Literary Response Journal #2-Realist Short Stories
Directions:
The journal should be typed following proper MLA format–>MLA Journal format Download MLA Journal format.
Your title should be the same as the assignment. Example: Literary Response Journal #1-The Vernacular Tradition
The journal entry should be a minimum of 2 paragraphs with a minimum of 300 words.
Choose TWO topics from below.
The first paragraph should be about Topic #1, and the second paragraph should be about Topic #2.
Do not bullet your answers.
Include the literary work’s TAG (title-properly punctuated/author/genre).
Use specific references to the literary work but NO DIRECT QUOTES.
Answer with careful thought and insight.
Watch your grammar, spelling, mechanics, and punctuation.
Do not copy the question in your journal response. Use your own thoughts about the work. Remember, you are submitting your journal to Turnitin.com. It will catch plagiarism which will result in a zero for your assignment.
Writers frequently do not present all of the events in a story in chronological order. For example, in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” Bierce presents a flashback in which he describes the events that led up to Farquhar’s hanging. How doe Bierce’s use of the flashback technique contribute to the effectiveness of the story?
Considering the outcome of “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” what is ironic, or surprising, about Farquhar’s longing for “the larger life of a soldier”? What is ironic about the fact that Farquhar assents to the “dictum that all is fair in love and war”?
Situational irony occurs when incongruity appears between expectations of something to happen, and what actually happens instead. Thus, something entirely different happens from what the audience may be expecting, or the final outcome is opposite to what the audience is expecting. Situational irony generally includes sharp contrasts and contradictions. The purpose of ironic situations is to allow the readers to make a distinction between appearances and realities, and eventually associate them to the theme of a story. Discuss Chesnutt’s use of situational irony at the end of “The Passing of Grandison.” Were you expecting the twist at the end of the story?
Satire is a technique employed by writers to expose and criticize foolishness and corruption of an individual or a society, by using humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule. It intends to improve humanity by criticizing its follies and foibles. A writer in a satire uses fictional characters, which stand for real people, to expose and condemn their corruption. Discuss Chesnutt’s use of satire in “The Passing of Grandison.” What does he seek to ridicule with his story?
In “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” how is Oakhurst’s occupation reflected in his attitude toward life? What does Harte mean when he writes that Oakhurst “was the strongest and yet the weakest of the outcasts of Poker Flat?” Though the characters in this story have little in common, they band together. What situations tend to draw people together in real life? Go back and read the last paragraph of each of the story. What comment on life and death do you think they are making, especially in “The Outcasts of Poker Flat”? What do the stories say about humanity? Review the characteristics of Realism and Naturalism. Which category does each story best fit into (choose only one per story) and explain why it fits better in that particular category.
Required Reading
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Regional Realism—American Passages: A Literary Survey
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Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?)
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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Text.pdf
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William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) (1862-1910)
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The Ransom of Red Chief-O Henry Text.pdf
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Bret Harte (1836-1902)
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The Outcasts of Poker Flat Text.pdf
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Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1932)
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The Passing of Grandison Text.pdf
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Jack London (1876-1916)
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To Build a Fire Text.pdf
Writers frequently do not present all of the events in a story in chronological order. For example, in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” Bierce presents a flashback in which he describes the events that led up to Farquhar’s hanging. How doe Bierce’s use of the fla