Transcript Elements of Fiction

Inter American University of Puerto Rico
Guayama Campus
Cooperative Title V Project
Elements of Fiction II
Inter
Prof. Daisy Irizarry Vázquez
© August 2007
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Purpose
The purpose of this module is to enhance your skills
in identifying and understanding another set of the
elements of fiction present in the basic English readings
you may study in your GEEN 1102, English as a Second
Language II or in any other reading course.
Remember that by identifying those elements and by
understanding how they work, you prepare yourself to read
closely and interpret well.
Introduction
Fiction is the telling of stories which are not entirely based upon
facts; it is an imaginative form of narrative. However, works of fiction need
not be entirely imaginary and may include real people, places, and events.
The length of a fictional piece determines the quantity of themes in it.
Irony or symbols are not always present. The author’s style arouses the
readers’ emotions and conveys the meanings in each story. Tone is the
particular glass through which authors present their subject matters. This
module will lead you through the study of theme, symbol, irony, author’s
style, and tone so you can learn to distinguish between the imaginative
and unimaginative facts in fiction.
General Objective
After examining this module, you
will be able to study a fictional account
through the elements included here.
Specific Objectives
By the end of this module, you will…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
state the theme or themes in the story.
explain the symbols.
show understanding of the irony in the plot.
describe the tone.
analyze the author’s style.
Part I. Read the following
fictional story
The Caribbean Pearl*
The town of Naguabo is
located on the eastern coast
of the island of Puerto Rico.
It is a small town with high
hills and very narrow, curvy
roads with shady mango, oak
and flamboyan trees that
flourish on both sides. The
trees are so thick that the
road is totally shaded, but
during the night the road
becomes sinister.
It is like driving through
this dark, pitch-black tunnel.
You can't see anything! In
fact, it's very scary.
However, during the day you
can admire the beauty of the
coastal ocean while driving
along these shores. There
are many small kioskos, small
restaurants that sell fish
supplied by fishermen who
live in the small fishing
village called Hucares.
Sal, a fisherman from
this village, has a nineyear-old son who also
wants to be a fisherman.
Every morning they wake
up at 4:00 a.m. to prepare
for their fishing trip.
Father and son begin their
workday walking down the
steep hills, feeling the
morning dew refresh their
cheeks as they chat
happily on their way to
their boat.
Five minutes after
rowing into the ocean, fishing
rods and net ready for their
first catch, they turn to look
at Playa Hucares to enjoy the
peace and quietness felt only
in the early hours of the day.
This tranquil time cannot
compare to the later hours
of the day when crowds of
people stop to buy fresh fish
and eat delicious arepas,
fried dough, for lunch.
While Sal and his son
observe the shores, they see
the majestic castle that
stands on the far end of the
pier. Its architectural details
make it intriguing, particularly
because it is different from
the small, humble homes of the
villagers. The castle has bright
cobalt blue tiles decorating
the roofs and it is painted
bright pink, with its oldfashioned French windows
facing the sea.
It has tall cone-shaped
towers, like a very old rundown miniature sample of
Disney World's castle.
Many people say this castle
is haunted and the children
of the neighborhood do not
dare come near the house.
Samuel is hypnotized by the
mystery this place holds.
“Father, tell me
about this castle!"
Samuel asks.
Sal says, "Well, it is
said that many years
ago the man who built
this castle loved the
sea and guarded this
coast. Thieves have
tried to break into the
castle but are scared
off by the spirit of this
man.
Some people say that
you can see spirits floating
around in the living room."
"One day I will go in,"
Samuel replies.
"Remember, it's
private property," Sal
reminds his son. By 7:45
they had caught the usual
number of fish they sell in
one day. Sal tells Samuel to
hurry or he will be late to
school.
Two weeks later,
Samuel wakes up earlier
than usual. It is only 3:30
a.m. He jumps out of bed,
prepares his fishing rod,
and he heads towards the
castle. He has other
ideas in mind. It is very
dark outside, but he isn't
afraid. As he approaches
the castle, he hears some
voices and sees some dim
lights inside.
His curiosity grows
stronger so he walks
directly towards the
house. As he enters the
front gate he feels a
little nervous , but he
goes on. He wanders
around the house and
stops when he is faced
with the ocean.
"What a wonderful
sight," he thinks. He
stands there in awe of the
splendor of the tranquil
sea. Suddenly, he notices
there are some
translucent fish jumping
for joy out of the water
as if they were playing
hide and seek. Samuel
leaves the castle,
compelled by the parade
of brilliantly colored
tropical fish he has seen.
Orange, blue, yellow,
green, red, and even pink
are the parading fish. He
gets into his father's
boat and rows to take a
closer peek at these
colorful fish when out of
the water jump two
radiant, orange fish.
"Wow!" Samuel shouts.
"You are gorgeous! Why do you
shine so bright?"
One of the fish sticks
his head out of the water and
replies, "I shine this bright
because I am the messenger
of the sea”. Samuel is
baffled, in total shock. "I
must be dreaming. I can't be
hearing a fish talk," he says to
himself.
"Well, you're not crazy. I can
talk," replies the orange fish.
"I am a clown fish that cannot
smile anymore. There is an
important message you must
pass on to your people and
especially the kids. Many fish
are getting sick and dying; the
waters are contaminated by
the amounts of trash dumped
in the sea.”
The fish
continues, "I have been
to the coast of
Fajardo, from where I
have seen the
beautiful Conquistador
and the Seven Seas. I
have been to Luquillo's
deep oceans near the
kioskos. I've been to
Cabo Rojo's shores and
have seen the exotic
lighthouse. I've been
to Mar Chiquita.
I've been to Aguadilla's
Crash Boat Beach, and even to
San Juan's coastal seas which
placidly touch El Morro's
shores. All the fish are
suffering from the same
problem, too. Please tell your
friends and neighbors that
we are dying of polluted
waters. God blessed this
small island. It is the
paradise of the Caribbean
Sea. Your own people are
killing its beauty.
We, the fish dwelling in your
waters, are worried about your
future. Go and tell your friends at
school to take care of this chosen
Pearl."
In total amazement, Samuel
rows to the shore as fast as he can.
When he looks towards the castle,
he sees floating human shadows
waving at him as if saying goodbye
or hello. While he strolls back
home, he hears voices coming from
the castle whispering soft-sounding
words carried through the air
"Samuel … save our island ... save…
save our Paradise.“
Part II. Select the correct answer.
1.
The main theme in “The
Caribbean Pearl” is:
a. clown fish live in the east
coast of Puerto Rico.
b. pollution of the ocean waters
around Puerto Rico.
c. sea life is in danger of
extinction because Puerto Ricans
have polluted the ocean waters.
2.
Puerto Ricans are contaminating
the fish that they consume as
delicious. The statement is an
example of
a. symbolism.
b. irony.
c. style.
3. Which of the following is another
theme in the story?
a. Apparently, there is an islandwide lack of interest in keeping the
ocean water clean.
b. clown fish talk to children.
c. there are haunted castles all
over Puerto Rico.
4. "I am a clown fish that cannot
smile anymore.” The statement is
an example of
a. symbolism.
b. irony.
c. tone.
5. The title of the story The
Caribbean Pearl is symbolic and
refers to
7.
a. Oil spills from aquatic vehicles
occur frequently.
b. There are dead fish at the bottom
of the sea.
c. Trash is dumped into the oceans.
a. Puerto Rico.
b. Naguabo.
c. El Morro.
6. The author’s tone in the story
can be described as
a. fantastic (fantasy).
b. serious (of concern).
c. childish (children-like).
Which of the following reasons is
mentioned in the story as the cause
of ocean-water pollution?
8.
“We, the fish dwelling in your
waters, are worried about your
future.” The statement is an
example of the _____ of the story.
a. theme
b. irony
c. tone
9.
To be called a symbol, an item
must suggest a meaning
_______ in kind from its literal
meaning.
a. different
b. similar
c. larger
10.
Which of the following does
not define irony?
a. incongruity.
b. sarcasm.
c. discrepancy.
Now, I invite you to check
the Answer Key and find
out how well you did on the
Pre-Test. Success!
Pre-Test Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C
B
A
C
A
6. B
7. C
8. C
9. A
10. B
Pre-Test Assessment
10 or 9
Excellent
Go to the Post Test.
9 or 8
Very Good
Review the incorrect answers and go to the
Post Test.
7
You need
some
practice
Review the incorrect answers; study the
elements of fiction presented in this module;
do the assessment exercises and then go to
the Post Test.
6 or less
You need
to work
the
complete
module
Study the module; review the elements of
fiction carefully and do the assessment
exercises. Then, you can go to the Post Test.
I expect you have been a champ!
Elements of Fiction
Theme---Symbolism---Irony--Style---Tone
Elements of Fiction
Theme, Symbolism, Irony, Style,
and Tone are other elements which
fiction writers use to develop a story.
#1 Theme
Of the various elements of fiction, theme
is probably the most difficult to discuss. This
is why there is a great difference between
reading a story that explores the theme of
the difficulty of love and reading the
message: "Love is difficult." in a fortune
cookie.
Theme
 It is the central idea or central message
of the story.
 It is the understanding that the author seeks
to communicate through the work.
 It gives the work its purpose and has a great
deal to do with the way the whole story is
constructed.
 It usually contains some insight into
the human condition.
 Not all stories have theme.
Theme is the controlling idea
or central insight of a story.
The theme…
1.
2.
3.
4.
can be a revelation of human character;
may be stated briefly or at great length.
is not the "moral" of the story.
must be expressible in the form of a
statement.
For example not "motherhood" but "Motherhood
sometimes has more frustration than reward."
A theme must be stated as a
generalization about life.
1. Names of characters or specific situations
in the plot are not to be used when stating a
theme.
2. A theme must not be a generalization
larger than is justified by the terms of the
story.
A theme is the central and unifying
concept of the story.
The theme must adhere to the following requirements:
1.
It must account for all the major details of the story.
2.
It must not be contradicted by any detail of the story.
3.
It must not rely on supposed facts - facts not actually stated or
clearly implied by the story.
4.
It is not “the moral” of the story; the two concepts are different.
Any statement that reduces a theme to some
familiar saying, aphorism, or
cliché should be avoided.
For example:
Do not use sayings (refranes) like:
"A stitch in time saves nine“;
"You can't judge a book by its cover“;
"Fish and guests smell in three days“; and
so on.
Assessment Activity on Theme
Mark with an X on the blank, the items which
state a Theme correctly.
1.
2.
3.
4.
___”Motherhood”
___”Motherhood sometimes has more frustration
than reward.”
___”Honesty is the best policy.”
___”People tend to grow more conservative as they
grow older.”
#2 Symbol
A literary symbol is something that means
more than what it really is.
It has layers of meanings.
Whereas an image has one meaning, a symbol
has many.
A. Names used as symbols.
B. Use of objects as symbols.
C. Use of actions as symbols.
The ability to interpret symbols is essential
to the full understanding and enjoyment
of any fictional piece of literature.
I present you helpful suggestions for
identifying literary symbols:
1. The story itself must furnish a clue that a detail is to
be taken symbolically symbols nearly always signal
their existence by emphasis, repetition, or position.
2.
A symbol has a cluster of meanings.
3. The meaning of a literary symbol must be established
and supported by the entire context of the story. A
symbol has its meaning inside not outside a story.
4.
To be called a symbol, an item must suggest a meaning
different in kind from its literal meaning.
Examples on Symbols
In the novel The Pearl by John Steinbeck, the pearl that
Kino (the protagonist) found represented different things
for different characters:
 For Juana, Kino’s wife, the pearl meant a religious marriage
(now they could pay the priest to marry them).
 For Kino, the pearl represented school for his son, Coyotito
(he could buy uniforms and books for his son).
 At the beginning, the pearl represented a better life.
 At the end, the pearl represented death, misfortune, and
unhappiness.
More Examples on Symbols
A journey can symbolize life.
A lion can be a symbol of courage.
Water may represent cleanliness and
renewal.
A red rose can represent love.
#2 Irony
Irony is a term with a range of meanings, all
of them involving some sort of discrepancy
or incongruity.
 Irony not be confused with sarcasm which is
simply language designed to cause pain.
Irony
Irony is used to suggest the difference
between appearance and reality, between
expectation and fulfillment, the complexity of
experience, to furnish indirectly an evaluation of
the author's material, and at the same time to
achieve compression.
Three Kinds of Irony
 A. Verbal irony - the opposite is said from what is
intended.
 B. Dramatic irony - the contrast between what a
character says and what the reader knows to be true.
 C. Irony of situation - discrepancy between
appearance and reality, or between expectation and
fulfillment, or between what is and what would seem
appropriate.
Irony
 Like symbolism, irony makes it possible to
suggest meanings without stating them.
 Simply by juxtaposing or putting together two
discordant facts in the right contextual mix,
the writer can start a current of flow between
them. In other words, ironic contrast
generates meaning.
#3 Style
Style is sometimes listed as one
of the fundamental elements of
fiction.
Style is a twin sister to Tone, as
you will find out in the next slides.
Style
Style is simply the effective use of
language, especially in prose, whether
to make statements or to awaken
emotions.
Style involves, of all, the power to put
facts with clarity and brevity.
Style is not so much what is written
but how it is written.
 Style in fiction refers to language conventions used to
construct the story. A fiction writer may manipulate
diction, sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and
other aspects of language to create style.
 The communicative effect created by the author's style
is sometimes referred to as the story's voice. Every
writer has his or her own unique style, or voice.
A story's style and voice contribute
to its tone.
# 4 Tone
Tone refers to the attitude that the
story creates toward its subject matter.
For example, a story may convey an earnest
and sincere tone toward its characters and
events, signaling to the reader that the material is
to be taken in a serious, dramatic way.
On the other hand, an attitude of humor or
sarcasm may be created through subtle
language and content manipulation.
Tone
The English language offers a vast selection
of choices in sentence structure, phrasing,
vocabulary, verb tense, and voice.
Fiction writers use this variety to their
advantage in crafting a thought,
description, or action.
Tone
 Different language choices can create a
huge range of styles and tones for any given
expression.
These different styles and tones give the story
its unique meaning.
In most cases, a story’s way of being told is at
least as significant as its content.
Tone
Let’s take, for example, the somewhat common experience
of getting a parking ticket. Here are several ways the
parking ticket experience might be expressed by the
recipient.
1.
The policeman gave me a parking ticket.
2. Some bored cop tagged me with another ticket.
3. Someone had slipped the ticket under my
windshield wiper like a blade slipped under a rib.
5. I got another &*%@# ticket!
4. A citation for violation of parking regulations
had been affixed to my car.
6. Another week goes by, another parking
ticket stuck to the car—what else
is new?
Tone
The expressions in the previous
slide create different emotional and
conceptual positions relative to the
ticketing experience.
In other words, the language style
of each expression adds its unique
spin to the basic information.
Tone
You will see in the Post Test that the
last line of Kate Chopin's "The Story of an
Hour," has an ironic spin that emerges when
we learn that "the doctors said she died of
heart disease, of joy that kills."
Part I. Read the selection:
The Story of an Hour*
Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a
heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as
gently as possible the news of her husband's death.
It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken
sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half
concealing. Her husband's friend Richards was there,
too, near her.
It was he who had been in the newspaper office
when intelligence of the railroad disaster was
received, with Brently Mallard's name leading the list
of “killed.” He had only taken the time to assure
himself of its truth by a second telegram, and had
hastened to forestall any less careful, less tender
friend in bearing the sad message.
She did not hear the story as many women have
heard the same, with a paralyzed inability to accept
its significance. She wept at once, with sudden, wild
abandonment, in her sister's arms. When the storm
of grief had spent itself she went away to her room
alone.
She would have no one follow her. There stood,
facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy
armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a
physical exhaustion that haunted her body and
seemed to reach into her soul.
She could see in the open square before her
house the tops of trees that were all aquiver with the
new spring life. The delicious breath of rain was in
the air. In the street below a peddler was crying his
wares. The notes of a distant song which some one
was singing reached her faintly, and countless
sparrows were twittering in the eaves. There were
patches of blue sky showing here and there through
the clouds that had met and piled one above the
other in the west facing her window.
She sat with her head thrown back upon the
cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob
came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who
has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams.
She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines
bespoke repression and even a certain strength. But now
there was a dull stare in her eyes, whose gaze was fixed
away off yonder on one of those patches of blue sky. It
was not a glance of reflection, but rather indicated a
suspension of intelligent thought.
There was something coming to her and she was
waiting for it, fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it
was too subtle and elusive to name. But she felt it,
creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the
sounds, the scents, the color that filled the air.
Now her bosom rose and fell tumultuously. She was
beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to
possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her
will—as powerless as her two white slender hands would
have been.
When she abandoned herself a little whispered
word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over
and over under her breath: “free, free, free!” The vacant
stare and the look of terror that had followed it went
from her eyes. They stayed keen and bright. Her pulses
beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed
every inch of her body. She did not stop to ask if it were
or were not a monstrous joy that held her. A clear and
exalted perception enabled her to dismiss the suggestion
as trivial.
She knew that she would weep again when she saw the kind,
tender hands folded in death; the face that had never looked save with
love upon her, fixed and gray and dead. But she saw beyond that bitter
moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her
absolutely. And she opened and spread her arms out to them in welcome.
There would be no one to live for her during those coming years;
she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in
that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right
to impose a private will upon a fellow–creature. A kind intention or a cruel
intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that
brief moment of illumination. And yet she had loved him—sometimes.
Often she had not. What did it matter! What could love, the unsolved
mystery, count for in face of this possession of self–assertion which she
suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being! “Free! Body
and soul free!” she kept whispering.
Josephine was kneeling before the closed door with her lips to the
keyhole, imploring for admission. “Louise, open the door! I beg; open the
door—you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven's
sake open the door.” “Go away. I am not making myself ill.” No; she was
drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window.
Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring
days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She
breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had
thought with a shudder that life might be long. She arose at length and
opened the door to her sister's importunities. There was a feverish triumph in
her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory. She
clasped her sister's waist, and together they descended the stairs. Richards
stood waiting for them at the bottom.
*Reference
Arp, T. R. (1998). Perrine’s Story and Structure. Forth Worth:
Harcourt Brace College Publishers.
Some one was opening the front door with a latchkey.
It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel–
stained, composedly carrying his gripsack and
umbrella. He had been far from the scene of accident,
and did not even know there had been one. He stood
amazed at Josephine's piercing cry; at Richards' quick
motion to screen him from the view of his wife.
But Richards was too late.
When the doctors came, they said she had died
of heart disease—of joy that kills.
Part II. Select the correct answer.
1. The most obvious element
of fiction in the story
is_____.
a. symbolism
b. theme
c. irony
2. The kind of irony in the
story is______.
a. verbal
b. of situation
c. dramatic
3. The tone of the story when
breaking of the news to Mrs.
Mallard is ______.
a. optimistic
b. sad
c. confusing
4. The tone of the story after
breaking of the news to Mrs.
Mallard is ______.
a. optimistic
b. confusing
c. sad
5. One theme in the story is
that
a. news of death are always
sad.
b. sisters are the ones who
always break in the bad
news.
c. death can be a liberating
experience for some
people.
6. We see the symbolism in
the story through
_______.
a. an action
b. a name
c. an object
7. Mrs. Mallard’s enormous
feeling of liberation after her
“husband’s death” is an
example of
a. irony
b. symbolism
c. tone
8. Mrs. Mallard’s sudden death is
an example of________.
a. tone
b. symbolism
c. irony
9. She wept at once, with
sudden, wild abandonment, in
her sister's arms.
[… ] trees that were all aquiver
with the new spring life.
The sentence and the
fragment above are
examples of
a. style
b. theme
c. symbolism
10. By Mrs. Mallard’s
reaction to the news, we
can conclude that ____
a. she had a happy life with
her husband.
b. she was in desperate need
of liberating from her
husband but could not.
c. she had had no time to
admire nature before.
Answer Key to the Post Test
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
C
B
B
A
C
6. A
7. B
8. C
9. A
10. B
Best Wishes of Success for You!
Post-Test Assessment
12 or 11 Excellent
10 or 9
You master the elements of fiction in this
module. Congratulations!
Very
Good
Review the elements of fiction and work the
Post Test again.
You need
practice
Study the elements of fiction presented in this
module; do the assessment exercises and then
go to the Post Test.
6 or less You need
to study
the
module
again
Study the complete module again. If you still
have questions about the content of the
module talk to your professor or to the English
Lab technicians.
8 or 7
You did it!
Brief Analysis of The Story of an Hour
I have included a short analysis of the story in
terms of the some of the elements of fiction in this
module to enhance your comprehension of the
selection.
 Irony
 The way Louise handles the tragic news is ironic, because the
reader expects her to react in an entirely different way. And to top it
off, ironic-wise, Louise is the person that dies in the end. This kind
of irony is dramatic irony.
Example of Irony in
The Story of an Hour
 The way the positive images associated with the
window contrast the flow of the story.

“There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy
armchair. Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical
exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her
soul. She could see in the open square before her house the tops
of trees that were all aquiver with the new spring life. The
delicious breath of rain was in the air. In the street below a
peddler was crying his wares. The notes of a distant song which
some one was singing reached her faintly, and countless sparrows
were twittering in the eaves. There were patches of blue sky
showing here and there through the clouds that had met and
piled one above the other in the west facing her window.”
Themes
in The Story of an Hour
 Identity and Selfhood
Chopin deals with the issues of female self-
discovery and identity in "The Story of an
Hour." After Mrs. Mallard learns of her
husband's death, she is initially overcome
with grief. But quickly she begins to feel a
previously unknown sense of freedom and
relief.
Text to illustrate the Themes
 At first, she is frightened of her own awakening: "There was
something coming to her and she was waiting for it,
fearfully." Her own feelings come upon her, possessing her.
When she first utters the words "free, free, free!" she is
described as having "abandoned herself." But after she
speaks these words, she relaxes and gains more control over
herself.
 As she imagines life without her husband, she embraces
visions of the future. She realizes that whether or not she
had loved him was less important than "this possession of
self-assertion" she now feels. The happiness Louise gains by
this recognition of selfhood is so strong that, when she
realizes that her husband is alive, it is she who cannot resist
the news and dies.
Style in
The Story of an Hour
Her style of writing is gripping,
mesmerizing, fascinating and she
describes the characters and the
scenery thoroughly well throughout the
story.
Tone in
The Story of an Hour
When Mrs. Mallard’s sister gave her the news of her
husband’s death, the tone in the story is sad, disturbing like it
would be in a similar real-life situation.
 “It was her sister who had, with broken sentences, slowly told
her that he had died.”
When Mrs. Mallard locks herself in her bedroom, the tone is
full of optimism: “free, free”, she thought.
By now, you must have a clearer vision of
theme, symbolism, tone, and irony as
elements of fiction. Success!
Feedback
Keep in mind, the better you gain
knowledge of the elements of fiction, the
better you will analyze a fictional account
and therefore, understand and enjoy it.