The+Portable+Phonograph

Short Stories - Literary Devises Title: The Portable Phonograph

Point of View: the third person

Protagonist: Dr. Jenkins

What type of character is the Protagonist? Flat/Static

Antagonist: Environment

Describe the setting: The setting takes place in a prairie during the winter. There is a dugout cell about a hundred yards north of the narrow remains of a road. The area has been scarred by the tracks of battle tanks and bombs.

Type of Conflict: Man vs. Environment

Describe the main conflict: The main conflict is that the four men are all scarred from the war that has finished.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax is when the musician is tormented by the music and runs out of the cell.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? He starts off as a very kind and welcoming old man, but when he hears the musician is still nearby after the other men had left, he hides all of his valuables and grabs a lead pipe to protect them, which one would consider becoming more primitive.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The title is called //“The Portable Phonograph”//, which is considered old and primitive, and the theme of this story is that humans resort to a more primitive state of mind when they are pushed past their breaking point.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict is that they have all become primitive and are scarred from this battle.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The climax is when the musician runs out of the tent in torment because of how hard it was for him to hear the song because of his harsh past, because he was pushed past his breaking point and became more primitive.

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

Simile: “In the bank above it was dug a sort of cell, with a single opening, like the mouth of a mine tunnel.”

Metaphor: “They were the scars of gigantic bombs,...”

Personification: “...crept the narrow and deeply rutted remains of a road.”

Symbol: A symbol is the lead pipe. It shows how savage and distrustful people can get during desperate times.

Foreshadowing: The Doctor looks up into the night sky and sees four stars, and one of them disappears. This is foreshadowing that one of the men has lost their humanity or will soon lose it.

Irony: The musician is tormented by the music, which he probably knows and has played before.

Imagery: red sunset, black cloud strips, crusts of shallow brittle ice, toothed impress, red sky, old fence posts, dugouts, leather-bound books, luxuriant gold and red seals, rimed road, pale alders.

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. The theme humanity relates well to this story because these four men have all become more primitive and are easily amazed by the little things in life because they have gone to the breaking point of their humanity.

1. When is the story set? What has recently happened? Support your opinion with details from the story. The story is set in a deserted prairie, in the future after a devastating world war. The story suggests it is winter, as the geese are flying south.
 * __Questions__**

2. What is the purpose of the men's meeting? Why does the author compare the unwrapping of the book bundle to a ceremonial rite? The purpose of the men's meeting is to appreciate what little has been saved after the war. The book bundle is very precious because it is almost all that is left.

3. What is the significance of the books that were saved? Why are there no recent works of fiction included? All the books represent some trait of humanity. No recent works were included because these books have all stood the test of time, and are very well written.

4.a) What do you think is the significance of Dr. Jenkins clutching the lead pipe at the end of the story? The significance of this is how it shows how one can become a savage beast to protect ones valuables.

4.b) What do you think might happen next? Discuss, using references from the story. I think that Dr. Jenkins will attack and kill the musician to protect his belongings. The nervous mood of the end suggests that Dr. Jenkins is having a rush of adrenaline which will lead to this attack.

Completion 4/5 Effort 4/5 Content 4/5 Questions 6/8 (ouch!)

revised total:18/23