Unit 3: Longer Fiction I (notes)

Unit 3:
Longer Fiction I

Unit 3 Essential Skills

• CHR 1.A: Identify and describe what specific details reveal about a character, that character's perspective, and that character's motives.  

• CHR 1.B: Explain the function of a character changing or remaining unchanged. 

• SET 2.A: Identify and describe specific textual details that convey or reveal a setting.  

• STR 3.E: Explain the function of a significant event or related set of significant events in a plot.  

• STR 3.F: Explain the function of a conflict in a text. 

• LAN 7.A: Develop a paragraph that includes 1) a claim that requires defense with evidence from the text and 2) the evidence itself. 

• LAN 7.B: Develop a thesis statement that conveys a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature and that may establish a line of reasoning. 

• LAN 7.C: Develop commentary that establishes and explains relationships among textual evidence, the line of reasoning, and the thesis.  

• LAN 7.D: Select and use relevant and sufficient evidence to both develop and support a line of reasoning.  

• LAN 7.E: Demonstrate control over the elements of composition to communicate clearly.  

Characterization through Comparison

• When the narrator compares one character to another character or another thing, the reader can make some inferences about the speaker and/or the comparison itself. 

• What specific traits are being transferred, if any?

• What does this comparison reveal about the character? What qualities or perspectives do we get to see?

• What does the comparison add to the meaning of the work as a whole? 

  • Context for a scene

  • Meaning about a central or controlling idea

  • Foreshadowing events

  • Tone 

Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before her composedly. Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome. Her air was not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence: but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone as marked her self-importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to Elizabeth’s mind; and, from the observation of the day altogether, she believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he had represented.

When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance and deportment she soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on the daughter, she could almost have joined in Maria’s astonishment at her being so thin and so small. There was neither in figure nor face any likeness between the ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale and sickly: her features, though not plain, were insignificant; and she spoke very little, except in a low voice, to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearance there was nothing remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listening to what she said, and placing a screen in the proper direction before her eyes.

- Pride and Prejudice Chapter 29

Multiple Choice

In comparing both Lady Catherine and her daughter, what topic do you think Jane Austen wanted to highlight?

• The relationship between mother and daughter

• Variety in the female body type

• The false superiority of the wealthy

• Healthcare for the wealthy

Multiple Choice

What is significant about the narrator including this sentence before the comparison of Lady Catherine and her daughter?

"Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before her composedly."

• It shows Elizabeth is not intimidated by the ladies' wealth and their money is of no consequence to her.

• It shows Elizabeth is unaware of the social expectations for someone if lower rank when they enter the presence of the nobility.

• It reveals that the narrator's criticism of Elizabeth for not showing respect to the De Bourghs who have invited her into their home.

• It demonstrates Austen critique of independent single women of all ages who do not want to get married.

Characterization: Details and Motivation

• By looking at the surface of the character (actions, speech, thoughts), readers must be able to determine the motivation behind the outward behavior. 

• Ask yourself,  what might cause a character to act, think, and speak a certain way?

• It is the character’s fears, strengths, background, relationships, flaws, social status, etc. that cause them to behave in a particular way. 

 

Multiple Choice

What do you think was Elizabeth's motivation for turning down Mr. Darcy's proposal?

• Background

• Pride

• Financial Status

• Social Status

• The relationship between the characters and the plot is significant, especially when you consider the development of both entities and how they impact each other.

• Dynamic characters develop over the course of the narrative/plot. Their choices directly or indirectly affect the climax and/or the resolution of the narrative.

  • Ask yourself if the change that you see in that character is positive or negative, for better or worse. 

  • Changes manifest themselves in major scenes emotionally, psychologically, or physically.

  • Changes give insight into the central or controlling idea.

• The character’s response to conflict will affect the plot. They can either rebel against or submit to the conflict. 

Character and Plot

Poll

How many dynamic characters do you think exist in Pride and Prejudice?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Setting

• Setting can convey the values of the time and place of the narrative: social, cultural, and historical.

• Functions of the social, cultural, and historical elements of setting can 

  • Establish the mood and atmosphere of the narrative

  • Provides information about the characters by the way they respond to their environment. 

• Consider:

  • What elements of the setting standout the most to you, and the importance of those elements?

  • What effect does the setting have on the character and/or the narrator?

  • What values does the setting reinforce?

Setting

• Note: Jane Austen's novel is a satire, a social commentary on the life in 19th and 19th century England. Everything that she uses to convey the setting is apart of criticism of society, including:

  • The social gatherings and dinners

  • The entailment of Longbourne

  • The presence of the troops in Meryton

  • Mrs. Bennet's plight to get her daughters married

Significant Events

• Analyzing significant events can reveal many things. Consider asking yourself:

  • What does the scene reveal about the character?

  • What conflicts are introduced, expanded upon, or resolved within the scene?

  • What significant words are repeated or emphasized in the scene? Why is it important?

  • Is there figurative language present that adds to the meaning of the scene?

• After looking at the scene, then compare it to the entire work. Consider:

  • What impact does the scene have on the character moving forward?

  • Where does the scene fit in the structure or plotline of the text? Is it pushing forward the conflict or resolving it?

  • How does the scene address larger ideas presented in the text?

Significant Series of Events

• Analyzing the relationship between significant events can reveal much in a text. Consider:

  • How is an event a cause or effect of another event?

  • How does a set of events cause, develop or resolve conflict?

  • How does a set of events reveal conflicting/competing value systems?

  • How does the set of events create suspense/anticipation in a reader?

  • What does the set of events contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Open Ended

At what event is the conflict between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth established? What other event(s) helps to develop the conflict in the novel, Pride and Prejudice.

Conflict

• Conflict is tension between competing values either within a character (internal/psychological conflict) or with outside forces that obstruct a character in some way (external conflict).

• Internal conflict usually deals with identity, fear, change, or overcoming the past.

• External conflict usually deals with society, nature, technology, or other characters.

Analyzing Conflict

• How does the conflict represent opposing motivations or values?

• Did the conflict arise from contrast?

• What is the relationship between one conflict from another?

  • How can the primary conflict be heightened by additional conflicts that intersect with it?

• How does the resolution or continuation of a conflict affect a character, plot, speaker/narrator, etc.?

• How does the conflict contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Multiple Select

Which characters have conflicting values with society? (Choose all that apply)

• Elizabeth Bennet

• Charles Bingley

• Lady Catherine

• Fitzwilliam Darcy

• Mrs. Bennet