one story analysis notes

1. Jenkins
Eng 12CP
DUE: ________
Cornell Notes Focus Questions
“One Story” Chapter
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
Instructions: Your Cornell notes should ultimately address the following questions and concepts articulated below.
That said, you are not just merely sticking to this information alone and your notes should NOT merely be a list of
these questions with answers. You are to use your notes on the entire chapter to address the main idea points
presented here.
1. What is the one story theory? Explain in depth.
2. Why do writers keeptelling the same story over and over? Why do readers keepreading
stories if it is merely the same story over and over?
3. Define, offer examples, and explain intertextuality in terms of the theory of one story.
4. Define archetypes and explain their roles & functions in the theory of one story.
KEY VOCABULARY: One Story Theory, intertextuality, parody archetypes
FOCUS CORRECTIONAL AREAS
________/ 30 Total Points
MRS J YOU TOTAL
PTS
10 All main idea questions prompted (above) are fully addressed/answered.
5 Each key vocabulary word appears highlighted/underlined and accurately defined.
5 Key Concepts include a record ofat least 8-10 key ideas expressed directly in the
text (should appear as a balance between direct quoting and key phrases/points).
5 Recorded Notes include thorough and accurate responses to the Key Concepts
section by specifically referencing details from the text.
5 Summary fully and accurately sums up, in 6-8 sentences minimum, at least 5 main
ideas expressed in the chapter.
Requirements:
❏ MLA format; types (unless otherwise approved)
❏ Cornell notes format (must include Key Concepts, Recorded Notes, & Summary sections)
❏ Chapter title in quotation marks and book title in italics/underline
❏ Notes appear in “short-hand” techniques are used in that bullet points, indentation,
highlighting/bolding/underlining appear to organize the chapter in notation form

2. Jenkins
Eng 12CP
Mariah Whittaker
Mrs. Jenkins
English 12CP
29 October 2015
How to Read Literature Like a Professor“One Story”
KEY CONCEPTS RECORDED NOTES
What is the One Story Theory and
what does it really mean?
Why are audiences still interested in
literature if there are no original
ideas left?
Why is true originality in literature
impossible?
What is intertextuality and why does
it relate to the One Story Theory?
What are parodies and allusions in
the terms of intertextuality ?
● Every story written in recent years and ones written long
ago follow the same general story
● Basically about what it means to be human, ie Human
Experiences
For years authors have struggled to find creative ideas, all stories
seem to follow the same path, because that is what is familiar and
pleasant.
Every single person in the world has read, heard or saw some type
media/ literature that stuck within their being, which will be
reflected in their writing.
Intertextuality is references, allusions or parodies of one work in
another work.
● Indiana Jones- Cisco Kid( Being dragged behind a
truck
Every genre of any type of literature can draw parallels to the
literature that came before it, whether by the conscious or
subconscious decisions of the author
Parody= a humorous interpretation,or mocking of a work.
Weird Al Yankovic is a parody song artist.
Allusion= A instance or circumstance where one work simple
mimics another in some way.
The Simpson TV show is famous for its many allusions to other

3. Jenkins
Eng 12CP
What is an Archetype?
What role do Archetypes play in the
One Story Theory?
Was there ever a clear beginning to
the one story?
pop culture.
Archetype= an original character which other characters are
patterned after.
This concept was created by Carl Jung, a psychologist who applied
the term Archetype to literature first.
The Archetypes , all 12 or more of them are patterns that every
story takes and molds to the specific details, one of the most
common being the hero, because within the one story, these
archetypes are what resonates, so they stick around.
It is unknown where or when the “original” monomyth began,
they appear to always have been there, within the human
consciousness, so it is impossible to really know when it began to
be passed down, and if it grew as it passed down, or if it was
complete and entirely shaped when it was passed down.
SUMMARY: The One Story Theory is everywhere, it is passed around and around, but not consumed.
This is because no matter how many times it goes around, in various reincarnations,the concept being at
its heart about human experience, resonates within audiences. It is familiar and pleasant, delightfully
predictable with either a happy ending or some other conclusive end.No story can truly be unique, because
every writer has been influenced by many sources, or they would not know what to write in the first place.
All writing is connected by the stringy spiderweb of human experience. Archetypes are the beloved
characters that audiences fall in love with, meaning their patterns will repeat. Literature will follow the
One Story Theory for as long as our human nature continues.