The+Portable+Phonograph

Short Stories - Literary DevisesTitl__e: The Portable Phonograph__

Point of View: 3rd person

Protagonist: Dr. Jenkins, musician What type of character is the Protagonist? Round, dynamic

Antagonist: musician

Describe the setting The story takes place after a devastating war, in a dugout which belongs to Dr Jenkins. The mood is sad, a little depressing, and mysterious.

Type of Conflict: man vs. man, man vs. self

Describe the main conflict: In my opinion, the main conflict is going on inside the musician who is fighting the urge to steal the phonograph and have it for himself. This young man used to be a wonderful musician, but because of the war, he no longer remembers the music he used to play, he no longer remembers how it feels to play music and when he hears a piece of music which belongs to Dr Jenkins he wants to take it for himself.

Describe the Climax of the Story: The climax of the story is when the music is playing and the responses of everybody who is listening.

How does the Protagonist change over the course of the story? The protagonist changes over the course of the story when his visitors leave and he hears the musician muffle a cough while hiding outside his "house". At that moment, Dr. Jenkins stops being the kindly old man who lets people use his things and becomes somebody who will do anything to protect what is his as long as it doesn't fall into someone else's hands.

Describe the relationship between the title and the theme. The relationship between the title and the theme is that the theme, in my opinion, is that people will lose their humanity if the y are not often exposed to human things like music, art, and kindness.

How does the main conflict help to illustrate the theme? The main conflict is the internal struggle inside the musician, and it illustrates the theme because the musician feels like he's losing his humanity and will do anything to get ahold of the portable phonograph so that he may listen to music and stay human.

How does the climax help to illustrate the theme? The climax illustrates theme because in the climax, which is when the men are listening to music, the musician feels like he needs the music to stay human and that is what the theme is about.

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

Simile: He was like a prehistoric priest.

Metaphor: Every sound was piercing and singularly sweet.

Personification: The thorns will do beautifully.

Symbol: The records and books are representing the humanity of the men.

Foreshadowing (give both elements):
 * At the very moment he heard what he had been listening for, a sound of suppressed coughing.


 * Even the musician lifted his head in amazement, but then quickly bowed it down again, strainingly, as if he were unable to endure.

Irony: **"Oh, thanks", said the young man. "Thanks".** But in the end he actually attempted to steal the phonograph which is not a very nice thing to do but in the beginning he was thanking Dr Jenkins for letting him hear the music.

Imagery: Around the smoldering peat, four men were seated cross legged.

Describe the relationships between the class theme and the story. The relationship between the class theme and the story is that the story is about a couple men who feel they are losing their humanity and feel the need for music and art to stay human, while the class theme is humanity so as you can see they are very closely related.

The story is set right after a world war, I believe it is ww2. The story says: The frozen mud still bore the toothed impress of great tanks; They were the scars of gigantic bombs.

The purpose of the men's meeting is for them to listen to music and reunite with their past. The author compares the unwrapping of the book bundle to a ceremonial rite because to the men in the story, it was a ceremonial rite. They have not been around culture, books, music for so long, it was really important for them to reunite with human things.

The significance of the books that were saved was huge because to the men it was like their last link to humanity, and the books that were saved were the most important books for humans. There are no recent works of fiction included because the story took place decades ago, and obviously the fiction we read today had not been written yet.

a) The significance of Dr. Jenkins clutching the lead pipe is that it represents hi willing to do anything, even kill an invader who tries to steal his belongings to protect the records, books, and phonograph that are in his possession. b) I think what is going to happen next is the musician will burst in and try to take the music by force, but the doctor will defend and hit him on the head with the lead pipe in an attempt to protect his belongings. The musician will die and the doctor will sit and cry thinking what has he done? He just killed someone over some records and books.

COMPLETION 5/5 EFFORT 5/5 CONTENT 5/5 QUESTIONS 8/8 TOTAL 23/23

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