This document provides an agenda and lesson plan for a literature class. It includes assignments to complete for "The Wedding Guest" story as well as an introduction to literary elements found in short stories. The class will review these elements as applied to "The Wedding Guest", including setting, characters, conflicts, and foreshadowing. The discussion of two remaining elements, outcome and theme, will continue online. Homework assigned is recommended readings on exemplification and fragments.

1. Wednesday, October 12, 2011Literature: Finish “The Wedding Guest”

2. HousekeepingHand in Vocabulary Paragraph for “The Wedding Guest”Homework from last week1. Review of Sentence Types - Online Lesson and Practice 2. Read Organizing and Connecting Evidence, p. 84-88(The above work will not be covered in class but is recommended for success in future lessons)

3. Intro to Short StoriesUsually contain a limited number of charactersFocus on one main character, or protagonist, who faces one or more conflictsThe plot (events) occurs during a short period of time.The outcome or resolution usually has a positive or negative impact on the main character.

4. Intro to Short StoriesThe outcome or resolution usually has a positive or negative impact on the main character.As a result the character may undergo a change in how they see themselves or the world.The author’s theme is usually related to his or her attitude towards the characters and what happens to them.

5. Intro to Short StoriesSome simplified definitions of some the terms we will be usingsetting – time and location of the storynarrator – the person telling the storypoint of view – how the narrator tells the storyFirst Person – the main character tells the story using “I” Third Person – another character or an outside observer tells the story using he/she/they

6. Intro to Short Storiescharacter(s) – who is involved in the storyprotagonist – main characterantagonist – character or force that opposes the characterflat/round – these terms describe how much we know about the characterstatic/dynamic – these terms describe whether or not the character changes as a result of the story events

7. Intro to Short Storiesconflict – the struggle that creates the dramainternal conflict – chracter vs. him/her self (struggle within a character)external conflict – character vs. an outside force: (another character, nature, or society)plot – the key events of the storytheme – the writer’s general message about people and/or the world

8. “The Wedding Guest” Literary Elements ActivityYou will need:“The Wedding Guest” Story Handout: “Reviewing Story Elements”Handout: “Fiction Terms”

9. “The Wedding Guest” Literary Elements ActivityWith a partner, work through the questions on “Reviewing Story Elements.” (Not for marks; for study purposes)Discuss how each element applies to the story “The Wedding Guest.” Refer to the “Fiction Terms” handout as needed.Ask me for help/clarification as needed.If you disagree with your group, make note on your sheet and we will discuss.Time: 30 minutes

10. Class Review of Literary ElementsPoint of View (POV )First Person – “I see her through the window” (p. 33)She talks a lot about herself, her husband, and the people around her – so we learn what she thinks about them. We learn about the story from her point of view – so it is biased by how she looks at things. We don’t know if what she tells us is accurate. We have to take her word for it. We do get a very good idea of what the narrator thinks and believes.

11. Class Review of Literary ElementsSetting “It was February when I moved in. . .” p. 33 Sometime after FebruaryThe year after her husband has diedCanada - mentions a CBC program on p. 33two light housekeeping rooms – old building - 5th floor – “a dump” p. 33modern/our times (contemporary) CBC programs, soap opera, delivery boyThe setting affects her mood/personalityThe building’s design helps the plot (she can see Mrs. Clarke’s activities)The building’s close quarters allows them to know about each other’s personal business

12. Class Review (Cont’d.)Characters - is the narrator round or flat?Round – she has a complicated personality critical, judgemental, gossips, hypocritical, dishonest person, her motivationsare complicated: she is unhappy, lonely, bitter, jealous of the other people, not self-aware

13. Class Review (Cont’d.)Characters Dynamic vs. Static Static – she is still a hypocrite at the end of the story (“But then, it really isn’t any of my business.” p. 35) She still believes she’s better than everyone else. (“I was right . . .” p. 35 “For your own good.” p.35)She doesn’t try to change situations that are inconvenient to her instead she tries to change others.

14. Class Review (Cont’d.)Conflict External conflict – character vs. characterNarrator vs. others - neighbours, Mrs. Clarkep. 34 “They were an odd bunch anyway, . . .”Narrator vs. environment – circumstancesShe’s unhappy in her new home, She criticizes it (It was a dump. . .”) p. 33Internal conflict – character vs. self? she’s unhappy but she’s not self-aware – she’s not admitting her unhappiness; she’s repressing itshe doesn’t think she has a problem so probably we can say there is no internal conflict.

15. Class Review (Cont’d.)Foreshadowing First paragraph – “I can tell you when you can’t even come out and tell a person the truth for their own good . . .” –foreshadows both a conflict and the end of the story

16. There are many hints things with Mrs. Clarke are not what they seem to be:

17. “It was strange to say the least, ” p. 34