
An overused, familiar phrase that has lost its ability to convey meaning due to excessive use.
Wolfe describes fiction as the ______ and _______ dream.
The vivid and continuous dream
What is exposition?
Explanation, usually through narration, of information essential to the story
How would you define the term protagonist?
The character who the story is about.
How would you define second person point of view?
When the narrator speaks using the pronoun "you."
What is melodrama?
Extravagant action dominating over characterization
What is Professor Wolfe's zodiac sign?
Pisces
Name one short story (and author) we've read in this class from LaPlante's book.
There are many possible answers! :)
What is an epiphany?
A literary revelation, or lifting of appearances in order to reveal meaning and truth. A moment of realization by a character, the reader, or both.
Define the term "point of view."
The perspective from which the events of the story are narrated. Can be in first person, second person, or third person.
In fiction, how would you describe distance?
The sense of how close the narrator is to the characters or the action in a narrative.
Fix the following punctuation:
"What's up Karen"? he asked.
"What's up, Karen?" he asked.
What is the difference between sentiment and sentimentality?
Sentimentality is unearned emotion, using clichéd or overused language. Sentiment is earned emotion using fresh and new language.
Give an example of direct characterization.
When the narrator tells us something about the character: what they are thinking, how they are.
Name three of the types of second person uses of the word "I."
Direct address to the reader, referring to one character, or the inverted "I."
How do you define plot?
The series of events or actions that make up the story, arranged in a specific order, and told in a particular way by a narrator.
Fix the following punctuation:
"Johnny please don't leave class to go to the bathroom. There is already one in the classroom if you have to go", said KC.
"Johnny, please don't leave class to go to the bathroom. There is already one in the classroom if you have to go," said KC.
Describe the conflict/crisis/resolution model
The series of events that cause your character to crack open in some way. The character has a central conflict that heats up until it comes to a point where the character must do something about it. By the end, the character has acted to do something about the conflict and something has occurred (or not occurred). Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Give an example of indirect characterization.
When the narrator shows the character doing something: speaking, performing an action
Name three different types of third person point of view.
Omniscient, limited (to one character), limited (to multiple characters), and free indirect discourse. *Exists on a continuum*
How would you define the term convention (as it is used in fiction)?
A convention is an accepted means of expression within a particular form.
Give an example of when you should show information versus when you should tell information.
Showing information is usually used during important behaviors and interactions. Telling is used to dramatize or give important information. Telling is used to manipulate the interior "clock" of the story.
What is one way LaPlante describes a short story?
a) something that has a beginning, a middle, and an end b) something that resists paraphrase c) must achieve a single or unique effect d) a short work of prose no longer than 20,000 words e) it must be interesting f) it must have a sense of completeness
What is the difference between abstract description and concrete description?
Abstract description is describing something using broad, vague, intangible terms: "she was pretty." Concrete description relies on the particular and the tangible: "her nose had a slight upward tilt and her teeth were bleached white; her features were exactly symmetrical."