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ENGLISH
Quarter 1 – Module 3:
Appraising the Unity of
Plot, Setting, and Characterization

Department of Education - MIMAROPA Region

 What I Need to Know
After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Appraise the unity of plot, setting, and characterization in a material

viewed to achieve the writer’s purpose.
1.1 recognize the writer’s purpose in writing the text.
1.2 determine the plot, setting and characters of the material viewed/read

APPRAISING THE UNITY OF PLOT,

Lesson
SETTING, AND CHARACTERIZATION
In this lesson, you will learn about the elements of a story and the elements
of plot. You will be required to watch a video/movie in order to understand
how the writer achieved his/her purpose in writing the story.
You will be watching the 1993 English movie “Dennis the Menace” screen
played by John Hughes Jr. and directed by Nick Castle.
While watching, take note of the important events that happened in the
story. Try to identify the characters, the setting and the plot of the story.
The following activities will help you in evaluating the unity of plot, setting
and characterization of a material viewed to achieve the purpose of the writer.

What’s In

Read and understand the short story. Then, do the activities that follow.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

(Aesop)
There once was a shepherd boy who was bored as he sat on the hillside
watching the village sheep. To amuse himself he took a great breath and sang
out, “Wolf! Wolf! The Wolf is chasing the sheep!” The villagers came running
up the hill to help the boy drive the wolf away. But when they arrived at the
top of the hill, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at the sight of their angry
faces. “Don’t cry wolf”, shepherd boy,” said the villagers, “when there’s no wolf!”
They went grumbling back down the hill.
Later the boy sang out again, Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep”.
This naughty delight, he watched the villagers run up the hill to help him drive
the wolf away.
When the villagers saw no wolf they sternly said, “Save your frightened
song for when there is really something wrong! Don’t cry Wolf” when there is no
wolf.

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 But the boy just grinned and watched them go grumbling down the hill
once more.
Later, he saw a real wolf prowling about his flock. Alarmed, he leaped
to his feet and sang out loudly as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!”
But the villagers thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they
didn’t come.
At sunset, everyone wondered why the shepherd boy hadn’t returned to
the village with their sheep. They went up the hill to find the boy. They found
him weeping.
“There really was a wolf here. The flock has scattered! I cried out “Wolf!”
Why didn’t you come?”
An old man tried to comfort the boy as they walked back to the village.
“We’ll help you look for the lost sheep in the morning, he said, putting his
arm around the youth, “Nobody believes a liar… even when he is telling the
truth.”
Source: http://www.storyarts.org/library/aesops/stories/boy.html

Directions: Below are events that happened in the story “The Boy who Cried
Wolf”. Present your plot analysis using the organizer as shown below. Write
them in their proper place.

A. Over a constant time, a real wolf came and he scorched.

B. To amuse himself, he scorched “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is attacking the sheep.
C. They found the little shepherd boy weeping in the field.
D. The villagers wondered why the shepherd boy hadn’t returned to the village.
They moved toward the hill to observe.
E. There was once a little shepherd boy sitting on the hillside watching the village’s
sheep.

CLIMAX
FALLING ACTION
RISING ACTION

EXPOSITION CONCLUSION

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 What’s New
ACTIVITY 1: CHARTing the INFO

Use the chart below to analyze the short story “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”.
Use the questions provided in the first column.

QUESTIONS ELEMENT OF EXPLANATION/

THE STORY NARRATION
1. Who are the characters in the story?
2. When and where did the story happen?

Elements of Plot
3. Why did the little boy cry wolf?
4. The little boy cried wolf three times.
What did the villagers do when they heard
him cry for the
a. first time and second time they heard
the little boy?
b. third time they heard the little boy?
5. What happened to the little boy who
cried wolf?
6. What does crying wolf mean?
7. What is the moral of the story?

What Is It

Bits of Information
About the Film Maker
John Hughes Jr. is an American film-maker who began as an author of
humorous essays and stories for national lampoon. He went on to write,
produce and sometimes direct some of the most successful live action comedy
films of 1980’s and 1990’s. “Dennis the Menace” is one of his best stories screen
played along with “Home Alone”, Home Alone 2-Lost in New York, and “Home
Alone 3”
About the Text/Movie
Naughty Dennis Mitchell, a mischievous five year- old tiny rascal, is
dedicated to making his forbearing next-door neighbor George Wilson’s life
miserable, even though he really doesn’t mean it. But, now that school is out
for the summer, Dennis will have all the time in the world to channel his
overbearingly excessive energy to his beloved pensioner who only wants to be
left alone with his garden, while in the meantime, a tattered thief visits the town.
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Undoubtedly, Dennis only wants to be of assistance. Who can hold a grudge
against this innocent and adorable little monster?
(Source:https://m.imdb.com/video/vi2510356761?=tt0106701https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0106701/plot/sum
mary
Films are big parts of our lives. Movies have always entertained us, whether
in cinemas or at home. When the movies are good, you love to see them over
and over again. You even think about the characters even after the movie is
over. A lot of talents and creativities go on making great movies. Here are the
elements of a great movie.
The character is the most important part of storytelling. They are the life
of the film. When you watch a film you need to like some of the characters. You
should feel like you can relate to those characters. Another is the plot, which
has six (6) parts such as exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and
resolution or denouement. A simple plot is enough to win people’s heart. People
don’t want an elaborated plot. It can make or break the cinema. Exposition is
the beginning of the story and prepares the way for upcoming events. In here,
the writer introduces the major characters, establishes the setting and reveals
the major conflicts in the story. Rising Action occurs when the main problem
or conflict is addressed with a form of action. It leads up to the climax. It begins
with the provoking incident, or a moment that sets the story into action.
Climax or the Turning point is the highest point in the story where the conflict
is most intense and the reader or the viewer are forced to keep on
reading/viewing until the end. It deals with the culmination of events. Falling
Action occurs immediately after the climax and details the consequences
whether good or bad that characters must deal with after turning point of
events. It leads up to the resolution and sets the stage for the final chapter of
the story. Resolution or denouement tells us what happens to the characters
after the conflict is resolved. It usually leaves readers or viewers with a sense
of closure, so, they understand the fate of the protagonists and antagonists.
Sources: http:/www.msfilms.org/5element-makes-greatmovie published March 13, 2016 by Penny
Flores
https://penandthepad.com/5-parts-plot-story-8394628.html
 Now that you know these elements, you may proceed to the next activity.

What’s More
ACTIVITY 2: iWATCHu
Watch the movie “Dennis the Menace” carefully and
answer the questions below. Before watching, try to give as
many word as you can think about the word “menace”. You are
allowed to use dictionary. Focus on the possible traits/attitudes
of Dennis as mentioned or implied in the material viewed.
(Note: In case you don’t have gadget, and internet access
to download the movie, your facilitator may provide a copy for
you. If in case there is no available copy, you have been
provided the written summary of the movie

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 “Dennis The Menace”. You may read it so that you may be able to finish the
given tasks.
DENNIS THE MENACE (The Summary)
by: John Hughes Jr.

Dennis Mitchell is a five-year old boy who lives with his parents, Henry
and Alice, and is the bane of next door neighbor George Wilson and others in
his neighborhood. One morning, Dennis shoots an aspirin into George’s mouth
with a sling shot after two failed attempts to give the man an aspirin by hand.
This causes George to gag and spit out the pill, as Dennis flees home. Henry
and Alice learned of the incident, but because they both have to work, Alice has
to take him to stay at Margaret Wade’s house for the day.
Dennis dislikes Margaret who is mean to him. Margaret and Dennis, along
with his friend Joey, venture into the woods to an abandoned tree house and
intend to fix it up. Later, while getting paint from a high shelf in the garage,
Dennis tries to grab his slingshot, which was taken away from him by Henry,
and accidentally spills the paint on the ground. He tries to vacuum it up, but
ends up spilling a glob of paint into George’s barbecue grill, while George cooks
chicken, and he tastes the paint. That night, Dennis has set of baby sitters:
Polly and her boyfriend, Mickey. He plays doorbell pranks on them and they
retaliate by sticking a thumbtacks on the doorbell and preparing water and flour
to douse on the prankster. However, George goes over to Dennis’ house, against
the wishes of his wife, Martha, to find out what Dennis knows about the paint
in his chicken…But when he rings the doorbell, he pricks his thumb, and gets
water and flour dumped on him, much to Martha’s amusement.
Meanwhile, a burglar named Switchblade Sam arrives
in town and begins robbing houses as well as stealing things
outdoors and striking fear into the children he meets. Henry
and Alice are having increasing difficulty getting people to watch
Dennis when they both work. George and Martha are charged
with the task for the weekend when Henry and Alice have been
called away on business trips. Martha loves Dennis as if he
were her own grandson, as she and George are childless and
she enjoys telling Dennis a bedtime poem that her mother told her. However,
George is further irritated by Dennis spilling bath on the bathroom floor,
replacing George’s nasal spray with his mouthwash and his toilet cleanser, and
letting Dennis’ dog Ruff into the house. George mistakes Ruff for Martha in the
dark. Fortunately for George, he has been selected to host the Summer
Floraganza, a long-awaited garden party. He has spent virtually forty years
growing and nurturing a rare night-blooming orchid especially for the event.
Despite the investment, the flower is supposed to die shortly after blooming.
Alice’s flight is delayed by a thunderstorm, so Dennis remains at the Wilsons’
house from the night of the orchid’s blooming. Martha is understanding, but
George is deeply dismayed about this. But at her insistence, he grudgingly lets

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Dennis stay outside for the party with a firm warning to behave himself.
However, Dennis presses the garage door button, causing the door to knock
over the dessert table and make a huge mess. George angrily sends him inside
shortly after seeing the mess.
While the Wilsons and their guests await the flower’s nocturnal
blooming, Switchblade Sam robs the house. Dennis hears him as he leaves,
then goes downstairs to find the safe open and George’s gold coins missing from
the safe. Just as the flower is about to bloom, he alerts George of the robbery,
distracting him and everyone else long enough to miss the flower’s brief display.
Furious about his forty-year investment gone to waste and constant mishaps
Dennis has cause, George severely chastises and disowns Dennis, causing him
to flee on his bike.
Dennis heads into the park, where Switchblade Sam grabs him as a
hostage. Henry and Alice arrive home to learn from Martha and the police of
Dennis’ disappearance prompting a town-wide
search. Having discovered Dennis was telling the
truth about the robbery, a guilt-ridden George reflects
on the harsh things he has said to Dennis and carries
out his own search for him. Meanwhile, Dennis
unintentionally but effectively defeats Sam by trying
him, losing the handcuff key, bludgeoning him several
times and torching him twice, among other things. He
returns to the Wilson’s house the next morning with
an injured Sam in his wagon, having also recovered George’s gold coins which
he discovered Sam stole. Before long, Sam is taken into police custody by the
town’s police chief who advised him at one point to leave town. When the officer
closes the door on Sam’s handcuffed hand, he ends up breaking his hand, and
Sam’s switchblade knife falls down the drain. Dennis and George make
amends, and the Mitchells and Wilsons are also on better terms. That night,
George explains that he learned some things about children.
“Kids are kids, you have to play by their rules. If you can’t do that, you’re
headed for trouble. You have to roll with the punches. You have to expect the
unexpected.”
Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_the_Menace_(film)#Plot

ACTIVITY 2: LET’S CHARACTERIZE

Fill in the characters’ organizer with the attitude or behavior of Dennis, Mr.
Wilson and the thief displayed in the story. Write your answer on the face of
each character. Take note that all your answers/ideas are accepted, so, you
should not hesitate to give your answer.

Mr. Wilson The thief

Dennis

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ACTIVITY 3: ACCELERATE- DISCELERATE
From the movie “Dennis the Menace”, identify these elements of plot: the
exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution or
denouement. In a separate sheet, draw a mountain or any organizer where
you can write the sequence of events in the story. Try to evaluate the unity of
plot.

What I Have Learned

After you finished the given activities, remember to answer this
question.

Did the writer achieve his/her purpose in writing the story?

How did he/she achieve his/her purpose?

What I Can Do
ACTIVITY 4: Give a Few Words about the given quote.

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we

are divided.”

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