Problem
Answer the question about Edgar Allan Poe's "The Oval PortraitActions".
A. What is your reaction to the story? Jot it down.
B. Who is the narrator - not the author, but the one who tells the story? What is the point of view?
C. What is the setting (time and place)? What is the atmosphere or mood?
D. How does the plot unfold? Write a synopsis, or summary, of the events in time order, including relationships among those events (see pp. 281-82).
E. What are the characters like? Describe their personalities, traits, and motivations based on their actions, speech, habits, and so on. What strategies does the author use to develop the characters? Who is the protagonist? The antagonist? Do any characters change? Are the changes believable?
F. How would you describe the story's style, or use of language? Is it informal, conversational, or formal? Does the story use dialect or foreign words?
G. What are the external conflicts and the internal conflicts? What is the central conflict? Express the conflicts using the word versus, such as "dreams versus reality" or "the individual versus society."
H. What is the climax of the story? Is there any resolution? Are there important symbols? What might they mean? What does the title of the story mean?
I. What are the themes of the story? Are they universal (applicable to all people everywhere at all times)? Write down your interpretation of the main theme. How is this theme related to your own life?
J. What other literary works or life experiences does the story remind you of?