Unit 2: Fiction

Week 8

The Difference Between Fiction and Nonfiction
Is all fiction literature? Is all nonfiction literature?

Elements of Literature with Mr. Taylor (Part 1)
These are the Elements of Literature, the things that make up every story.
Elements of Literature with Mr. Taylor (Part 2)
Mr. Taylor continues his lesson on the elements of literature.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, “Young Goodman Brown,” 1835
Read the full text of "Young Goodman Brown."
Kate Chopin, “The Story of An Hour,” 1894
Read the full text of "The Story of An Hour."
Theme
Learn about theme, which is the main idea, lesson or message in the novel.
Conflict
Read about conflict, which is usually the heart of the story and revolves around the main character.
Characters and Characterization
Study the novel extracts and then answer the questions that follow.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” 1892
Read the full text of "The Yellow Wallpaper."
Philip K. Dick, “Beyond the Door,” 1954
Read the full text of "Beyond the Door."
How to Analyze a Short Story
A short story is a work of short, narrative prose that is usually centered around one single event. It is limited in scope and has an introduction, body, and conclusion. This guide will introduce you to the literary elements that you will need to understand in order to write a literary analysis of a short story.

Point of View
In this video, you will learn the different kinds of narrative Point of View (POV): reliable first person, unreliable first person, omniscient third person,
limited third person, objective third person, and even the rarely-used second person. Also, better understand why understanding POV is an important life skill, beyond the writing or study of literature.