Reader’s Workshop

Reader’s WorkshopReader’s WorkshopMinilessons

Beginnings: Prefaces, Forewords, Beginnings: Prefaces, Forewords, Prologues, and IntroductionsPrologues, and Introductions

Foreword: Provides information or background about a book. Often it is written by someone other than the author.

Preface: A statement or essay, usually written by the author, to introduce a book or explain its scope or intention.

Prologue: Used to just be for plays- now used for stories, too. Offer prior action or background that is helpful to understanding the story but not actually part of the story.


Introductions: Generic term that often describes a preface, foreword, or prologue.

You should always read the introduction It usually makes it easier to understand the rest of the reading.

Sometimes, the introduction is titled something like, “a word to the reader” or “before you start” or something like that.


Find a book on my shelf that has introductory material.

What is the title/author?Does the intro have a title? What is it?Briefly summarize the introductory

material.What is the purpose of the intro material?Is the intro material helpful to the reader?

Explain.

Endings: Epilogues, Afterwords, Endings: Epilogues, Afterwords, and Conclusionsand Conclusions

Epilogue: Short concluding section at the end of a story- often tells the future of the characters after the story has ended.

Afterword: Final comment on the story, offers information about the author or explains how the story was written.

Conclusion: Ties together any loose ends after the climax- may or may not be labeled.

Some stories have this end matter, some don’t. Don’t be alarmed if you don’t see an afterword or an epilogue. All stories have conclusions, though most aren’t labeled.

Endings: Epilogues, Afterwords, Endings: Epilogues, Afterwords, and Conclusionsand Conclusions

What is the title of your book?Who is the author?Does your book have an epilogue or an

afterword?Briefly describe the end matter.What is the purpose of the end matter?Is the end matter necessary? Explain.

LEADS in Fiction and NonfictionLEADS in Fiction and Nonfiction

The lead has 3 main goals:◦Grab the reader’s attention and interest◦Reveal a problem or conflict (fiction), or

introduce the subject (nonfiction)◦Carry the reader easily into the body of the

story or article


Leads for fiction often reveal a problem or conflict, or hint at a problem to come.

The author may:◦Open with action, showing characters trying to

solve a problem◦Offer clues that a problem is about to happen◦Show conflict or hostility◦Open in a setting of fear, doom, terror, or

impending tragedy◦Offer a humorous scene◦Begin with dialogue, showing the characters having

a conversation about a problem


Leads for nonfiction introduce the subject.The author may:

◦State a problem◦Ask the reader a question that is tied to a problem◦Share a brief story or interesting situation◦Put the reader in a familiar situation◦Share an interesting or compelling quotation from

someone, usually an authority on a subject◦Begin with a description of tragedy◦State an unusual, frightening, or surprising statistic◦Tell a joke◦Exaggerate an ordinary situation, usually in a

humorous manner


What is the title of your material?Who is the author?Briefly describe the lead.How does the lead attempt to grab the

attention of the reader?In your opinion, might this lead be

improved? Why or why not?

PLOTPLOT

The backbone of the storyIncludes the following elements:

◦The lead characters are faced with a problem◦Trying to solve it leads to conflict◦They encounter complications/setbacks ◦The complications grow as the tension

increases◦Climax◦The characters either solve the problem or they

fail

PLOTPLOT

PLOTPLOT

Who are the lead characters in your story?What problem do they face?Describe the conflict that arises from the

problem.Describe some complications that arise

during the story.What actions do the lead characters take to

solve the problem?Do the lead characters solve the problem?

Explain.

THEMETHEME

The author’s message to his or her readers. Usually centers around some aspect of life. The author shares his or her impression of life with the

reader. The theme of many stories has to do with the fight

between good and evil. Theme arises out of the action of a story. The reader

draws conclusions based on what he or she reads. The author doesn’t spell it out.

Complex stories often have multiple themes.◦ Shrek

Be yourself Trust others and accept love and friendship Good triumphs over evil Accept others for who they are

THEMETHEME

Describe the theme(s) of your story.Describe at least three actions that

support the theme.Do you think the theme is important?

Explain.Do you agree or disagree with the theme?

Explain.

CLIMAXCLIMAX

The moment when the lead characters either solve the problem or fail. All the previous action leads to this moment.

Often the most dramatic, suspenseful, interesting part of the story,

In action movies, this is usually the big car chase.

Shrek: When Shrek realizes that he has been a big dummy and goes to try to stop Fiona from marrying Farquad.

CLIMAXCLIMAX

Describe the climax of the book you last read.

Describe at least three events that lead up to the climax.

Do the lead characters solve the problem they face or do they fail? Explain.

Were you satisfied with this climax? Explain.

CHARACTERCHARACTER

Round: The character has many traitsFlat: One trait- usually a supporting roleStatic: The character doesn’t changeDynamic: The character changes

throughout the course of the storyCharacter is revealed through action,

thoughts and emotions, or description

CHARACTERCHARACTER

Character Revealed through Action◦Honesty

Finds and returns a lost wallet even though desperate for money

◦Cowardliness Runs from a fight, leaving friends behind

◦ALSO WHAT THEY SAY MAKES A DIFFERENCE◦Negativity◦Enemies speak highly of him, even grudgingly◦Other characters dislike him◦The words of other characters describe a character

CHARACTERCHARACTER

Character Revealed through Thoughts and Emotion◦A character who desires wealth= greed,

ruthlessness◦A character who thinks he is a failure= will act like a

failure◦A young woman who feels sympathy for a sparrow

with a broken wing= will elicit sympathy from the reader

◦A character’s emotions and thoughts reveal their character traits

◦A character thinking about another character can reveal things about both- Joe wants to murder Bob because Bob won’t let Joe steal from his clients…

CHARACTERCHARACTER

Revealing Character through Description◦Physical description helps readers visualize◦What do the following things say about a

character? Height, weight, strength, body type Shape of face, facial expressions Color of eyes, hair, skin Sound of voice Gestures, mannerisms Clothing- how can it reflect the way people live?

CHARACTERCHARACTER

Character NameAgePositive TraitsNegative TraitsGoalsBackgroundColor eyes/hairHairstyleHeight/weight/body typeSpecial TraitsA one-sentence description of the character

MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION

People do things for reasons.These reasons, or MOTIVATIONS, reveal a lot

about them.The actions of characters ALWAYS have

motivations.Motivation is linked to the character’s goals.

◦ All characters have goalsSometimes the motivation may be unclear- you

may have to analyze the character to figure it outSometimes the motivation will be clear to you but

the character won’t realize why he is doing something.

MOTIVATIONMOTIVATION

What is the name of your character?Briefly describe this character.What are this character’s goals?How does the character attempt to

achieve his or her goals?Does he achieve them? Explain.What do the actions of this character tell

you about him or her?

DIALOGUEDIALOGUE

Dialogue makes up a significant part of the action in most stories

It reveals a lot about characters- social status, education, attitude, etc.

It moves the plot forwardIt gives the author an opportunity to share

information with the readerIt is the conversation of the charactersAuthors try very hard to have their

characters speak realistically

DIALOGUEDIALOGUE

From the story you are reading, choose a scene that has significant dialogue and answer the following questions.◦What scene did you choose? Include the page

number.◦What characters are involved in the scene?◦What are the characters talking about?◦Explain whether the dialogue reveals information

about the plot, motivation, thoughts, or emotion.◦Did you find the dialogue to be realistic? Explain.

Literary TermsLiterary Terms

Personification: When a thing is given human qualities. “The sun smiled down on the earth.”

Simile: A comparison using “like” or “as”◦Quiet as a mouse◦Life is like a box of chocolates

Metaphor: A comparison of two unlike things NOT using “like” or “as”◦Life is a bowl of cherries◦Love is a beautiful flower


Symbolism: Anything that stands for or represents something else.◦Dove=peace◦Statue of Liberty=freedom◦Soldiers marching in the streets=the end of a

carefree lifestyleAlliteration: Repetition of the same or similar

consonant sounds in words that are next to or close to each other.◦She slept silently and soundly.◦Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.


Imagery: The author uses description in the story to create a mental picture in the reader’s mind. He/she might use sight, smell, taste, or touch words.◦The air seemed charged with a special calm as if someone

had waited there, quietly, and only a moment before he came, simply turned to a shadow and let him through. Perhaps his nose detected a faint perfume, perhaps the skin on the backs of his hands, on his face, felt the temperature rise at this one spot where a person’s standing might raise the immediate atmosphere ten degrees for an instant. There was no understanding it. -Fahrenheit 451


Idiom: A phrase that cannot be taken literally, but whose meaning is understood◦Has the cat got your tongue?◦Do you have a frog in your throat?◦I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!

Repetition:◦Words are repeated in sequence at least two or

three times. Day after day after day…


Hyperbole: An exaggeration usually created by the author to drive home a point.◦She was so loud you could hear her a mile

away.Irony: A contrast between what appears to

be true and what is really true; between expectation and reality.


Onomatopoeia: The sound of an action is spelled the way it sounds.◦“Bam!” “Oof!” “Splat!” “Pow!”

Oxymoron: Two words are next to each other and have opposite meanings but put together, they create a new meaning.◦Jumbo shrimp◦Pretty ugly◦Civil War

ConflictConflict

There are 2 different kinds of Conflict:◦External Conflict

A conflict that occurs outside of your person. ◦Internal Conflict

A conflict that occurs within yourself.3 Types of External Conflict

◦Man vs. Man A struggle between two people or groups of people.

◦A fight between two people in the hallway◦A war between two countries

ConflictConflict

◦Man vs. Society A struggle between a person and what society

deems acceptable.◦A jury trial◦Poor fashion choices

◦Man vs. Environment A struggle between man and any component of

his environment (the weather, force of nature, animal, technology…)

ConflictConflict

There is only ONE type of Internal Conflict◦Man vs. Self

A struggle with one’s own conscience◦Peer pressure◦To cheat or not to cheat◦Being a “mean girl” – feeling bad about it◦Being a bully- feeling bad about it

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