Plot Literary Devices: Lamb to the Slaughter

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• mavo, havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

5VWO 

Exploring Key Terms in English Literature

                               How to analyze a story

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to identify and define key terms in the short story Lamb to the Slaughter. 

- You are also able to apply these terms to your analysis of the novel(s) you are reading. 

Introduce the learning objective to the students and explain what they will be able to do by the end of the lesson.

What do you already know about key terms in English literature? Come up with 3 terms.

What is the main character in a story called?

1. protagonist
2. Setting
3. Theme
4. Antagonist

What is irony in literature?

1. Story's setting
2. Character development
3. Coming-of-age
4. Unexpected outcome or contrast

What is a literary theme?

1. Character's traits
2. Main idea of a story
3. Sound effect words
4. Story's conflict

What term describes the time and place of a story?

1. Plot
2. Onomatopoeia
3. Characterization
4. Setting

Reading

Let's read Lamb to the Slaughter

When you are done you are going to answer the following questions:

1. Who is the protagonist?

2. Where is the story set?

3. What is the theme of the story?

4.  What's ironic about the story?

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

External conflict:

* character vs. character

* character vs. society

* character vs. nature

* character vs. technology

Internal conflict:

* character vs. self

What is "plot"? (English please)

Plot

Plot is what happens in a story and how these things are told.

Most stories have the same structure.

Freytag's Pyramid

Exposition

> the start of the story

> the protagonist is introduced

> the (main/first) setting is described

> something happens

Rising Action

> events unfold

> things happen

> more problems

> more exciting

Climax

> most exciting

> problems at max

> can't stop reading/ playing/watching

Falling Action

> main problem is solved

> other (minor) problems are resolved

> questions are answered

Resolution

The they-lived-happily-

ever-after-stage

Create your own roller coaster about Lamb to the Slaughter

Step 1: write down the elements of the plot
(exposition/rising action etc)

Step 2: brainstorm/think about your story

Step 3: create the roller coaster on paper

Compare rollercoasters

Do we agree with each other?