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LITERARY OUTLINE WORKSHEET

SHORT STORY: The Open Boat by Stephen Crane Directions: Using PDF Annotator, complete the following worksheet questions. Write or type directly on this worksheet. You will be submitting this to me using the Drop Box. You will need to work diligently. You will have about 40 minutes to complete this. 1. Exposition The background about the characters, the setting, and the situation is known as the exposition. The exposition usually comes at the beginning of the story. Identify the following: Main Characters: Who are the four main characters? Briefly describe each one? Which one would you say is the primary protagonist? 1. 2. 3. 4.

Opening Situation: What is happening in the life of these main characters at the beginning of the story? In other words, why are they doing what they are doing? How did they get into this situation?

Setting: Where and when does the story take place? (Describe. Be as specific as possible.)

2. Conflict The conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. It can internal (man vs. himself), but is usually external man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. nature, man vs. supernatural. Describe the central conflict in a sentence or two, and then describe three other conflicts in the story Central:

Other 1:

Other 2:

Other 3:

3. Inciting Force Identify the event, situation, or character that introduces the central conflict. Describe the inciting force in a sentence (Hint: This is related to what you should have already written about the opening situation above:

3. Incidents The incidents are the events that occur during the course of the story that contribute to the advancement of the plot. There may be only a few distinct incidents in a short story, and there might be hundreds in a lengthy novel. Identify one in each section of The Open Boat. I. II. III. IV. V. VI.

4. Climax The climax is the point in the story when the tension of the conflict reaches its highest point. The outcome of the conflict is about to be revealed. Identify what you believe is the turning point of this story:

5. Resolution The resolution is the final outcome of the story. Often resolution involves a change in one or more of the main characters or involves an insight. Identify the resolution in a sentence or two.

6. Plot Sentence The plot is the soul of the story, to which all incidents relate. It consists of one principle action that includes a conflict of some sort. You should keep trying to state the plot of a story in one complete sentence.

2 Literary Outline Worksheet

Mr. Rose