Short Story Unit Review

Mr. Thompkins Class 2016

“By the Waters of Babylon” - Stephen Vincent Benet

• Summary of story: In “By the Waters of Babylon’ john sets out on a journey to the place of the gods. Where he finds a secret that only he knows.

Elise- “By the Waters of Babylon” By Stephen Vincent Benet is a short story that takes place in post-apocalyptic New York City. The story follows a young boy named John as he defies the rules of his tribe and goes into a land called “The Place of the Gods”, to seek knowledge about the people before him; the people who caused the city to become destroyed. In the end John learns that there really was no “gods” and that the people in the forbidden place were just regular people. John tells his elders and they decide it better to not inform the other people in the tribe of their new discovery.

• Themes

Elise- The story “By the Waters of Babylon” has a theme of knowledge, and served as a warning to humankind as to what will happen if we do not change our ways. The theme of knowledge was present in John’s situation, as the whole story revolves around John seeking knowledge about “The Place of the Gods”. The story also warns about the fall of mankind, since the setting of the story was post-apocalyptic New York City and due to the significance of the title. The place Babylon existed in history, and bears a great resemblance to New York City. Babylon was known for its high level of civilization, the long river that ran through the whole city (reference to Hudson River), as well as its great power along with wickedness. New York City was used as a modern representation of Babylon in the story.

• Important Symbols: God roads, forbidden metals,place of the gods.

1.Wild dogs chased John when he tries to enter the “Gods Tower”, possibly representing Johns fear and anxiety about breaking the rules of his tribe.

2.The Forest People represented the people who didn’t learn a lesson after the apocalypse, and those who will be the fall of the new society.

What is the POV:The point of view in this story is first person.

• Important quotes:It is forbidden to go to any of the dead places except to search for metal and the he who touches the metal must be a priest or the son of the priest.

“We shall go to the Place of the Gods-the place newyork- not one man but a company.”

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

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Also list group members on the bottom: Elise and Leo

“Brothers are the Same” - Beryl Markham

• Summary of story

The story “Brothers are the Same” is about a Masai boy who has to face a lion to prove that he is a man. When it comes time to face the lion he is afraid but he eventually overcomes his fears and faces the lion.

• Themes

The theme would be, that obstacles can be overcome even in the hardest of times

The theme of the story “Brothers are the Same” is determination on what is important to you

• Important Symbols

The necklace

The other hunters represent a crowd of people that force you to go only one way.

An example of an important symbol is the spear. When it is clean it represents innocence in the boy, when it is stained with blood it represents the manhood.

• What is the POV: The point of view in the story is first person
• Important quote

“Fear of the battle was a nonexistent thing- but fear of failure could be real, and was.”

Maria Almanza

Juan A. Bolanos

“My Wonder Horse/ Mi Caballo Mago” - Sabine R. Ulibarri

• Summary of story: “My Wonder Horse/ Mi Caballo Mago” is about a boy who has high hopes about catching a horse that men have been trying to catch for a long time. He catches it temporarily and then the horse escapes. Towards the end the boy was a little sad when he saw the blood on the floor but then he was happy for the horse because he had escaped.
• Theme:
• Even if your hopes and expectation are high they aren’t always impossible.�Freedom comes with a price.
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• Important Symbols: The boy, The horse
• What is the POV: Third Person Limited
• Important quotes: “Pride, prestige, and art incarnated in animal flesh.”

Written by,

Izaya Orozco

Gabby Vargas

“The Scarlet Ibis” - James Hurst

• Summary of story

The story is about a boy that pushes his mentally handicapped brother to hard and kills him

• Themes

There are certain things you can’t force to happen, you have to let them happen at their own time. Some people help others not for the person but for themselves. Too much help can hurt someone. Too much pride comes with a cost.

• The coffin symbolizes Doodles death.
• The Scarlet Ibis symbolizes Doodle
• The story is written in first person view.
• “Pride is a wonderful, terrible thing, a seed that bears two vines, life, and death”
• “It is better to lose your pride with someone you love rather than to lose that someone you love with your useless pride”

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1. Americus Campos
2. Judy De La Cruz
3. Maria Andrade

“Marigolds”- Eugenia W. Collier

• Summary of story

The story, “Marigolds,” written by Eugenia W. Collier, takes place in an old neighborhood and shows the importance of enjoying your life because at some point in life you will regret never being able to do what you wanted. Lizabeth is a perfect example of what I explained in the second sentence because she matured too fast for her age.

• Themes

One theme for this story is that letting your anger out and showing how you feel can be good for you, but you must do it without hurting someone else. Another theme is that something simple could have a great meaning to someone else, so you must be careful with other people’s property and belongings.

• Important Symbols

The marigolds in the story symbolized Mrs. Lottie’s happiness, love, and joy that she had left. Also, John Burke symbolized the lostness of society.

• What is the POV

The point of view is first-person point of view

• Important quotes

“...the bewilderment of being neither child nor woman and yet both at once…”

“Whatever verve there was left in her, whatever was of love and joy that had not been squeezed out by life, had been there in the marigolds she had so tenderly cared for.”

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom: Magaly Corona

“Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”-Ambrose Bierce

• (SUMMARY) The story, “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, is about a man who is going to get hanged because of a crime. While he is on the verge of dying, he has an hallucination of him escaping death. When he is hallucinating, he imagines himself back at his home but then everything goes back to reality and he gets hanged.
• (THEME) Death is inescapable. In moments of great tragedy we humans try to escape reality.
• (SYMBOLISM) His home when he was dreaming symbolized freedom. His wife and children symbolized his motivation towards surviving. The bridge symbolized the verge between life and death.
• (POV) Third person limited
• (IMPORTANT QUOTES)The quote, “The thought of his wife and children urged him on.”, is important because it shows why the character is so motivated to stay alive.

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom

Brayan Arambula

“The Euphio Question” - Kurt Vonnegut

• Summary of story
• The main Summary of “The Euphio Question” is the narrator's friend (Lew Harrison) had invented a machine that cause people to be happy but it didn’t turn out as plan. Dr. Fred Bockman invited Mr. Harrison to his show so he may show his machine to the world. Later finding out what it can do Dr. Bockman wanted to sell the product. Only to understand they cannot control the machine when turned on. Later agreeing it is to destructive they destroyed it in the end.
• Themes
• If there was no sadness they would be a need for happiness
• You can’t buy happiness
• Important Symbols
• Fred would symbolize greed in the world
• The narrator would symbolizes the people showing he has no name shows he is a normal man
• Lew symbolizes science
• What is the POV
• First person
• Important quotes
• “ If somebody thinks he wants peace of mind the way we found it, he’d be well advised to seek coronary thrombosis instead”(Vonnegut 189)

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom : Adriana Perez

“The Cask of Amontillado” - EDGAR ALLAN POE

• Summary of story : Montresor wants revenge on Fortunato because he insulted him. So Montresor tricks him into a carnival and buries him alive.
• Themes : Montresor pledges revenge on Fortunato because of an insult. He wants revenge to follow his family’s motto, “Nemo me impune lacessit ( No one assails me with impunity).
• Important Symbols : An important symbol is “FORTUNATO” its important because his name means “THE FORTUNATE ONE” but he’s unfortunate because he’s the victim of Montresor’s revenge.
• What is the POV: The point of view is first person view, because Montresor is the narrator and the main character.
• Important quotes: “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured into insult, I vowed revenge”.
• This quote is important because it shows how Montresor is angry and wants revenge on Fortunato.

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom

“Throught the Tunnel” - Dorris Lissing

• Summary of story-Through the Tunnel was about a boy named Jerry who longs for friends / attention because his mother , Roseanne, doesn’t pay much attention . He tries to become friends with some older boys at the beach but instead leave him . He attempts to hold his breath as much as the boys to impress his mother , but instead put his life at risk .
• Themes-Find your own style and interest . We should push ourselves to do better , but not too much . Take your time and practice .
• Important Symbols-The rock represents that at times we believe we can do more than possible of us . The blood represents determination of attempting the impossible . The moms beach symbolized safety. The goggles symbolized
• What is the POV-The point of view of “ Through the Tunnel ’’ is third point of view because it doesn’t show the character’s thoughts/feelings .
• Important quotes- “Well I shouldn’t over due it. I don’t think you ought to swim any more today”

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom-Jonathan Ramirez

“The Beginning of Something” - Author

• Summary of story
• Themes
• Important Symbols
• What is the POV
• Important quotes

Add an image to that your group feels best represents this story.

Also list group members on the bottom

Final Topics to Study

How does the setting of World War 1 affect the setting in the Scarlet Ibis?

Know the following terms: Irony, Climax, Symbol, Theme, Setting, First person POV, Third Person Omniscient POV, Third Person Limited POV, Flashback

Review the Poems and their themes

E.O-“Woman With Flower” was about being careful to not OVER nurture something, and to let the things we love find their own way, with guidance but not being overbearing.

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GOOD LUCK ON THE TEST AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!!!!!!