MLM p.130-150

Another term that is synonymous with "short story" is...

• novel

• genre

• short fiction

• novella

Eudora Welty's work "A Visit of Charity" could best be defined as...

• a novel

• a genre

• short fiction

• a novella

In Welty's work, what does Marian do when she is asked to stay for dinner?

• she accepts and stays for dinner.

• she runs out of the home without answering the question.

• she lies and makes up an excuse for not staying.

• she tells the truth when she says she cannot stay.

Which of the following is true of the plot and structure of short fiction?

• Short stories are always linear, or chronological.

• Writers alsways make cause and effect known.

• Some, including authors themselves, look for ABDCE (Action, Background, Development, Climax, and Ending).

• All stories have a singular, non-debatable climax.

Which of the following is true of point of view?

• Readers should always fully accept the narrator's point of view.

• Use of "I" and "we" is traditionally referred to as second person.

• Short fiction is always narrated by an identifiable author.

• Readers are encouraged to analyze an author's choice of point of view.

Which is the best example of "free indirect style"?

• "She held on to the back of the chair."

• "How dark it was!"

• "She could not see them clearly."

• "Everything smelled wet -- even the bare floor."

Which of the following is true of characters?

• Readers should avoid an analysis rooted in an evaluation of a work's characters.

• Readers should consider what each character in a story wants or desires.

• Characters' relationships are exceedingly simple, and can (and should!) be simplified by readers.

• A main character that appears the be the focus of a story may be termed the "antagonist."

Which of the following is true?

• Titles often lack any relevancy with regards to a text, or a potential analysis of it.

• Most short stories have a uniform and predictable style.

• Much like poetry, dialogue can also be analyzed for speech acts performed by characters.

• Short stories usually follow a predictable pattern of identifying their setting and its importance to the plot.

Which of the following is true of theme?

• Theme is best expressed a singular word, such as "charity" or "respect."

• Theme is an element better suited for analysis of poetry than of short fiction.

• Finding a theme is the same as finding the "moral of a story."

• Theme can be expressed as an observation, a suggestion, or a mid-level generalization.

Why did Mrs. Keller make you read MLM p.130-150?

• Because finding literary elements is more important than finding issues and making claims.

• Because students should mention explicitly all these elements when analyzing a short story.

• Because knowledge of these elements will enable students to write very thorough plot summaries.

• Because thinking about and intelligently discussing these literary elements can help students plan and articulate their analysis.