Miss Tuke

SHORT STORY ELEMENTS

Elements of short stories:1. Setting

2. Characterization3. Symbolism

4. Theme

BASIC ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORIES

Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

Stephen King’s “Rita Hayworth & The Shawshank Redemption”

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

FAMOUS EXAMPLES OF SHORT STORIES

Setting is more than just scenery! It consists of: Where the story takes place (geographic

location) When the story takes place (time period) Who is involved (people) What is going on (context)

These elements of setting work together to help create the complex atmosphere of a story.

SETTING

“A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty (1940)

Set in the Depression-Era South

What do you know about the Great Depression?

What do you know about the South, particularly during this time period?

SETTING OF “A WORN PATH”

• The Great Depression was a time of serious economic decline in which over 25% of Americans were unemployed (compared to roughly 8% today). Entire industries collapsed, and millions of people were affected.

• Many people were forced to live in extreme poverty.

• Many countries underwent political upheaval. • The poor living conditions lead to unrest, both

political and social.

WHAT IS THE GREAT DEPRESSION?

Most historians and economists pinpoint the beginning of the Great Depression as the US Stock Market Crash on October

29th, 1929.

It continued throughout the 1930s and ended around 1939 with the beginning of

World War II.

WHEN DID IT HAPPEN?

The Great Depression hit African Americans even harder than the general population. In the early 1930s, nearly 50% of black Americans were unemployed.

Because so many people were in poverty and competing for jobs, there was a great deal of discrimination against African-Americans in the job market. They were often forced to give up their jobs to white workers.

This eventually resulted in President Roosevelt passing Executive Order 8802, which stated that “all persons, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin, would be allowed to participate fully in the defense of the United States.” This emphasis on equality was eventually extended to the job market as we know it today.

WHAT EFFECT DID IT HAVE?

FACES OF THE DEPRESSION

FACES OF THE DEPRESSION

PREJUDICE AND SEGREGATION

POVERTY

Given what you now know about the Depression, what can you predict about the story?

“A WORN PATH”

Keep in mind the following questions as we read:

It is never outwardly stated that the story takes place in the Depression-Era South, but there are many clues. What clues can you find in the setting that suggest this?

How do the people Phoenix encounters treat her? What does this say about race relations during this time?

DAY TWO: READING “A WORN PATH”

What message is the author trying to send to the reader?

What is the purpose of Phoenix’s journey?Why does she go to all this trouble?

PREDICTIONS & INFERENCES