📚AP English Literature Unit 4 – Short Fiction: Characters & Conflict

What's This Unit About?

• Focuses on the study of characters and conflict in short fiction
• Explores how authors create complex, dynamic characters through various techniques
• Examines the different types of conflict found in literature and their role in driving the plot
• Analyzes the relationship between character development and conflict
• Discusses notable short stories and authors known for their mastery of character and conflict
• Provides opportunities for practice and application of the concepts learned in the unit

Key Terms and Concepts

• Characterization: The process of creating and revealing the personalities, motivations, and traits of characters in a story
• Protagonist: The main character or hero of a story, often facing challenges and driving the plot forward
• Antagonist: A character, force, or institution that opposes the protagonist and creates conflict
• Round characters: Complex, fully developed characters with multiple dimensions and the capacity for growth and change
• Flat characters: Simple, one-dimensional characters who lack depth and remain unchanged throughout the story
• Static characters: Characters who do not undergo significant change or growth throughout the story
• Dynamic characters: Characters who experience significant growth, change, or development throughout the story
• Internal conflict: A struggle that takes place within a character's mind, often involving conflicting desires, beliefs, or moral dilemmas
  • Example: A character torn between their sense of duty and their personal desires (Hamlet)
• External conflict: A struggle between a character and an outside force, such as another character, society, nature, or technology
  • Example: A character fighting against a corrupt government (1984)

Elements of Short Fiction

• Plot: The sequence of events in a story, typically following a structure of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution
• Setting: The time, place, and social context in which a story takes place, often influencing characters and conflict
• Point of view: The perspective from which a story is told, such as first-person, third-person limited, or third-person omniscient
• Theme: The central idea or underlying meaning of a story, often exploring universal truths or human experiences
• Symbolism: The use of objects, characters, or events to represent abstract ideas or concepts
  • Example: The green light in The Great Gatsby symbolizing Gatsby's unattainable dream
• Irony: A contrast between what is expected and what actually occurs, often used to create humor, emphasize a point, or reveal a deeper truth
  • Example: Situational irony in "The Gift of the Magi" where the couple's sacrifices render their gifts useless
• Foreshadowing: Clues or hints that suggest future events in the story, creating suspense and anticipation

Character Development Techniques

• Direct characterization: The author explicitly describes a character's traits, motivations, and background
• Indirect characterization: The author reveals a character's personality through their actions, dialogue, thoughts, and interactions with others
  • Example: Showing a character's kindness through their actions rather than stating it directly
• Character arc: The transformation or growth a character undergoes throughout the story, often in response to the conflicts they face
• Dialogue: Conversations between characters that reveal their personalities, relationships, and conflicts
• Interior monologue: A character's inner thoughts and feelings, providing insight into their motivations and decision-making process
• Foil characters: Characters with contrasting traits or personalities who highlight the qualities of the main character
  • Example: Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, with Watson's ordinary nature emphasizing Holmes' extraordinary deductive skills
• Backstory: A character's history or past experiences that shape their current personality and actions

Types of Conflict in Literature

• Person vs. Self: A character's internal struggle with their own thoughts, feelings, or moral dilemmas
  • Example: The narrator's battle with guilt and paranoia in "The Tell-Tale Heart"
• Person vs. Person: A conflict between two or more characters with opposing goals or beliefs
  • Example: The rivalry between Montresor and Fortunato in "The Cask of Amontillado"
• Person vs. Society: A character's struggle against the norms, values, or expectations of their society or community
  • Example: The protagonist's defiance of conformity in "The Lottery"
• Person vs. Nature: A character's battle against the forces of nature, such as storms, animals, or harsh environments
  • Example: The crew's fight for survival in "The Open Boat"
• Person vs. Technology: A character's conflict with advanced technology or artificial intelligence
  • Example: The humans' struggle against the machines in "The Matrix"
• Person vs. Supernatural: A character's encounter with supernatural beings or forces, such as ghosts, gods, or magic
  • Example: The governess' confrontation with the ghostly figures in "The Turn of the Screw"

Analyzing Character and Conflict

• Identify the main characters and their roles in the story (protagonist, antagonist, supporting characters)
• Examine how the author develops characters through direct and indirect characterization techniques
• Analyze the characters' motivations, desires, and fears, and how they influence their actions and decisions
• Identify the primary conflicts in the story and categorize them (person vs. self, person vs. person, etc.)
• Examine how the conflicts drive the plot and contribute to the overall theme of the story
• Analyze the characters' responses to conflict and how they grow or change as a result
• Consider the resolution of the conflicts and its impact on the characters and the story's message
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the author's use of character and conflict in conveying the story's theme and engaging the reader

Notable Short Stories and Authors

• "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson: A chilling tale of conformity and tradition in a small town
• "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe: A story of revenge and deception between two rivals
• "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A woman's descent into madness while confined in a room with yellow wallpaper
• "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant: A woman's obsession with wealth and status leads to her downfall
• "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry: A couple's selfless love is revealed through their sacrifices for each other
• "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway: A couple's unspoken conflict and communication breakdown
• "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin: A woman's unexpected reaction to her husband's presumed death
• "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver: A man's encounter with a blind man challenges his perceptions and prejudices

Practice and Application

• Read and analyze short stories, focusing on character development and conflict
• Participate in class discussions and debates about the stories' themes, characters, and conflicts
• Write character analyses and conflict essays, applying the concepts learned in the unit
• Create original short stories that demonstrate effective use of character development and conflict
• Peer-review classmates' stories and provide constructive feedback on their use of character and conflict
• Revise and refine your own stories based on feedback and insights gained throughout the unit
• Present your stories to the class and discuss your creative process, challenges, and successes in crafting compelling characters and conflicts