The+Portable+Phonograph

Short Stories - Literary Devices Title:The Portable Phonograph

Point of View: 3rd person, somewhat omniscient

Protagonist: Dr. Jenkins What type of character is the Protagonist? Round, Dynamic

Antagonist: The musician

Describe the setting: The story takes place in the future, a while after a devastating world war. It is either the winter, or the location is really close to the poles. The landscape is deserted, it might have been a previous battlefield or target of attack. Bomb craters the size of meteoroid craters scatter the landscape. There is a type of silent mood that conveys a message to remember the tragic events that happened.

Type of Conflict: Man vs. Man

Describe the main conflict: The main conflict exists between Dr. Jenkins and the musician

Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax of the story is when Dr. Jenkins spots the moving shadow, the musician.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? The protagonist did a really good thing in the story: he gave the other three men the pleasure of music. He was especially nice towards the musician: he used one of the 3 steel needles so he wouldn't be so sad. However, in the end when it is implied that the musician tries to steal the music player, Dr. Jenkins changed when he realizes that not all people are good, and some people are not so nice.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The theme is preserving literature. The portable phonograph (the actual object, not the title) is one of the things they preserved, so that literature could be appreciated by future generations.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict is about how the two people fight over a seemingly valueless thing - 4 books and music. However, the four books and the music are extremely inspirational to the musician and Dr. Jenkins

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The climax shows Dr. Jenkins and the musician fighting over the phonograph and books. Both value literature and the musician might be desperate or greedy. However, in any case, Both characters want to preserve literature, weather it is for themselves, or others.

Give examples of each of the following literary terms in the story (use quotes):

Simile: "The red sunset, like narrow, black cloud strips "

Metaphor: "The blue-green notes tinkled forth from the old machine"

Personification: "The creek was already silent under ice"

Symbol: The phonograph is a symbol of hope and inspiration, but also violence.

Foreshadowing (give both elements): When Dr. Jenkins saw the four stars flying, and one became obscured, the author foreshadowed that one of the four people would do a dishonorable thing. The author specified that there were four stars, representing the four people. When one of them was obscured, it implied that one out of the four men would do a dishonorable thing because people who do dishonorable things are usually shady characters whose identity is not known. Indeed, at the end, the musician tries to steal the phonograph.

Dr. Jenkins also would have inferred that it would be the musician that would steal the phonograph, and not any one of the other two men because he was the one who acted "unnatural" :leaving abruptly, emotionally different, and saying that he can't remember what it sounded like.

Irony: The irony in the story comes from the fact that Dr. Jenkins tried to relieve the pressure from the musician, but in the end, listening to the music made the musician want it even more and in the end it is implied that he tries to steal it.

Imagery: The wet, blue-green notes tinkled forth from the old machine, and were individual, detectable presences in the cell.

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. The theme is preserving literature. The class theme is humanity. A key aspect in humanity is our literature. Literature is something that only humans posses. Other aspects of humanity create literature. For example, many movements (in music) are named after heroes. In many novels the main character is considered a "hero", sometimes incorrectly.

1. When is this story set? What has recently happened? Support your opinions with details from the story.

This story is in the future, a world that has just recovered from a serious war. A serious war has just taken place in the story because there are bomb crates everywhere, the roads are largely destroyed, and the grass is dead, matted. The weed stalks are isolated. Now that we know that it is after a huge war, we can conclude that it was from the future, because, fortunately, we have had no similar war yet.

2. What is the purpose of the mens' meeting? Why does the author compare the unwrapping of a book to a ceremonial rite?

The purpose of the mens' meeting is to, basically, gather around the campfire and listen to stories. However, they are not common campfire stories. They are the most famous books. The author does not compare the unwrapping of a book to a ceremonial rite. Rather, he compares the importance of unwrapping the book to the importance of a ceremonial rite. It is important because the book bundle was very important to them.

3. What is the significance of the books that were saved? Why are there no recent works of fiction included?

The significance of the books are that they are books that have stood the test of time. Recent works of fiction could be good, but they could also be bad. Old works are generally accepted as better compared to the new ones; few classes study books like Alex Rider books compared to Shakespeare books.

4a. What do you think is the significance of Dr. Jenkins clutching the pipe at the end of the story?

The significance of Dr. Jenkins clutching the pipe at the end of the story is to demonstrate the fact that he is not foolish: he knows that the musician will come.

4b. What do you think might happen next? Discuss with references from the story.

Because the musician was trying to steal the phonograph, what might happen next is that the musician and the doctor will fight over the phonograph. Both men may get hurt or even die. But should the fight actually happen, both the men will know something more about humanity. COMPLETION 5/5 EFFORT 5/5 CONTENT 5/5 QUESTIONS 8/8 TOTAL 23/23

PLEASE FIND YOUR SLIDE SHOW MARK ON ONE OF YOUR PARTNERS PAGES @https://docs.google.com/present/edit?id=0AUQPa2POLvs5ZGQ3ZG1mY3hfMWQ4c3prOGNr&hl=en_US