Common Core Standards
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Concept: Plot Development
Primary Subject Area: English
Secondary Subject Areas:
Common Core Standards Addressed:
Grades 9-10
Grades 11-12
Key Ideas and Details
Key Ideas and Details
o Cite strong textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says both implicitly and
explicitly.
o Cite strong textual evidence to support analysis
of what the text says implicitly, explicitly, and
ambiguously.
o Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those
with multiple or conflicting motivations)
develop over the course of a text, interact with
other characters, and advance the plot or
develop the theme.
o Analyze the impact of the author’s choices
regarding how to develop and relate elements of
a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how
the action is ordered, how the characters are
introduced and developed).
Craft and Structure
Craft and Structure
o Analyze how an author’s choices concerning
how to structure a text, order events within it
(e.g., parallel plots), and manipulate time (e.g.,
pacing, flashbacks) create such effects as
mystery, tension, or surprise.
o
Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to
structure specific parts of a text (e.g., the choice of
where to begin or end a story, the choice to provide a
comedic or tragic resolution) contribute to its
overall structure, meaning and its aesthetic impact.
o
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in the text, including figurative and
connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific
word choices on meaning and tone including words
with multiple meanings or language that is
particularly fresh, engaging, or beautiful.
o Determine the meaning of words and phrases as
they are used in the text, including figurative
and connotative meanings; analyze the
cumulative impact of specific word choices on
meaning and tone (e.g., how the language
evokes a sense of time and place; how it sets a
formal or informal tone).
o Analyze a case in which grasping point of view
requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a
text from what is really meant (e.g., satire, sarcasm,
irony, or understatement).
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Common Core Standards
1
Lesson Plan
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Overview:
Materials:
•
This class will study Maud Casey’s short story “Talk Show Lady”
to examine the fundamental elements of narrative plot
development. We will use Freytag’s Pyramid as a helpful model
to introduce students to concepts like “inciting incident” and
“dénouement”. This class will also briefly touch upon character,
and the impact character brings to bear on the developments of
the plot.
•
•
Copies of “Talk Show Lady” in
Drastic
White board
Projector
Objectives:
Students will:
•
•
•
•
•
Define the basic elements of narrative structure
(Exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling
action, resolution, dénouement)
Diagram the sequence of events in “Talk Show Lady,”
using Freytag’s Pyramid.
Learn to identify formal plot techniques present in the
everyday stories they hear, from commercial
advertisements to a discussion at the lunch table.
Analyze the concept of “motive,” using the story’s
narrator as a subject.
Discuss character, motivation and plot development and
the relationships that exist between them.
Warm-Up Activity:
Dive right in! Draw a model of Freytag’s Pyramid on the white
board, labeling each narrative moment. Next, take your students
through an explanation of this model, pausing at each important
term.
[Model of Freytag’s Pyramid: http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/ref/fiction/freytag.html]
Exposition: The writer introduces the characters and setting,
providing description and background.
Inciting Incident: A single event usually signals the beginning of
the main conflict. The inciting incident is sometimes called 'the
complication'.
Rising Action: The story builds.
Climax: The moment of greatest tension in a story.
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Lesson Plan
2
Lesson Plan
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Falling Action: Events happen as a result of the climax. The story
is nearly finished.
Resolution: The character solves the main problem/conflict or
someone solves it for him or her.
Dénouement: The end. At this point, any remaining secrets,
questions or mysteries, which remain after the resolution, are
solved by the characters or explained by the author.]
If it is helpful, you can illustrate Freytag’s Pyramid with a popular
movie or a book your students have recently read. Once you’ve
made your way through each major plot point, move on to the
next group activity.
Short Lecture & Partner Activities:
Part 1:
Ask your students to briefly summarize a plot from a book,
movie, or TV show that they recently watched and/or read. On
the board, diagram the plot points of the work (as they correlate
to Freytag’s Pyramid) as your student responds. If you are feeling
ambitious (and if it is a longer narrative) you can separate the plot
into acts, drawing a Freytag Pyramid for each act. For instance,
you could spend time diagraming the three acts in Star Wars: A
New Hope. As a class go, step-by-step, through the plot that your
student just told, categorizing each major plot point with a
category of Freytag’s Pyramid. You can run through two or three
examples with your students to help them get a sense of this plot
vocabulary.
Next, break your students into pairs. Once the class is partnered
up, ask your students to perform the same exercise they did as a
group, using Casey’s “Talk Show Lady” as their subject. Students
should be fairly familiar with Freytag’s Pyramid by this point in
the lesson, and will begin working right away.
When the pairs are finished, bring the students back together as a
class and compare notes. Were there any discrepancies? If so,
have students present their case for why a certain plot points
belongs in a certain category.
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Lesson Plan
3
Lesson Plan
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Discussion Wrap-Up: To wrap up, ask students to think about the plot of Casey’s “Talk Show Lady” more broadly. You can, of
course, use this time to recap the day’s lesson. However, if you feel your students have a pretty good
handle on Freytag’s Pyramid and plot structure, use this time to ask more complex questions about
narrative. What propelled the narrative in “Talk Show Lady”? What were the driving forces the kept the
story moving? Did the narrative POV have an impact on how the plot was structured? Would the core
narrative of “Talk Show Lady” (the stuff discussed using Freytag’s Pyramid) change drastically if the
story was told using a different POV? How did Rita’s character shape the narrative? Would you say she
was an active presence in the narrative (i.e. she did things) or a passive one (things were done to her)?
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Lesson Plan
4
Lesson Plan
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Writing Activities/Evaluations: Analytical:
Consider the plot of “Talk Show Lady”. In your opinion, did Rita, as a character, propel the plot or did
the plot move forward by external factors? In other words, were the events in “Talk Show Lady” largely
shaped by Rita’s actions? Or did external events direct the plot? Write an argument in defense of one
position (character driven v. externally driven). Use Freytag’s Pyramid to support your argument. For
example, draw upon the major plot developments you categorized using Freytag’s model to support your
claim. Responses should fall between 500-700 words.
Creative:
Knowing the (often complex) motivations of your characters is key to developing strong characters and a
credible plot. Narrative conflict often helps to expose the motivation of your characters, or at least brings
these motivations to light. Write a scene that begins with a conflict between two characters that have
conflicting motivations. The conflict could be as simple as a disagreement over the last candy bar at the
cafeteria, or as complex as a relationship between a mother and a son. While you are writing, take note of
how “conflict” relates with the plot of your story. Responses should fall between 500-800 words.
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Lesson Plan
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Discussion & Comprehension Questions
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Discussion & Comprehension Questions:
•
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
What are the major events in “Talk Show Lady”? Map out, chronologically, the primary plot points.
o
Where does the action take place?
o
What is the inciting incident?
o
What is the climax of the short story? Is it possible for people to disagree? For instance, could
there be more than one climax of the story?
•
What category in Freytag’s Pyramid would you place flashbacks?
•
Do you agree with Freytag’s analysis of narrative? Or is there another model that seems more relevant
to you?
o
•
Explain your answer.
How does Rita’s own character affect the plot of “Talk Show Lady?” Is Rita an active or a passive
character?
•
Imagine if the story was told from Perry’s perspective. Would the major plot points of this story
change? If so, would they change dramatically?
•
If Maud Casey decided to tell this story in 3rd person, would this alter the major plot points of the
story?
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Discussion & Comprehension Questions
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Key Vocabulary
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Word:
Definition:
Motive
A reason for doing something. Can be obvious or obscure.
Plot
The unified structure of incidents in a literary work.
Freytag’s Pyramid:
Exposition
The writer introduces the characters and setting, providing description
and background.
Inciting Incident
A single event usually signals the beginning of the main conflict. The
inciting incident is sometimes called 'the complication'.
Rising Action
The story builds.
Climax
The moment of greatest tension in a story. This is often the most exciting
event. It is the event that the rising action builds up to and that the
falling action follows.
Falling Action
Events happen as a result of the climax. The story is nearly finished.
Resolution
The character solves the main problem/conflict or someone solves it for
him or her.
Denouement
The end. At this point, any remaining secrets, questions or mysteries,
which remain after the resolution, are solved by the characters or
explained by the author.
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Key Vocabulary
7
Text References
Plot Development in “Talk Show
Lady” from Drastic
Book: Drastic
Author: Maud Casey
Grade Level: 9th-12th
Lesson Type: Plot development
Examples of textual references:
•
“Tonight I’m a woman who was held captive by a married couple, tied to a chair in their
basement for several years.” (p. 122)
•
“Do Unto Others was looking for a substitute guest at about that time. They’d started to
run out of ideas, and they feared that they would soon be taken off air…He didn’t know
that I was already practiced at the art of relieving my grief by putting someone else’s on.
I had no idea then that it would become my life, that I would be doing it still, two years
later, at the age of forty-eight.” (p. 126)
•
“I’ll admit that at first it was an escape from my mother’s death. I left home long before
she died, but still, she was my one true friend.” (p. 126)
•
“The show is my way of holding my mother to this earth. When I walk out onto the
stage, I am grief personified in a mask turned inside out a million times. I’m a reminder
to us all.” (p. 127)
•
“Over the years, I’ve learned to jump into grief like a swimming pool. The people I play
on Do Unto Others have allowed me to swim through we, sloppy sadness with a suitable
stroke, a stroke that the audience recognizes, one that they can imitate.” (p. 128)
•
“Today I am Tina, a married woman who is addicted to affairs with married men. I’m
feeling a little confused because Perry is a married man, and last night I dreamed that he
misplaced my nose during surgery, then pretended not to recognize me without it.” (p.
129)
•
“So when the gas station attendant bends down next to my window and says, as if there
is a secret between us, ‘Look, I know it sounds like a cheap line, but I’m serious—haven’t
I seen you before? Your face is so familiar—do you work at the Stop and Shop?’ I shake
my head no. ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but I know I’ve seen you,’ he says, handing me
my change. ‘I’m sure you did,’ I say reassuringly, and all of us feel the stroke of a
smooth, warm hand of comfort.” (p. 132).
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Text References
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Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Class Handout
Name:
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Supplementary Materials Chart
Category of
Resource
Description of
Resource
Potential Educational
Uses of Resource
Link to Resource
Web Article
“How to Discover
Your Character’s
Motivations”
This article explores
http://writeitsideways.com/how-to-discover-your-charactersthe concept of
motivations/
motivation. It lists
reasons why a character
might act in a certain
way. This article could
help students better
understand Rita’s
character.
Web Article
“The ABCs (and
Ds and Es) of Plot
Development”
Web Article
Freytag’s Pyramid
This article explores
http://www.dailywritingtips.com/the-abcs-and-ds-and-es-ofthe basic building
plot-development/
blocks of plot
development, and
explains the most
important elements of
plot (in sequence). For
writers and non-writers
alike, this website is a
great resource.
This explanation of
http://www.ohio.edu/people/hartleyg/ref/fiction/freytag.html
Freytag’s Pyramid will
be helpful in
explaining basic
narrative structure to
students. Students may
even want to use this
diagram as a model for
how to diagram plot.
Plot Development in “Talk Show Lady” from Drastic: Supplementary Materials Chart