Fill in the blanks with up to 2 words: face challenges such as conflicting _____________ and moral dilemmas.
These elements drive how a character develops, which advances the
___________ of the story. Complex characters have _______________
conflicts that cause them to question their own ____________, beliefs,
__________________ and morals. When they confront these conflicts, complex characters commonly reveal
the story’s ______________ or act as a medium through which authors can discuss larger ______________
.
______________
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“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
In “The Story of an Hour,” the main character, Mrs. Mallard is a complex
character because she is not static (the same throughout). Chopin suggests this
by showing that when Mrs. Mallard first hears the news of her husband’s death,
she is stricken by grief and highly ________________. However, even in that
moment, something is _______________ in her. Her complexity is further
revealed as she ______________ the news of her husband’s death.
Mrs. Mallard’s utterance of “free, free, free!” is contradictory (inconsistent) to her initial reaction to her
husband’s death. Her ______________ dilemma stems from this contradiction.
Mrs. Mallard’s complexity as a character greatly impacts the development of
the plot and gives rise to her moral dilemma in playing the role of a
______________ against her latent (hidden) desire for freedom.
The complexity of Mrs. Mallard’s character also allows Chopin to explore the
theme of societal _____________ and
________________ roles during the
realist period. Mrs. Mallard’s complicated __________________ about her
role as a wife is a realistic ___________________ of many women’s
________________________ in the early 1900s.
Complex characters in realist literature, like real people, react in
________________________ ways. Their behavior reveals multiple
____________________ and conflicting _______________, and it _______________ with time. In “The Story
of an Hour,” Chopin depicts two conflicting realities that shape Mrs. Mallard’s response to her husband’s
death: ______________ and a desire for __________________.
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Choose the sentence that best explains why Mrs. Mallard is a complex character.
She feels sorrowful when she hears of her husband’s death.
The news of her husband’s death brings about a change in her.
Her reaction to the news of her husband’s death is believable.
She shuts herself away in her bedroom after hearing of her husband’s death.
Reading Selection
William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells’s emphasis on _____________ in the depiction (portrayal) of __________ and
_______________ in art made him an important proponent of realism in literature. His promotion of realism
gave rise to the inclusion of local _______________ in literary works, making them more ________________
Strategy for Reading “Editha”
Much realist literature is written as social commentary, which is woven into the narrative for the purpose of
swaying the audience to the author’s ________________. Therefore, identifying an author’s
_________________ purpose is key to a complete literary analysis.
Key Term
Tone indicates an author’s perspective and, therefore, is one element of text that can help
you determine an author’s _______________
commentary.
You should also look for _________________ arguments. In a piece of literature, persuasive arguments are
usually delivered by characters or a non-omniscient (not all knowing) _______________. If a character’s
perspective aligns with the tone, that character’s arguments likely represent those of the ______________.
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
How does the tone of the story (“Editha”) portray the author’s perception of his country?
Analysis
You can often identify a work’s tone through its _________________ and syntax (the arrangement of words
and phrases). In “Editha,” the author develops a sarcastic tone by ______________ Editha’s unexamined and
unwavering belief in war as a just and noble means.
The story’s contemptuous tone can be seen in the _____________ language. Words such as _______________
and __________ __________ are usually associated with moral fortitude (strength). But for Editha, who is
simply repeating what she has read in the newspaper, there is not true “sacrifice” or “high ideal” in her
.
______________________
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Key Term Mood is the atmosphere a writer creates to elicit a feeling from the reader.
An author usually establishes a story’s mood through the _____________ and _____________ of a character
as well as through _____________
. Both mood and tone are used to help the reader gain a deeper
understanding of the _______________, their
______________, and the
______________
that develop
throughout a story. For example, the mood conveyed by Editha and George is one of ________________ and
______________; however the tone reveals Howells’s
___________________ of the way Editha glorifies war.
Through Mrs. Gearson’s speech, Howells reveals the full depth of his contempt for ________________
heroism and the one-sided nature of patriotism.
Howells’s tone of disapproval is aimed at Editha’s notion of heroism and patriotism. The red, white, and blue
ribbon and her parroting of the patriotic _____________ from newspapers are representative of Howells’s
perspective.
The plot of “Editha” is a series of causal relationships. A causal relationship is the connection between
an __________ or
—the cause—and the
___________
_____________ of that cause—the effects. In
other words, a plot often begins with an event that sets off a series of ______________ events.
Focus on Language
Use the table below to review vocabulary from the lesson’s reading selection.
Word Definition
boisterous loud; rough; rowdy
imperatively
tacit
wanton
Summary
In what ways is American Realism different from Idealism, fantasy, and romantic literature?
C

Question

GPT-5 Nano · Accepted Answer

face challenges such as conflicting values and moral dilemmas.
These elements drive how a character develops, which advances the plot of the story. Complex characters have internal conflicts that cause them to question their own values, beliefs, loyalties and morals. When they confront these conflicts, complex characters commonly reveal the story’s theme or act as a medium through which authors can discuss larger issues.
Characterization
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin
In “The Story of an Hour,” the main character, Mrs. Mallard is a complex
character because she is not static (the same throughout). Chopin suggests this
by showing that when Mrs. Mallard first hears the news of her husband’s death,
she is stricken by grief and highly emotional. However, even in that
moment, something is changing in her. Her complexity is further
revealed as she receives the news of her husband’s death.
Mrs. Mallard’s utterance of “free, free, free!” is contradictory (inconsistent) to her initial reaction to her
husband’s death. Her internal dilemma stems from this contradiction.
Mrs. Mallard’s complexity as a character greatly impacts the development of
the plot and gives rise to her moral dilemma in playing the role of a
wife against her latent (hidden) desire for freedom.
The complexity of Mrs. Mallard’s character also allows Chopin to explore the
theme of societal norms and
gender roles during the
realist period. Mrs. Mallard’s complicated attitude about her
role as a wife is a realistic portrayal of many women’s experiences in the early 1900s.
Complex characters in realist literature, like real people, react in varied
ways. Their behavior reveals multiple motives and conflicting loyalties, and it evolves with time. In “The Story
of an Hour,” Chopin depicts two conflicting realities that shape Mrs. Mallard’s response to her husband’s
death: oppression and a desire for freedom.
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Choose the sentence that best explains why Mrs. Mallard is a complex character.
She feels sorrowful when she hears of her husband’s death.
The news of her husband’s death brings about a change in her.
Her reaction to the news of her husband’s death is believable.
She shuts herself away in her bedroom after hearing of her husband’s death.
Reading Selection
William Dean Howells
William Dean Howells’s emphasis on realism in the depiction (portrayal) of real life and manners in art made him an important proponent of realism in literature. His promotion of realism gave rise to the inclusion of local color in literary works, making them more vivid.
Strategy for Reading “Editha”
Much realist literature is written as social commentary, which is woven into the narrative for the purpose of swaying the audience to the author’s persuasive purpose. Therefore, identifying an author’s intended purpose is key to a complete literary analysis.
Key Term
Tone indicates an author's perspective and, therefore, is one element of text that can help you determine an author’s interpretive commentary.
You should also look for persuasive arguments. In a piece of literature, persuasive arguments are usually delivered by characters or a non-omniscient (not all knowing) narrator. If a character’s perspective aligns with the tone, that character’s arguments likely represent those of the author.
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
How does the tone of the story (“Editha”) portray the author’s perception of his country?
Analysis
You can often identify a work’s tone through its diction and syntax (the arrangement of words
and phrases). In “Editha,” the author develops a sarcastic tone by ridiculing Editha’s unexamined and
unwavering belief in war as a just and noble means.
The story’s contemptuous tone can be seen in the caustic language. Words such as courage and integrity are usually associated with moral fortitude (strength). But for Editha, who is simply repeating what she has read in the newspaper, there is not true “sacrifice” or “high ideal” in her
character.
Copyright © 2019 Edmentum Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Key Term Mood is the atmosphere a writer creates to elicit a feeling from the reader.
An author usually establishes a story’s mood through the actions and words of a character
as well as through setting
. Both mood and tone are used to help the reader gain a deeper
understanding of the characters, their motives, and the
events
that develop
throughout a story. For example, the mood conveyed by Editha and George is one of romanticism and
patriotism; however the tone reveals Howells’s critique of the way Editha glorifies war.
Through Mrs. Gearson’s speech, Howells reveals the full depth of his contempt for false
heroism and the one-sided nature of patriotism.
Howells’s tone of disapproval is aimed at Editha’s notion of heroism and patriotism. The red, white, and blue
ribbon and her parroting of the patriotic propaganda from newspapers are representative of Howells’s
perspective.
The plot of “Editha” is a series of causal relationships. A causal relationship is the connection between an event or
act—the cause—and the resulting consequences of that cause—the effects. In
other words, a plot often begins with an event that sets off a series of unfolding events.
Focus on Language
Use the table below to review vocabulary from the lesson’s reading selection.
Word Definition
boisterous loud; rough; rowdy
imperatively
tacit
wanton
Summary
In what ways is American Realism different from Idealism, fantasy, and romantic literature?
C

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