The Tale of Hashnu the Stone Cutter: A Story of Power and Humility

Hasnu, the stone cutter Plot A stonecutter named Hashnu sat beside the highway cutting stone when the King’s courtiers cross the street. He then wished to be King and that wish was granted. Then he felt the sun’s heat thinking that the sun was powerful than the king so he wished to be the sun. He became the sun but then the cloud covered the sun. Thinking that the cloud was powerful than the sun, he then wishes to be the cloud. When he became the cloud, he then wished to be a rock for it didn’t move for all of his raining and blowing.

Then he experienced the hardships of being a rock being sculpted by a stonecutter so he wishes to be a stonecutter again and fulfilled his duty contentedly. Conflict · The conflict in the story is when Hashnu wants to be the most powerful. Climax · The climax in the story is when Hashnu wants to be the king, the sun, the cloud, the rock and the stone cutter again. Denouement · The denouement in the story is when Hashnu realized that the most powerful among the creations of God is still the man and he now fulfill his duty as a stonecutter contentedly. Characters

Protagonist: · Hashnu- the stonecutter Antagonist: · Hashnu-the stonecutter Setting Time- Time of Monarchs Location- Along the road where the King and his courtiers were crossing. Theme The theme of the story is life process because the story tells the experiences of Hashnu when he became a king, a sun, a cloud, a rock and the stonecutter again. Point of view The point of view of the story is third person because the narrator is not a participant in the story and his knowledge is limited only to the character of Hashnu. Conflict The conflict in the story is Man Vs.

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Society because here in the story Hashnu struggles with himself and his desire to be the most powerful. Symbol The symbol in the story is the mallet which is used by the stonecutter. Moral Lesson Be contented with who you are. The Lady or the Tiger Plot - A semibarbaric king discovers his daughter is having an unlawful affair with a male suitor. The male suitor is soon arrested and forced to go to trial, a trial that consists of an arena with two doors. Behind one door is a tiger, set to maul the unlucky criminal; behind the other is a beautiful bride, set to euphimistically maul the lucky criminal.

The princess, who loves the young criminal, knows behind which door awaits the tiger, points to the right, indicating which door the young man should choose. Setting - The story takes place a long time ago in a kingdom far, far away. Characterization - The king is semibarbaric. The young man is handsome. They are both stereotypes. The princess, on the other hand, is developed more deeply. We know she loves the prince. We know she has inherited some of her father's semibarbaric qualities. We know she is jealous of the bride to be, if chosen.

We do not, however, know which door she has chosen for her lover. Conflict - A person v. person conflict exists between the king and his daughter and the king and the young man. An individual v. society conflict exists between the two young lovers and the rules of the kingdom. The central conflict in the story is an internal conflict within the princess as she struggles between watching her lover in the arms of another or watching her lover get devoured by a tiger. Resolution - The story has no resolution. It is up to the reader to determine whether or not the young man lives or dies.

Theme - Stockton's short story comments on the confusing nature of love and the subjective notion of civilization and barbarity. There is also an element of Determinism vs. Free Will and whether or not, if left to their own desires, humans make the right decision. Suspense - Suspense is created through the use of foreshadowing, dangerous action, and pacing. Stockton foreshadows the coming unhappiness of the princess (although he doesn't provide a definitive answer to the specific choice that causes that unhappiness). The dangerous action is provided by the tiger.

The ultimate creation of suspense is done by the story's pacing. It is so well done, in fact, I still don't know what the young man chose. Irony - The ironic structure of the story--it has no end, for example--highlights the irony present in the story: (1) the princess and not the criminal is the story's true loser; (2) the king, despite the outward appearance of sophistication is, at heart, a cruel semibarbarian; (3) the princess deliberates for days on whether or not to save her lover Point of View - Do not confuse the author with the narrator.

The narrator is third person omniscient and knows the fate of the young man. The author does not. The Gift of Magi PLOT - Linear a) Introduction – The story starts with a description of the place where the major characters live, and then the major female character is introduced. Rising Action One dollar and eighty-seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas. Climax Jim stepped inside the door, as immovable as a setter at the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, and there was an expression in them that she could not read, and it terrified her.

It was not anger, nor surprise, nor disapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that she had been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly with that peculiar expression on his face. Falling Action Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch and put his hands under the back of his head and smiled. Denouement ;quot;Dell,;quot; said he, ;quot;let's put our Christmas presents away and keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just at present. I sold the watch to get the money to buy Your combs.

And now suppose you put the chops on. " CHARACTERS: The two main characters are both protagonists (There is no antagonist): Mr. and Mrs. James and Delia Dillingham Young. - DEVELOPING/ Round Minor character: Madame Sofronie - STATIC/ Flat SETTING a. ) Place The action takes place in New York City in a very modest apartment and in a hair shop down the street from the apartment. Although Porter does not mention New York by name, he does refer to Coney Island, the city's most famous amusement park, located in the borough of Brooklyn. ime – At Christmas Eve, a long time ago c) weather condition- winter time social conditions – The couple was financially- struggling e) mood or atmosphere - … Life is made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles… POINT OF VIEW Stream of Consciousness - The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are inside the head of one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions. LITERARY DEVICES Foreshadowing Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's.

The other was Della's hair. Symbol The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wise men-who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise, their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing the privilege of exchange in case of duplication. THEME Love has no bounds. CONFLICT -The couple’s financial struggle Person vs. Circumstances (classical) – The couple struggles against poverty Person vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) –Delia struggles with the painful decision of letting go her only prized possession

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