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else’s lack of concern about the paper strewn everywhere at Walker-Jones, which is a 1
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detail her mother appears not to notice. Analyzing Plot activity
The rising action culminates in the mother’s admission: “I don’t know how to read or Choose a fairy tale, myth, or movie and analyze its plot. Identify specific parts of the TRM Suggested Responses chapter 1
write” (par. 17). This moment, the climax of the story, reveals to us why the daughter’s plot, such as the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement, and Suggested responses to the activity on
first day of school is such a momentous occasion for both mother and daughter. Even examine whether the plot is chronological or whether it employs flashbacks. Consider this page can be found in the Teacher’s
the mother’s care in grooming and dressing her daughter for school takes on a new the guiding questions on plot to explore how the plot contributes to the meaning of the Resource Materials.
story. How would the meaning of the story change if the plot handled one of these
dimension — education is important to the mother because she did not have the aspects differently — for instance, if the plot is chronological, what would be the effect Section 1 / Elements of Fiction
opportunity to attain it for herself, and she wants to make sure her daughter has more of the protagonist narrating it as a flashback?
opportunities than she has had. This information also complicates the daughter’s DIFFERENTIATION
Analyzing Short Fiction
understanding of the woman who has raised her. While the daughter’s sense of Connections to World
excitement and anxiety about the first day of school before this point in the story seems Narrative Perspective and Point of View
© Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.
to stem from the idea that everything about the day — from her attire to the school You might wish to share footage of a sports
building itself — is fresh and new, she starts to understand more about why her mother Narration, point of view, and perspective all focus on who tells the story, how they tell it, event that replicates the narrative on p. 13.
also feels the day is important. Emphasizing this turning point in the story, the mother and how they — and we, as readers — understand their roles in the narrative. In literature, Consider the sports season, student loyalty
looks at her daughter before looking away with an expression that the daughter has point of view is the position from which a narrator relates the events of a narrative. to different teams, and student loyalty
never seen before. Imagine for a moment that you have been watching a championship soccer game, to different players. Ask the students to
The falling action begins when another parent agrees to help the mother. Seemingly, and the ref makes a controversial call that ultimately affects the final score. Consider consider how the sportscaster conveys the
this woman does so out of kindness, but the daughter recognizes a subtle shift in the the differences between the ways opposing players would describe the call or the details of the call vs. how certain players
or crowd members react to the call. Ask
other mother’s attitude as well as a more pronounced feeling of superiority now coming differences between the way you and other fans would describe it. Whether the ref’s call students to share their observations with
from the other woman’s daughter, who stares at them as the required paperwork gets was valid is, to the fans and players at least, in the eye of the beholder. Each witness the class.
completed. Toward the end of the falling action, the daughter attempts to share a and participant in the game, if asked to recall the incident, would convey a unique point
familiar, physical exchange with her mother, but her mother’s reaction signals a shift in of view, and it’s probable that many of these points of view would be in direct conflict.
their relationship because she responds in a way that “is not a part of the game” (par. Narrative perspective, though similar to point of view, describes how narrators or
22) they have long played. The story’s brief denouement establishes the daughter’s new characters see and experience their individual circumstances. In the soccer game we DIFFERENTIATION
understanding of her mother as someone who not only cannot read and write but also just discussed, your perspective as a spectator is your individual experience of Connections to Self
as someone who darns her socks and wears noisy shoes, both of which cause the watching the ref make the controversial call. When you share your perspective with
daughter to feel disappointed at this insight into how the world sees her mother and, others, you are sharing it from your point of view as a fan. The varying perspectives of Ask students to journal about a time
they felt they were treated unfairly, either
perhaps, appreciative of the lengths to which her mother goes to ensure she will have fans and players determine which details they share when they tell the story of the through extracurricular activities, a
more opportunities in life. game, and each of the varying points of view that come across in the telling make for classroom event, or sibling rivalry. They
different stories about the same moment and its effect on the game’s outcome. In a
later discussion of the game, point of view and perspective would also explain the role do not necessarily need to use the name
KEY QUESTIONS each of you plays in portraying what happened, and this portrayal would influence what of individuals involved. Ask them to justify
their position while explicitly stating their
Analyzing Plot others believe about the game’s outcome. emotional attitude toward the event.
• Is the plot arranged in chronological order? If not, how would you describe the When it comes to writing fiction, authors must consider the point of view they want Students may or may not feel comfortable
arrangement and structure of the plot elements? to use as well as the narrator’s perspective. For example, should they tell a story about sharing their experiences. Then, ask
• Does the plot involve foreshadowing? A flashback? If so, what is the purpose of this a championship soccer game from the point of view and perspective of a fan, a ref, a students to consider how their emotional
choice, and how does it contribute to your interpretation of the story? player, or even a coach? Most commonly, writers use first-person and third-person intensity shifted when a personal value was
• Are the key conflicts internal or external? What complications intensify them? narrators, but sometimes you will come across stories told by second-person narrators. at stake.
• What is the turning point or climax of the story? First-Person Point of View
• How are the conflicts resolved? If there is no resolution, why not?
A first-person narrator tells a story using first-person pronouns such as I and we. From
this point of view, we see the world from a single character’s perspective. Usually,

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