Station 1: Characterization Student Name: Date: Period:

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1 Station 1: Characterization Student Name: Date: Period: A character is a grouping of personality traits, physical appearance, and behaviors that forms an imaginary individual. Author s create characters through the process of characterization. Authors can characterize directly or indirectly. Characters are directly characterized when the author tells us exactly who the character is. Example: Tim was a lazy and tiresome child. No inference to make because author did the work. Characters are indirectly characterized through their speech, thoughts, effects on others, actions, and looks (STEAL). The process of indirect characterization is much more interesting and worthy of analysis. Example: Every morning, Tim slowly moved towards the sink to wash the dishes, dragging his feet every step of the way as if his own feet were blocks of lead. His face was scrunched in a grimace. Ms. Tuttle (the author) characterizes Tim as lazy and melodramatic through his actions and appearance. The comparison of his feet to lead further proves his lethargy. Characters that change over the course of the novel are considered round or dynamic characters. Characters that do not change over the course of the novel are considered static or flat characters. 1. Give one quotation from the beginning, and one from the end of the text that characterize Parvez indirectly (look for STEAL Speech, Thoughts, Effects on Others, Actions, Looks). Don t just choose ANY quotation. Choose THE BEST quotation to represent his personality during that section. Then, tell me what inference or conclusion can be drawn from each quotation about his personality. a. Quote from the beginning: Inference (complete sentence): b. Quote from the end: Inference (complete sentence): 2. Give quotations from the beginning, middle, and the end of the text that characterize Ali indirectly (look for STEAL--Speech, Thoughts, Effects on Others, Actions, Looks). Then, tell me what inference or conclusion can be drawn from each quotation about his personality. a. Quote from the beginning: b. Quote from the middle: c. Quote from the end: 3. Is Parvez static or dynamic? Explain. 4. Is Ali static or dynamic? Explain. 5. Challenge: What purpose does Bettina s character play in this story?

2 Station 2: Setting Student Name: Date: Period: The setting is the time, place, and mood where a story takes place. When analyzing the setting, things to observe include: Nature, living creatures, seasons, and/or time often foreshadow events that will happen or echo the mood of the story. o Examples: winter-suffering, spring-new beginnings, summer-suffering, fall-endings, midnight-danger, twilight-change, rain-sadness, clouds-moral ambiguity, etc. Objects of human manufacture and construction are often used to characterize (reveal something about the personality of) their owners or foreshadow events. o Examples: cars, buildings, homes, possessions, gun hanging on the wall, etc. Historical and cultural conditions/assumptions often cause conflict or set up the author to critique certain aspects of society. o Examples: laws, rules, manners, social expectations of beauty, priorities of a certain society. Apply: 1. Consider Parvez s taxi vs. Parvez s home. a. What purpose or function does the taxi serve in the story? Hint: How does Parvez typically feel and how does he typically behave in his taxi? b. What purpose or function does Parvez s home serve in the story? Hint: How does Parvez typically feel and how does he typically behave in his home? 2. Consider London vs. Pakistan. a. How does Parvez feel about Pakistan? Why does he feel this way? b. Describe London. Use a quotation from the text to defend your description. c. How does Parvez feel about London? Why does he feel this way? d. How does Ali feel about London? Why does he feel this way? e. Why did the author choose to set this story in London? What purpose or function does London serve in the text? Hint: How would the story change if it were set in Pakistan?

3 Station 3: Plot Student Name: Date: Period: Plot is the pattern or sequence of events in a story. Gustav Freytag analyzed Greek and Shakespearean drama and decided that the typical plot structure is as follows: A-The exposition or beginning where characters and setting are established. B-The complication or inciting incident where the conflict is introduced. C-Rising action or events that develop or further the conflict. D-The climax or turning point of the story where the protagonist s life goes from good to bad or bad to good. E-Falling action or the events that directly result A from the turning point. F- The denouement or resolution where the protagonists fate is established as either good or bad. B C D E F However, this plot structure is not always applicable to modern texts. Modern texts often deviate in the following ways: in medias res: When the story begins in the middle of the action or with the establishment of conflict. Flashback: When the chronological sequence of events is interrupted with a memory from the past. Flash-forward: When the chronological sequence of events is interrupted with a scene or event from the future. Frame narrative: When the story is framed or surrounded by another story. Examples include The Never Ending Story and The Princess Bride. 1. What is the complication in this short story? How do you know? 2. What is the climax of this short story? How do you know? 3. Consider deviations from Freytag s model. a. What is one way that this short story deviates from the typical plot structure? b. Why would Hanif Kureshi choose to deviate from the typical plot structure in this way? c. What is a second way that this short story deviates from the typical plot structure? d. Why would Hanif Kureshi choose to deviate from the typical plot structure in this way?

4 Station 4: Conflict Student Name: Date: Period: Conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces usually the protagonist (the main character) and the antagonist (his or her opposition). In a text, there is usually a central conflict that dominates the piece and then minor conflicts that contribute to the central conflict. The way a conflict is resolved usually determines the message or meaning of a text. For example, the good protagonist is fighting the bad antagonist. The protagonist works hard and wins (resolution). This would suggest that the message of the text is about the triumph of what is right when the individual is willing to work hard. However, if the good protagonist is fighting the bad antagonist, works hard, but still loses (resolution) the message would be very different. The message would be that good does not always triumph in the world despite hard work. 1. What is the central conflict of this text? What causes this conflict? Who is the protagonist? Who is the antagonist? 2. Is this conflict resolved? If so, how? What does the resolution or lack of resolution reveal about the message of the story? 3. What is one minor conflict in this piece? What causes this conflict? Who is the protagonist? Who is the antagonist? 4. Is this minor conflict resolved? 5. Why does Hanif Kureshi include this minor conflict in this text? 6. Challenge: What is one intangible conflict (a conflict between forces rather than people)? Is this conflict resolved? What does this conflict s resolution or lack of resolution reveal about the message or theme of the text?

5 Exit Ticket: Literary Elements_PAP Student Name: Date: Period: Directions: Answer the questions below in complete sentences. 1. What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization? 2. What is the difference between a static and a dynamic character? 3. What is one way that a story can deviate from Freytag s model? 4. What is one thing to consider when analyzing the setting of a story? 5. Why does the resolution of the central conflict matter? Exit Ticket: Literary Elements_PAP Student Name: Date: Period: Directions: Answer the questions below in complete sentences. 1. What is the difference between direct and indirect characterization? 2. What is the difference between a static and a dynamic character? 3. What is one way that a story can deviate from Freytag s model? 4. What is one thing to consider when analyzing the setting of a story? 5. Why does the resolution of the central conflict matter?