Facing Monsters Short Story Unit Facing Monsters All

Facing Monsters Short Story Unit

Facing Monsters �All of these stories will involve a protagonist facing some sort of challenge or monster. �Monsters can take many forms such as nature, other individuals, societal obstacles, and sometimes we are our own worst enemy. �All of these stories are narratives.

Facing Monsters �With each story, we will be focusing on plot structure and at least one literary device that the author uses to make his or her story successful. �At the end of the unit there will be a test on your knowledge of these stories and plot elements as well as a close reading response.

Most Dangerous Game �Written by Richard Connell Jr. �American author �Published in Collier’s Weekly in 1924 �Father was a newspaper editor and congressman. �Reflected the leisure of wealth in the 1920’s

Most Dangerous Game �Literary Focus: • Conflict: See Short Story Elements Handout • Connotation: the emotional or cultural associations implied by a word. This is different than a word’s denotation or dictionary definition.

Connotation �Take the word shark. Its denotation is a marine carnivorous fish with large teeth. What do we associate with the word shark? �DANGER! This is a connotation.

Connotation �The choice of words often reveals a writer’s attitude toward a subject. �Examples: �The boy seemed very youthful. �The boy seemed very immature. �The city was bustling with people during the holiday. �The city was mobbed with people during the holiday.

Connotation �Which words have a more positive connotation? �Every October the old maple (paints, litters) the lawn with its falling leaves. �The girl ran (courageously, recklessly) into the flaming barn to save her colt. �We walked at a (leisurely, sluggish) pace.

Connotation �Which words have a more positive connotation? �refreshing – chilly �plain – natural �clever – sly �snob – cultured �cop – officer �skinny – slender

Connotation �Why do you think that real estate advertisers use the word home more frequently than house?

Connotation �The glass has shattered. �The glass has cracked. �Both words mean “broken, ” but have different connotations. Cracked is less severe than shattered. Shattered implies being broken violently into many pieces and beyond repair. Cracked implies it’s not completely destroyed.