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Short Story Unit Test

English III Honors

Study Guide

The Story of an Hour: Irony

The Ministers Black Veil: AllegoryThe Devil and Tom Walker: Omniscient narration

A Rose for Emily

The Fall of the House of Usher

The Story of an Hour: Irony:Dramatic Irony: This type of irony occurs when the audience is provided with info that the

characters do not know

Situational Irony: This type of irony occurs when an event turns out to be different from

what the reader expects.

*An ironic twist can send a narrative in an unexpected or surprising direction.

DRAMATIC IRONY:

*--At the end, when the doctors say she had "died of heart disease--of joy that kills," we

know that she actually died from shock and disappointment of everything that she just hoped

for taken away, not from shock of happiness for his life.

--At the part when the sister Josephine kneels before the closed door and begs Louise to open

the door because Josephine thinks Louise is making herself ill, it is dramatic irony because

only we know that Mrs. Mallard is telling the truth. She is not sad; she is actually "drinking

in a very elixir of life," which Josephine and Richards don't know.

SITUATIONAL IRONY:*--At the end, we think she will be able to live a life of days that would be her own, but her

husband unexpectedly turns out to be alive, and instead of a long life all to her own, she dies

right as she sees him.

--When she went away to her room alone, we think she is going to greive more, but then she

actually becomes joyful at the thought of a life to live for herself.

The Minister's Black Veil: Allegory:Allegory: a literary work in which characters, events, details of setting, and other story

elements have symbolic meaning. Through the use of symbols, allegories teach a moral

lesson.EX: The minister's black veil in Hawthorne's story is a symbol of the secret sins of all

humanity. The moral lesson may be that because everyone is a sinner, no one should harshly

judge anyone else.

1. Congregation--Hooper's congregation believed that he had "gone mad" and also called it

shameful for him to wear such a veil (-detail its actions-). This could show society's inability

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to accept change or intolerance of different attitudes. His congregation is "quick to judge"

someone they once respected. [-Moral lesson-]

2. Funeral/Maiden's Corpse--Funeral is the appropriate place for the veil. The maiden's

corpse was said to have "shuddered" in the presence of the veil (-detail old lady and vision-).

If the veil reflects secret sin, the corpse may reveal the connection between secret sinand death (-i.e. Judgment Day-). [-Moral lesson- In death, everyone will be confronted with

their sins after Death, you can't run from them.]

3. Wedding/Bride and Bridegroom-- The veil is inappropriate for such a joyous occasion.

The bride seems to be distracted and physically affected by the presence of the veil (i.e.

paleness of face, cold hands, etc.) Perhaps this symbolizes that death will still come, and

secrets are not hidden from loved ones forever. [-Moral lesson-]

4. Elizabeth-- His fiance wants Hooper to discard veil if only just for her. She believes that

others may not view it as a reflection of "innocent" sin. Hooper still refuses. This may

symbolize that sometimes love is NOT truly unconditional where loved ones are concerned.Sometimes love may be altered by what others may think or perceive about one's significant

other. [-Moral lesson-]

The Devil and Tom Walker: Omniscient narration:Omniscient narration: Omniscient narrators are all knowing and outside the action. They

can take us into the minds and hearts of all the characters and behind all the events unfolding

in the story.

1. Tom: When Tom refuses to accept the deal with the devil after his wife insists he take it, itis revealed that Tom refuses just to spite her. The fact that she wants him to have it makes

him not want to take it moreso.

2. Tom's wife: After she goes and attempts to make a deal with the Devil, she is very

hesitant to give Tom information about their meeting. It is revealed that she withholds details

because she knows that she plans to keep all of the money and not share it with Tom.

3. The Devil: After Tom agrees to the deal with the Devil, the Devil tells Tom to become a

slave ship owner. When Tom declines, it is revealed that the Devil senses his hesitation and

tells him to be a usurer instead, which he considered his "special people."

The Minister's Black Veil:

Veil--black piece of crape. See-through for only him.

Reaction of congregation:

-1--Inability to accept change or tolerate differences

-2--Very quick to judge someone they once respected.

First sermon, first day of veil: Secret sin.

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Corpse: The body shudders because of the presence of the veil--It reminds the corpse of

secret sin, which it takes to judgement.

Bride at the wedding--trembles, goes pale, cold hands in presence of the veil.

[THINK: The Veil means secret sin, why does that affect the bride?]

It reminds us that people may bring secret sin into wedlock.

Sees his own reflection: drops wine on the carpet, shuddered, white lips.

Elizabeth was his fiance.

"An hour to come, when all of us shall cast aside our veils"...Death, judgement day.

Elizabeth should have unconditional love, but she is concerned about what others believe, so

she backs out of her promise.

How has Parson Hooper's sermon changed? It is efficient and more effective. (The veil

seems to make his words more effective.)

People from other settlements even come because they feel he can wear his sins on his

sleeve, so they will be able to too.

The minister of Westbury at Hooper's deathbed--

They feel, "surely, you don't want to bring this veil, this secret sin (which they see as evil)

ink death and make your pure reputation blackened/shrouded. They try to take off his veil--

But he shouts "Never!" And he's trying to say everyone has secret sin, because no one says,

"Hey! I committed so-and-so!"

Whatever secret sin you commit on earth, you must be ready to answer for after death in

Judgement.

A Rose for Emily

--Focused about the changing community around her (Emily)

Setting: After the turn of the century, 20th century.

The older men dressed in Confederate uniform are older, still Old South mentality.

Townspeople are telling story, flashback, first person. Opinionated, assuming, nosy, altered

view.

Tax situation--Colonel Sartoris feels the town is indebted in money to the father and his

family, but that's Old South.

Toby, the slave--represents the racial tension that still exists. He still does the same things hedid before because she is so reluctant to change.

The first clue in analysis--Refusing to hand over the body.

Homer is like the New South. May have been unwilling to settle/get tied down or is gay. Left

ambiguous.

-->Apparently tells Miss Emily this, and then she is not too happy and buys rat poison.

Townspeople are originally happy, then wonder if its the appropriate class for her. They call

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upon the minister, who refuses to tell about the conversation. He calls upon her cousins, who

she doesn't listen to.

His position is that of an embrace. They see a recent indentation with her hair.

Homer was her rose that she pressed to preserve, instead of letting die, and keeping it

forever.

Townspeople--small town, very nosy in everyone else's affairs, judgmental

At first they admire, then pity, then are stand-offish/distant to Miss Emily.

The Devil and Tom Walker

Retelling of "good vs evil", "making a deal with the devil"

--Wife is evil

--Work really really hard for your wealth. Any unearned wealth was frowned upon in

colonial Puritan society. The wealthy were seen as the Devil's people.

Wife--very different from colonial wife, talks and fights back.

P 292, description of Devil--befriend with soot, has been working with fire, his hair shocked

like from fire. Neither Indian nor black, but Indian garb because he lives in the forest.

The trees are great and large, some are just a stump, some are half cut.--Shows how close

they are to death. Half-hewn=approaching death.

The first reason Tom refuses the offer is because it is a weighty decision. Because he is

hesitant, the devil wants him.

The second reason to refuse to sell his soul=Spite for his wife.

The devil is just playing with the wife; he already has her soul.

Tom is never concerned for the wife, instead, the valuables. Because they are gone, he

decides he needs the Devil's money.

Author's bias: Irving was an abolitionist.

The devil was even happier with a usurer because he looked upon them as his particular

people.

Becomes biggest hypocrite at church.

Nothing good comes from greed.

Told like a story telling.

The Fall of the House of Usher

Reason he visits: in response to compelling letter from his boyhood friend. Roderick feels

like he would benefit from the company of his boyhood friend, he associates the friend with

happier times.

The House itself is an Usher. When it falls, it is actually the last of the line of Ushers with

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Roderick and Madeline. The House is a character.

Description of house:

-slight fissure (crack) that undermines the house's foundation. (Gradually gets bigger

throughout story)

-no vegetation or plant life, only decayed

-tarn (small lake) surrounds it, deep, enough to take the whole house

When they meet, he is startled by Usher's appearance:

-pallor of his skin (pale)

-miraculous luster in his eyes

-aging in short amount of time

Glimpse of Madeline, Usher's twin sister

Madeline suffers from the gradual wasting away of the person, partial catalepsy, where an

attack causes the body to stiffen like a corpse, trance of loss of consciousness, no feeling.

If she dies, Usher is the last of the true Usher bloodline--inbreeding, no other bloodline

mixed in

Roderick Usher is consumed, is a slave to his own fear. He can't have fun because of fear--

fear for his bloodline, of his death, of the house

Read, listen to music--narrator tries to get him out of melancholy

Usher has written the Haunted Palace, where the house is haunted and takes on it's own

entity.

After he finishes he confesses that he thinks his house and its surroundings are alive and has

human qualities

Roderick decides to bury his sister alive, he knew she was alive (his mental illness)

Narrator agrees to help Usher bury his sister in the House with all the other Ushers. All of theother Ushers are beneath the House and have never left it.

Flushing of cheeks, and small smile.

Narrator starts getting depressed--nightmares, pacing.

House causes severe depression for anyone that enters

Mad Trist--Sounds are heard that correlate with story.

Roderick has a heightened sense of hearing and all senses

Roderick tried to control when his sister died, since he knew death was inevitable

Lady Madeline is deranged, delirium causes superhuman strength and a rush of adrenaline.

She woke up in a coffin, and was in there for (8) days.She lunges at Roderick, but doesn't kill him, he died of sheer fear/excitement. Madeline's

lunge was the last thing.

The narrator narrowly escapes, since he is not an Usher.

He looks back, and the house goes into the tarn, almost like it had never been there.

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Dramatic Irony: This occurs when the audience is provided with information that the other

characters do not know.

*At the end, Louises husband Brently Mallard returns to the house, alive and well. Richards

tries to prevent the wife from seeing the newcomer, presumably because of the wifes heart

trouble, but is too late. When the doctors come, they say Louise died of the joy that kills.

This is dramatic irony because the reader, knowing everything that occurred in the room

when none of the other characters were there, knows that she actually died from shock and

disappointment of everything that she just hoped for taken away, not from shock of

happiness for his life.

Situational Irony: This occurs when an event occurs turns out to be different from what the

reader expects.

*Louises imagination runs wild, dreaming of days all to her own. The reader comes to

believe that this future for her will exist, a life without oppression from the husband she didnot fully love. Then, her husband turns out to be alive. This is situational irony because

instead of the life all to her own that the reader expects, the husband is surprisingly alive and

she actually dies as she sees him, instead of living a long life.

Allegory: a literary work in which characters, events, details of setting, and other story

elements have a symbolic meaning. Through the use of symbols, allegories teach a moral

lesson.

1. Congregation--Hooper's congregation believed that he had "gone mad" and also called it

shameful for him to wear such a veil. Everyone turned to look at him, some had to leave atthe sight of the veil and those that stayed felt exposed of their secret sin from his words.

After the service, they hurried out and gossiped, gave him strange and bewildered looks to

his normal kindness, treated him differently than usual, and tried to make excuses for his

choice in wearing the veil. This could show society's inability to accept change or intolerance

of different attitudes. His congregation is "quick to judge" someone they once respected. A

moral lesson that could be taken from this is that while someone may choose to do something

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another way, they may still be the same person and should not be judged and treated so

differently.

2. Funeral/Maiden's CorpseThe congregation sees the funeral in the afternoon as the

appropriate place for the veil that Parson Hooper wears. At the funeral, the maiden's corpsewas said to have "shuddered" in the presence of the veil as Parson Hooper leans over the

coffin. The only witness to see this was a superstitious old woman, although later some

people imagine the minister and the maidens spirit walking hand in hand. If the veil reflects

secret sin, the corpse may reveal the connection between secret sin and death, or Judgment

Day. A moral lesson could be that you cant run from the sin that you commit on Earth, as

everyone will be confronted with their sins after Death.

3. Wedding/Bride and BridegroomThe congregation believes that the veil is

inappropriate for such a joyous occasion that night. The bride seems to be distracted and

physically affected by the presence of the veil. This was inferred through her cold hands and

pale face. Perhaps this symbolizes that death will still come, and secrets are not hidden fromloved ones forever. The moral lesson learned here may be that secret sin is brought into

marriage, but it may not be hidden forever.

4. Elizabeth-- His fiance wants Hooper to discard veil if only just for her. She believes that

others may not view it as a reflection of "innocent" sin. Hooper still refuses. This may

symbolize that sometimes love is not truly unconditional where loved ones are concerned.

Sometimes love may be altered by what others may think or perceive about one's significant

other. Unconditional love cannot exist when either party is more concerned of what others

think.

Omniscient narration: Omniscient narrators are all knowing and outside the action. They

can take us into the minds and hearts of all the characters and behind all the events unfolding

in the story.

1. Tom: When Tom refuses to accept the deal with the devil after his wife insists he take it, it

is revealed that Tom refuses just to spite her. The fact that she wants him to have it makes

him not want to take it moreso.

2. Tom's wife: After she goes and attempts to make a deal with the Devil, she is very

hesitant to give Tom information about their meeting. It is revealed that she withholds detailsbecause she knows that she plans to keep all of the money and not share it with Tom.

3. The Devil: After Tom agrees to the deal with the Devil, the Devil tells Tom to become a

slave ship owner. When Tom declines, it is revealed that the Devil senses his hesitation and

tells him to be a usurer instead, which he considered his "special people."