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ANALYZING LITERATURE - 2
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In addition to analyzing the characters and the plot, you can examine other
decisions the author has made to get his point across to the reader. You should
assume that the author had a good reason for making the choice s/he did and that you can
learn something about the point s/he was trying to make by considering how the story might
have been different had s/he made another choice. The real purpose of most of these
choices is to focus your attention on some aspect of the story, so you can better
understand the idea and/or feeling s/he is trying to communicate through the story.
For example, if the author used a 3rd person omniscient narrator, you'd wonder why
s/he wanted you to know the feelings and thoughts of all of the characters. Why not
have someone in the story tell it? Why not have someone tell the story who was
limited merely to reporting those words he would have heard and those actions he would
have seen had he been in the corner of a room with the characters in the story? It
would provide a clue about what the author was trying to communicate to you.
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Point of View |
Point of
view refers to the perspective used to tell the story. It may be told
through the eyes of one of the participants in the story, first person
(I, we); or it may be told through the eyes of someone outside of the story, a third
person narrator (he, she, they). In either case, the narrator may have a limited
perspective (s/he knows only what one would know in that position) or an omniscient
perspective (s/he knows the emotions, thoughts of others in the same room or in different
places). Furthermore, the narrator may be considered reliable or unreliable
(a madman or liar telling a story may not be trusted to tell the truth about what s/he
does or sees or why he or she does it.)
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Setting |
The setting refers to the place, time, circumstances, and culture in which a story takes
place.
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Mood |
The mood of a story refers to the dominant emotion of the story. It may be
communicated through the description of the setting, the characters' feelings, the pace of
the story's action, and/or the language the author uses.
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Symbols |
A symbol is an object in a story that has greater significance than its usual literal
meaning. Cinderella's glass slipper is not merely something to put on her feet to
keep them from getting cold or hurt; it is the true test of the qualities of a
future princess.
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Task #10 |
Apply the following terms to those apects of the story "Masses of Men" that fit
them. Briefly explain the reasons for your choices. 1. point of view
2. setting
3. mood; and
4. symbols.
When you've written your answers,
then fax or e-mail them to me. |
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