Identities

Short Stories - Literary Devises Title: Identities

Point of View: The perspective of the author is one of a watchful observer, detached yet sentimental all the same. Protagonist: What type of character is the Protagonist? While not much background is given, I imagine he is a man seeking respite and perhaps an escape from the monotony of his advanced years and the stability with which he proceeds in his day to day activities. As for him as a character, he is cast in the role of someone blissfully unaware of how events will unfold, which results in his unfortunate demise. Antagonist: A young police officer, too easily goaded by suspicion to brandish his gun. Describe the setting The setting is that of any city, composed of suburbs and slums, a stark contrast that is well illustrated and described by the author.

Type of Conflict: The conflict is that which is contained within a man, an inner struggle. Describe the main conflict: Our protagonist is bored by the tedium of his home life and resolves to wander a while, set into motion by memories of his youth, sensual and full of color. On one hand, he has his responsibilities to his wife and children, while he himself seeks out adventure, presumably in the form of narcotics. Describe the Climax of the Story: While the man approaches a few shady characters, planning to ask for reference to a dealer, he is apprehended by an inexperienced police officer, who, having seen the man in his scruffy attire driving a Mercedes Benz, thinking him a thief. The man is relieved, being saved at the last moment from his temptation by an outside source, and when he reaches for his identity in his jacket pocket, the all too trigger happy police officer assumes he is reaching for a gun, and fires instinctively, ending the protagonists life.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? His intention changes from aimless wanderings to a foolhardy errand to recapture excitement.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. While we get the most insight into the protagonist's identities, that of the suburban businessman with an expensive car, to that of a scruffy thief searching for a fix, there are many others mixed in along the way. The police officer, overzealous and frightened of the power he wields with his uniform, the group of young women and men, assumed to be drug addicts and miscreants, all simply because of their outward and most obvious identities.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The man is torn between two of his identities, choosing one while forfeiting the other, at least for a time.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The young officer mistakenly assumes the protagonist's beard and car as signs he is of no good intent, and as such, when the man reaches for his identity, is shot down due to a simple misunderstanding of identities, things that seem so precious and real, but ultimately cause an unneeded death.

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

Simile: "Paper clogs the fence like drifted snow."

Metaphor: "Eagles, tigers, wolves and serpents ride their backs."

Personification: "So intent is he upon the future that he dangerously ignores the present and does not notice the police car, concealed in the shadows of a side street, nose out and follow him."

Symbol: "There grows within him, however, a boredom with the sameness - no ragged edges, no overgrown vacant lots."

Foreshadowing (give both elements): "He is so intent upon the three men and the girl that he does not notice the police car drift against the curb, nor the officer who is advancing with a pistol in his hand."

Irony: "Instinctively relaxing, certain of his safety, in the last voluntary movement of his life, he reaches his hand not in the air as he was ordered to, but toward his wallet for identity."

Imagery: "Its yellow brick is pock-marked, chipped."

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story.  This story is very human in it's description, describing senses and sounds in a way that resonates, at least with me, to a point where I feel captivated and caught within the world the author has so articulately illustrated. The theme within the story itself is very human in origin, identities are a social construction, outside of which have no profound meaning or place in the wide world, something that is seen often in the society we have built for ourself, relating back to our theme of humanity.

COMPLETION 5/5 EFFORT 5/5 CONTENT 5/5 Paragraph 5/5 TOTAL 20/20