GR 9 Short Story Gore by Sarah Ellis
Prepare by M. MacDonald BJH
Narrative Point of View

What is the narrative point of view of this
story? How do you know? Use at least two
details to support your response.

Narrative point of view is 1st person from Amy’s
point of view.

Proof: The narrator is a character and we get
the details from her point of view.
Proof: The narrator uses the pronoun “I” when
describing her feelings, actions, behaviours etc.


If the story was written in 3rd person, the
narrator would have used the pronoun “she”
to describe Amy’s thoughts and actions.

Think: Was Amy a reliable narrator? Do we
get a biased description of Lucas?
Lucas and Amy’s Relationship

Describe the relationship between the twins (Amy and
Lucas). What does the narrator think of her brother? Use
two (2) specific details from the story to support your opinion.

We get a biased view of Lucas because the narration is
in 1st person.

The reader doesn’t get to see Lucas’ point of view—
maybe Amy bullies him about academics.
Amy doesn’t really have good opinion of her
brother
 “Lucas is more like an unevolved thugoid.”
 Unevolved: Un (not) evolved (under educated)
 Thugoid:Thug (violent criminal) oid (resembling/like)
 Translation: Amy thinks Lucas is an uneducated violent
criminal
Lucas uses his physical strength to bully Amy


“With Lucas as a brother it is sometimes necessary to
have referees. I’m not ashamed to stand behind an
adult peace-keeping force.”
Translation: Amy has to run to her parents to get
protection from Lucas
Psychological Warfare

What does Amy mean
when she says, “I am
forced to take up
psychological
warfare”?

Amy can’t win a physical
contest with Lucas—so
instead she will try to
outsmart him.

A battle of wits (brains)!
Similes: Comparing using “like” of “as

“It was a wet heavy noise, like the
sound of a big piece of raw meat flung
to the floor.”
What two things are being compared?


The wet heavy noise
Is compared to
The sound of a piece of meat hitting
to the floor
What was the purpose of the comparison?
Purpose is descriptive
 To help the reader experience the sound of
the wet heavy noise
 This is an example of sound imagery
 Most people would know what the sound of
raw meat hitting the floor might sound like
The Power of Reading

In a well written paragraph, identify and discuss the
narrator’s main ideas about reading. Hint: How did
reading help her resolve the conflict with her twin brother?

Amy’s superior reading skills helped her figure out an
imaginative way to trick her less intelligent twin brother.

She probably read about monster attacks in her R.L.
Tankard novels.

Her reactions were probably based on the reactions of
characters in novels.

The characters in her novels probably used similar tricks
to outsmart their attackers.

The sharing of ideas associated with reading probably
helped Amy develop a strong imagination and this helped
her come up with a strategy that would trick Lucas.

We can see that in this case, Amy’s reading skills helped
her overpower a physically stronger opponent.
Theme:
The Power of Creative Thinking

Success and achievement usually
involves thinking creatively

“Thinking outside the box”

Amy thinks of an imaginative way
to achieve her goal of getting the
novel back from Lucas

Her ideas were probably
influenced by her reading habits

Reading (an intellectual habit)
helped her come up with a
solution to her problem
Theme:
Intelligence versus Physical Strength

It’s more useful to be smart
than strong.

Lucas thinks he can antagonize
Amy by stealing her book.

Lucas’s physical strength didn’t
overpower Amy’s intellectual
power.

Amy is able to outsmart Lucas
and win in the end.

Amy’s reading skills probably
helped her come up with a
creative way to trick Lucas and
get her novel back.