Study points to The Scream, part 2

6. Tension
a. Why does the author describe the episode where Anna is on the roller coaster so minutely? b. Underline examples of tension, where the author seems to have created a build-up to a climax. (the relevant passage is : p.8, line 15- p.9, line 29): "At first it was like being on a train...." to "...Her fear abandoned her and at last she could scream, as loudly as was possible the rest of the way down. "

7. Climax - Anticlimax?
a. Compare your prediction (the one you made in question 4) with the author's way of ending the story. Are the
endings similar or do they differ? If so, in what sense? b. Is there a climax in this story - or is there an anti-climax? In any case, try to identify where it is.

8.

Structure of the plot

Very simply put, the term plot refers to the structure and development of a story through its various stages towards the end. The simple plot of the short story could, for example, look like this: in medias res - quickly rising action - climax - falling action - end situation

or like this: in medias res - quickly rising action - anticlimax - end situation
These two examples are only examples, and plot structures can vary a lot - but:

Question: Make YOUR suggestion of the plot structure in "the Scream"

9. Theme(s)
If you are asked the question "What is the short story called 'The Scream' about?" you may answer: "It is about a girl who is visiting a fairground in Spain with her mother and little sister and who is tricked into riding a roller coaster she is very scared off by her obnoxious little sister due to her mother's reluctance to confront conflicts." In that case you have delivered a SUMMARY of the CONTENT of the text. You are then accounting for information you can find on the textual level - (in the very lines of the story) If you are asked to account for THEMES in the text, you are basically asked to go further and look for something which you cannot find DIRECTLY IN the text - but which sort of exists "between the lines". Short stories can , for example, have ONE main theme, (and one or more minor themes), or MORE main themes (and one or more minor themes) or Question: What is the main theme(s) in "The Scream" and why do you think there is talk of a theme?

10. Author's attitude/message INTERPRETATION

When reading fiction it is very important always to remember that the text IS pure fiction, but that the author has written it and made deliberate choices in order to : a. achieve a certain effect, b. or perhaps even get a certain message through c. and maybe hopes to affect the reader to make him or her wonder, discuss or learn. To interpret a short story is to use the results from the analysis in order to comment on The theme(s) and title of the story the authors attitude to these themes (if any) the authors basic aim with the text: Does he/she have a certain message? Is the aim to criticise? Or is the aim just creating an effect? If so, which? (e.g. laughter, fear, moral discussion, sadness etc.)

Questions:
Is there, in your opinion, a message in "The Scream" ? Substantiate your answer! Are there any hints to the author's attitude to the theme(s) in "The Scream"? If you think so, give examples. What is the meaning of the title in relation to the theme(s) of the story?

11. The Author's Writing Style : Use of similes

Throughout the story, H. Briscoe uses similes. A simile is a direct, expressed comparison between two things essentially unalike, but resembling each other in at least one aspect. For instance, to show how deeply Anna feared the fast ride, the author uses the expression, "Anna's fear was real, embedded deep inside her like an icicle in her heart.", (the part in bold is a simile) a. What is the effect of using such similes (pictorial language)? b. Underline and Analyse the similes in the passages below and relate them to the central themes of the story: (An analysis of a simile includes that you account for its effect on the reader - e.g. why the author choses THAT particular simile and not another) 1) "Okay," Anna said. "I'll take Mary on. I'll do it." Mary put her tongue back in her mouth, and smiled like a cat with a helpless mouse caught in its paws. 2) The bars around her head stopped her from turning around to attract someone's attention. She was shaking like the ground in an earthquake, all rational thoughts crumbling into the widening gap of black fear. 3) Like a monstrous beast bursting from its lair, glowing eyes and long twisting tail, Anna could actually feel the ground vibrating under her feet, as the previous circuit of the roller coaster came to a grinding halt in front of them. 4) The sea of people surged forward as the numbered gates swung open to allow passengers to get on. Anna squeezed herself into the midst of them all, feeling like a tiny stone buffeted and thrown against the rising waves. She swam against the current, fighting her way to the front, blindly clawing her path through the waters.

12. Perspectives
NB: Before you move to this level, it is of course - a MUST that you have made an analysis and interpretation of the short story! At this point you can to a CERTAIN extent move beyond the text and connect it to : . ...its context: the time at which it is written .....our context: The time at which you read it. .....the authors background (or your knowledge of other texts by the same author - if you have any) ....comparisons to other texts (poetry/literature) which illuminate a similar theme or problem .... social, historical circumstances. .... The text in our context: Its relevance today - Its relevance to you.
Summary : This is a story about Anna, who has motion sickness, was tricked by her younger sister, Mary on riding the roller coaster. Mary and her family went to Spain for holiday. The story starts when they were in a theme park on one hot day. Mary, Anna's younger sister, wanted to ride on the roller coaster. Therefore, Anna's mother asked her to accompany Mary to ride on the roller coaster. Reluctantly Anna has agreed but she did not keep her promised and let her sister ride on the roller coaster alone. After the 'ride', Anna was told by Mary that she had lost the rucksack while riding on the roller coaster. The rucksack contain important things like passport, money, ID card and also camera. So, this forces Anna to go back to the roller coaster to find the rucksack even though it was

dangerous. Unfortunately, the rucksack was no where to be seen and without her knowledge, the safety bar has locked her on the sit. She called for the attendants but they were Spanish and didn't seems to understand her. This leaves her with no choice but to ride the scary roller coaster. After the scary ride, Anna finds it hard to walk straight, her face turns pale and her body was exhausted. As a lesson, her mother bought her the picture of her riding the roller coaster captured by the hidden camera. Anna then fainted. Theme : Major theme : Tension Anna was facing mental and emotional stress while riding the roller coaster as she has motion sickness. Minor theme : Cruelty Mary who have already knew her sister's fear tricked her to ride on the roller coaster as Anna did not accompany her to ride on the roller coaster. Characters : Major character : Anna * Elder sister of Mary. * Has motion sickness - she could not adapt with the movement not only on the roller coaster but also during the flight and on the ship. * Tough : Anna is tough that she was able to get through he fear, not overcome but is able to get through her fear. * Responsible : Anna when back to the roller coaster to find for the rucksack. * Break promise : Anna did not keep her promise to her mother to accompany Mary to ride on the roller coaster. Minor character : Mary * Younger sister of Anna. * Crafty : She tricked her elder sister to ride on the roller coaster. * Cruel : Even though she knew that her sister has motion sickness, she still tricked her to ride on the roller coaster * Brave but not brave enough : Mary is brave that she could tricked her sister but she is not brave enough that she did not ride on the roller coaster. That is why her picture is nowhere to be seen in the picture captured by the hidden camera. Settings : Time : At noon (,,,The sun was stopped in the middle of the sky,,, - paragraph 1) Background points : At a theme park in Spain (...In the huge theme park, ... - paragraph 2) Community background : - Spain's citizen (eg. the attendants) - A family from United Kingdom who went for a holiday in Spain (Marry and her family)