A+Mountain+Journey

Brian Chen 10/09/22

Short Stories - Literary Devises

Title: A Mountain Journey

Point of View: 3rd person, with a (limited) semi-omniscient narrator.

Protagonist: Dave Conroy (the trapper). What type of character is the Protagonist? He is a round, dynamic character.

Antagonist: The wilderness and the elements (environment); Dave Conroy himself (self).

Describe the setting: The story is set in winter during the late 1800's to early 1900's (1890-1910?) around the Snake Indian River in Western Alberta. It has a very lonely, slightly desperate feeling with small moments of revelation.

Type of Conflict: Man Versus Environment

Describe the main conflict: The main conflict revolves around Dave Conroy (the protagonist) as he tries to reach civilization (or at least a cabin), while battling against the weather and his own rationale.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax of the story occurs when Dave Conroy, almost at his destination, decides to have a short rest--a bad decision. I believe that this is the climax because all of the story has been building up to this point, where Dave makes the most important choice, which determines whether he lives or dies. The protagonist also does not change after this point in the story.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? Though the protagonist does change physically over the course of this story, most of the change is in his mindset, which starts out hopeful and determined, starts becoming desperate then turns into a primal urge to survive as the protagonist's plans are complicated.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme: Since I believe the theme of the story is mankind's battle against the environment, the title "A Mountain Journey" is appropriate, since the protagonist sees the mountains and the land as obstructions, things that make a long journey longer.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict helps to illustrate the theme because it involves the protagonist going against his environment, striving to be at the top so that it doesn't claim him. Every step of his journey, the land impedes him, injures him, demoralizes him and slowly chips away at his sanity until he can take no more. Excellent!

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The climax helps to illustrate the theme by building the readers anticipation about who will be "victorious", the protagonist or nature (the antagonist). It consolidates the whole conflict into one placeand ties it off, while providing a moment of suspense as the reader waits for the protagonist's final decision.

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

Simile: "...and his skis had sunk a foot into the //new snow, as white and soft as flour//."

Metaphor: "...and his //feet might have been pieces of wood// strapped within his ski boots."

Personification: "...a snow covered tree //sweating// in the heat of his fire..."

Symbol: To the protagonist, the winter climate symbolizes the enemy, one that can get to him in many ways. For example: "...Not that under such conditions a man slept very much. It was too cold. If he slept, his fire slept with him."

Foreshadowing (give both elements): An example of foreshadowing in this story would be when Dave Conroy finds his mittens frozen stiff after being in a cold river, then later finds that his hands and feet have suffered the same fate. "He would have to go without the moose-hide outers. They were already frozen stiff..." foreshadowing: "...He bit his fingers. They were as white and unresponsive as a dead man's."

Irony: It is ironic that Dave Conroy is so determined to fight the weather and make it to civilization, then just lies down for a rest on the snow. Compare "He longed for the sight of a cabin, a clearing in a forest, yellow flaming blazes on trees beside the trail." to "How good to rest! How soft and warm the snow!"

Imagery: "...His shadow became a burden, something he pulled beside him in the snow."

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story.

I think that the class theme of power is very relevant in this story. For example, nature itself is often seen and described as powerful or having some sort of cruel or majestic power. The protagonist also gradually loses his authority and "power" over nature, as he starts from a sort of self-centered, confident standing down to being utterly powerless when he is trapped and succumbs to the elements. This story also shows you the power of determination, and just how far people will go to accomplish (or try to accomplish) their goals. Completion 5/5 Effort 5/5 Content 5/5 total 15/15

**How to Read a Short Story Before** √ Look at the story’s title. What might this story be about? √ Use and develop your background knowledge about this subject. If the title is “The Lesson,” (by Toni Cade Bambara) ask yourself what kind of lessons there are, what lessons you have <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">learned, and so on. √ Establish a purpose for reading this story. “Because my teacher told me to” is one obvious purpose, but not a very useful one. Try to come up with your own question, one based perhaps on the title or an idea your teacher recently discussed in class. How about, “Why do we always have to learn the hard way?” if the story is titled “The Lesson”? Of course, you should also be sure you know what your teacher expects you to do and learn from this story; this will help you determine what is important while you read the story. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Orient yourself. Flip through the story to see how long it is. Take a look at the opening sentences of different paragraphs, and skim through the opening paragraph; this will give you a sense of where the story is set, how difficult the language is, and how long you should need to read the story. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**During** √ Identify the main characters. By “main” I mean those characters that make the story happen or to whom important things happen. Get to know what they are like by asking such questions as “What does this character want more than anything else––and why?” <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Identify the plot or the situation. The plot is what happens: The sniper from one army tries to shoot the sniper from the other army (“The Sniper”). Some writers prefer to put their characters in a situation: a famous hunter is abandoned on an uncharted island where, it turns out, he will now be hunted (“The Most Dangerous Game”). <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">• character • conflict • conventions • imagery • metaphor • mood • motif • plot • repetition • structure • suspense • symbol • theme(s) • tone <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Pay attention to the setting. Setting refers not only to where the story takes place, but when it happens. It also includes details like tone and mood. What does the story sound like: a sad violin playing all by itself or a whole band charging down the road? Does the story have a lonely feeling––or a scary feeling, as if any minute something will happen? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Consider the story’s point of view. Think about why the author chose the tell the story through this person’s point of view instead of a different character; why in the past instead of the present; in the first instead of the third person. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Pay attention to the author’s use of time. Some short story writers will make ten years pass by simply beginning the next paragraph, “Ten years later....” Look for any words that signal time passed. Sometimes writers will also use extra space between paragraphs to signal the passing of time. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Find the crucial moment. Every short story has some conflict, some tension or element of suspense in it. Eventually something has to give. This is the moment when the character or the story suddenly changes direction. A character, for example, feels or acts differently than before. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">√ Remember why you are reading this story. Go back to the question you asked when you began reading this story. Double- check your teacher’s assignment, too. These will help you to read more closely and better evaluate which details are important when you read. You might also find your original purpose is no longer a good one; what is the question you are now trying to answer as you read the story? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**After** √ Read first to understand...then to analyze. When you finish the story, check to be sure you understand what happened. Ask: <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">WHO did WHAT to WHOM? If you can answer these questions correctly, move on to the next level: WHY? Why, for <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">example, did the character in the story lie? √ Return to the title. Go back to the title and think about how it relates to the story now that you have read it. What does the title refer to? Does the title have more than one possible meaning?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Terms to Know **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Dave Conroy Character Sketch

Brian Chen 10/09/23

Dave Conroy, the lonely trapper from Howard o Hagan's A Mountain Journey, is a very colourful character. He is an enigma of a person, a trapper who loves his job, yet yearns to go home. Dave Conroy the gentleman is only happy with civilization, while Dave Conroy the trapper yearns for skiing along in the solitude of the wild. It is such that would make one think he is always uncontent. However, he does not stay this way for much of the story; fo r as it progresses, he becomes increasingly desperate. Though part of his despair has to do with challenges he faces on his journey, the unavoidable and most potent source, one that ultimately leads him to make rash decisions, is his burning hope for any sign of peop le; wh ether it be a cabin or another trapper. That is what makes him go against his better judgment, what is constantly interrupting his chances of survival. Dave Conroy does have a great redeeming quality, however: his almost steely sense of determination. The landscape around him throws everything it has got at him(too informal), yet he somehow manages to pick himself up and keep on moving every time. Being a defined, charismatic yet surprisingly ordinary person, it is easy to see why Dave Conroy is such a great character. A semi-colon can only be used to separate 2 independent clauses. Use quotes around the title of a short story. Nice choice of traits and support.

4.5/6