Required Text: Analyzing Short Stories ANY EDITION
(You may buy a used copy. You may also check it out of the Riverside Library and/or read it in the library.)

The elements we study: Central Idea | Character|Conflict |Setting | Point Of View | Language| Tone
have chapters in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES. You must read the chapters.
All the stories we read can be found online as linked below.

Paper #1: Central Idea and Character

  1. Read these stories: "To Build a Fire" and "The Lottery "
  2. Print out these study questions to answer as you read the stories
  3. Read Central Idea and Character chapter in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
  4. Read Introduction to Central Idea
  5. Watch Introduction to Central Idea (follow link in Videos button)
  6. Read and Listen to Introduction to Character
  7. Write your journal response in the appropriate place in Blackboard.
  8. Take Quiz #1 in the quiz section of Blackboard
  9. Write Paper #1. CHOOSE ONE story : 1a. " Death By Scrabble "  or 1b ." Tone" . Follow these directions

Paper #2 Conflict

  1. Read these stories "The Yellow Wallpaper", "A Clean Well Lighted Place"
  2. Print out these study questions to answer while you read
  3. Read Conflict chapter in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
  4. Read Introduction to Conflict
  5. Watch Introduction to Conflict (follow link in Videos button)
  6. Read Introduction to Ernest Hemingway
  7. Write your journal response in the appropriate place in Blackboard
  8. Take Quiz #2 in the quiz section of Blackboard
  9. Write Paper #2. CHOOSE ONE assigned story 2a."The Lifestyle" OR 2b." The Cat's of Ulthar". Follow these directions.

Paper #3 : Setting and Point Of View

  1. Read these stories: "An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty"
  2. Print out these study questions to answer while you read
  3. Read Setting and Point of View chapter in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
  4. LISTEN TO AND READ the character analysis OF WALTER MITTY: at National Public Radio (Audio)
  5. Read Introduction to Setting
  6. Watch Introduction to Setting (follow link in Videos button)
  7. Read Introduction to Point of View
  8. Watch Introduction to Point of View (follow link in Videos button)
  9. Write your journal response in the appropriate place in Blackboard.
  10. Take Quiz #3 in the quiz section of Blackboard
  11. Write Paper #3: 3a. "Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot"
    OR 3b. "There Will Come Soft Rains" or 3c. "The Open Window". Follow these Paper #3 directions.

Paper #4: Language

  1. Read this story: Araby
  2. Print out these study questions to answer while you read: "Araby"
  3. Read Language chapter in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
  4. Read Introduction to Language
  5. Read Introduction to Literary Criticism: What does it all mean?!
  6. Watch Introduction to Language (follow link in Videos button)
  7. Read Introduction to James Joyce
  8. Write your journal response in the appropriate place in Blackboard.
  9. Take Quiz #4 in the quiz section of Blackboard
  10. Write Paper #4 "A Haunted House " or "A Ghost Story" . Follow these directions.

Paper #5: Tone Most will be exempt from writing this paper. You still need to read about tone.

  1. Read these stories."The Cask Of Amontillado" and "Tobermory"
  2. Print out these study questions to answer while you read
  3. Read Tone chapter in ANALYZING SHORT STORIES
  4. Read Introduction to Tone
  5. Watch Introduction to Tone(follow link in Videos button)
  6. Write journal response #5 even if you don't write Paper #5.
  7. Paper #5 : " The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" Follow these directions.

C LEVEL Assignment : DEPARTMENTAL EXAM

  1. Read directions for Departmental Exam
  2. Take 2 forms of picture ID and permission slip, found at above link
  3. Take Test in any Campus TESTING CENTER.
  4. Allow three hours for the exam

    After receiving ACCEPTED on the Departmental Exam, you will have earned a "C".
    You must complete the B assignment for a "B" and the B + A Level Assignment for an "A".

B LEVEL Assignment : EVALUATION

1. Read directions for B Level Paper
2. Choose ONE story from the list below:
"Girls in Their Summer Dresses by Irwin Shaw"
"The Hunger Artist by Franz Kafka "
"Appearance by Kate Pearson"

 

A LEVEL Assignment : COMPARE AND CONTRAST

1. Read directions for A Level Paper
2. Choose ONE PAIR of stories to compare:
A Pair #1: Science Fiction: "26 Monkeys by Kij Johnson" and "The Star by Arthur C Clarke"
A Pair #2: Detective Stories: "The Yellow Face by Sherlock Holmes" and "Murders in the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Alan Poe