Fiction and Nonfiction

*** for more information, consult your textbook on pages 4-5

Narrative is a term which applies to both fiction (not a true story) and nonfiction (true story). The term, itself, means "story."

Setting refers to the time and place of the action.

Characterization occurs in four ways:

• what a character says about himself / herself
• what a character does
• what other characters say about a character
• what a narrator says about a character

Plot refers to the course of action for a narrative (see diagram below)

Dialogue is the conversation between or among characters

Point of view concerns the perspective from which a story is told, usually in one of the following forms:

• 1st person (one of the characters directly involved in the action tells the story)
• 3rd person limited (a narrator with limited knowledge tells the story)
• 3rd person omniscient (a narrator with unlimited knowledge of all characters tells the story)

Theme refers to the underlying meaning or insight for a narrative

Types of fiction:

• novels (To Kill a Mockingbird)
• novellas ("The Metamorphosis")
• short stories ("The Monkey's Paw")

Writers of nonfiction present information for one of three reasons:

• persuasion
• information
• entertainment

When reading nonfiction, students should:

• recognize whether the information is organized in order of importance, chronological order (the order in which they occurred), or spatial order (how the topics relate to one another)
• identify the author's purpose
• distinguish between facts and opinions
• evaluate whether the author adequately supports his/her argument

The tone of a piece refers to the author's attitude toward a subject and/or its readers

The perspective of a piece refers to the author's point of view on the subject, including any opinions in the piece

"The Monkey's Paw" by W. W. Jacobs

What would you do with three wishes?

About the Author:

• born / died: b. 1863; d. 1943
• nationality: British
• mainly known for: humorous works / macabre works

Literary Focus: Plot and foreshadowing; using prior knowledge to make predictions

• recall that plot concerns the "sequence of related events in a story"
• a typical plot concerns a conflict, or a "struggle between opposing forces"
• conflicts can be either internal (person versus self) or external (person versus person, society, nature/environment, supernatural, or machine[s])
• foreshadowing adds tension to a narrative; it concerns "giving details that hint at upcoming events"

Indiana Standards: 10.2.4, 10.3.3, 10.3.6

Resources:

• full text in literature book, pages 32-41
• full text online, e-text link
• full text online, e-text link
• Wikipedia entry, including plot summary, adaptations, and additional links
• full text audio .mp3, approximately 1 hour, as read by actor John Lithgow (story begins at approximately 29:30)

Vocabulary: maligned, furtively, apathy, alter, evaluate, complicate, intervene

Before You Read:

Consider the following statements by agreeing or disagreeing:

• One should be content with his or her life as it is.
• People should not play games with fate.
• You should never be afraid to be the master of your own destiny.
• There is no such thing as a free lunch.

During Reading:

• Infer: What is significant about the chess game at the beginning of the story? How might it be interpreted as symbolic?
• Interpret: Pay attention to the members of the White family. How can they be described?
• Interpret: Who is Sergeant Major Morris? What role does he play throughout the story?
• Infer: How might the first two of the White's wishes turn out bad in the end?
• Infer: What was the White's third wish?

After You Read:

• Return to the "before you read" statements and agree or disagree again, based on the new knowledge obtained from the short story. Reflect on why answers may have changed.
• Response to literature: Write a brief sequel to this tale in which someone else finds the paw. (1) Use a plot line, story model, or story map to plan the details for your story. (2) Use descriptive words to create a spooky atmosphere of horror. Use foreshadowing to build suspense.