ELEMENTS OF A SHORTSTORY

SETTINGS CHARACTERS PLOT

* THEME

* LITERARY

TECHNIQUES

* MOOD

* TONE

›Introduction›Rising Action

›Climax›Falling Action

›Denouement

Imagine that you’re dating Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, and it is time you bring him/her to meet-the-

parent session.

Your family is delighted.

Your mother cooks a special dinner. There is no sign of spoon and fork…..

You look at your boyfriend/girlfriend..

He/She seems uncomfortable, but your family continues eating as usual and seems inconsiderate.

How do you feel at this moment of time?

“FISH CHEEKS”Amy Tan

VOCABULARY WORDSShabby (adj.)

- in poor condition, not fair generous or reasonable* Second paragraph

• It was a shabby wallpaper that was peeling from the walls.

Outdone (v)- to do better than someone or something

* 3rd paragraph• My mother had outdone herself in creating a strange menu.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Appalling (adj.)- very bad in a way that causes fear, shock or disgust

* 3rd paragraph• The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of raw food.

Mounds (v.) – a small hill or elevated area

* 3rd paragraph• The kitchen was littered with appalling mounds of raw food.

VOCABULARY WORDSBulging (v)

-A rounded projection, often the result of internal pressure.* 3rd paragraph

• A slimy rock cod with bulging eyes.

Stacked (adj.)- More or less orderly pile or heap

* 3rd paragraph• Tofu, which looked like stacked wedges of rubbery white sponges.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Wedges (n) – a piece of wood, metal, or some other material having one thick end and tapering to a

thin edge, that is driven between two objects or parts of an object to secure or separate them.

Clamor (n)- a large continuous noise (such as noise made by many people)

* 3rd paragraph• Tofu, which looked like stacked wedges of rubbery white sponges

* 4th paragraph• All my relatives in a clamor of doorbells.

VOCABULARY WORDS

Rumpled (v)- to make (something) messy or wrinkled* 4th paragraph

• Rumpled Christmas packages.

Grimaced (n)- a facial expression in which your mouth and face are twisted in a way that shows

disgust, disapproval or pain* 5th paragraph

• Robert grimaced.

VOCABULARY WORDSPoked (v)

- to push your finger or something pointed or thin into or at someone or something

* 5th paragraph• My father poked his chopsticks.

Belched (v)- to let out air from the stomach through the mouth very loudly* 6th paragraph

• My father leaned back and belched loudly.

VOCABULARY WORDSMuster (v)

- to come together* 6th paragraph

• The minister managed to muster up a quiet burp.

Stunned (v)- To deprive of consciousness, feeling or as if by a blow, fall, etc…* 6th paragraph

• I was stunned into silence for the rest of the night

Guide questio

ns

Guide questions

1. Why does Tan cry when she finds out that the boy she is in love with is coming to dinner? 

2. Why does Tan’s mother go out of her way to prepare a traditional Chinese dinner for her daughter and her guests? What one sentence best sums up the lesson Tan was not able to understand until years later? 

3. How does the fourteen-year-old Tan feel about her Chinese background? About her mother? 

Guide questions

4. What is her purpose in writing this essay? Does she simply want to entertain the reader or might she have a weightier goal?

5. How does Tan draw the reader into her story from the beginning? 

6. What is the irony of the last sentence of the essay?

Group activity

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

SETTINGS CHARACTERS PLOT

* THEME- Grp. 1

* LITERARY

TECHNIQUES– Grp. 2

* MOOD- Grp. 3

* TONE- Grp. 4

›Introduction›Rising Action- Grp. 1

›Climax- Grp. 2

›Falling Action- Grp. 3

›Denouement- Grp. 4

Guide questio

ns

Guide questions

1. Why does Tan cry when she finds out that the boy she is in love with is coming to dinner? 

2. Why does Tan’s mother go out of her way to prepare a traditional Chinese dinner for her daughter and her guests? What one sentence best sums up the lesson Tan was not able to understand until years later? 

3. How does the fourteen-year-old Tan feel about her Chinese background? About her mother? 

Guide questions

4. What is her purpose in writing this essay? Does she simply want to entertain the reader or might she have a weightier goal?

5. How does Tan draw the reader into her story from the beginning? 

6. What is the irony of the last sentence of the essay?

SETTINGS CHARACTERS

PLOT

›Introduction›Rising Action- Group

1›Climax- Group 2

›Falling Action- Group 3

›Denouement- Group 4

* THEME – Group 1

* LITERARY TECHNIQUES- Group 2

* MOOD- Group 3

* TONE- Group 4

assignment

* Make a reflection or reaction paper from the story “Fish Cheeks”.

* Read pages 77-80.

Thank you!