How to Analyze Stories: Understanding Tone, Style, Irony, Genre, and Audience with A.P. Canavan

Of use to readers, reviewers, and authors, this video (part seven of a series) focuses on tone, style, irony, genre, and audience as crucial aspects of storytelling. In this series, A.P. Canavan (‪@ACriticalDragon‬) and I share what we’ve learned about analyzing stories over the years. During the series, we will cover various topics, including story versus plot, narrative perspective, characters, setting and world building, symbols, tone and style, and themes. It is our hope that the tools and techniques we discuss will add enjoyment to people’s storytelling journeys.
I am collecting all the videos in the "How to Analyze Stories" playlist on my channel.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

A quick clarification: Jonathan Swift was born in Dublin to English parents who immigrated to Ireland, and while he spent some years in England, he lived the majority of his life in Ireland. Though he was part of the Anglican Church, he was deeply sympathetic to the Irish people, who were largely Catholic. Thus, "Anglo-Irish" might be a better way of describing him than simply "English," which I called him during our discussion. He is celebrated to this day in Ireland for his defense of the Irish people in A Modest Proposal.

[@ACriticalDragon]

Thank you Philip. Sorry I bent your ear about that after we finished recording.

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

​@@ACriticalDragonSo are you Amero-Irish or Irish-American? 😅

[@ACriticalDragon]

@@Paul_van_Doleweerd I am grumpy.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@ACriticalDragon No worries! I think it's an important clarification, and I'm glad you pointed it out. Even if you are a Nemesis . . .

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

@@ACriticalDragon Well, we knew that already. 🤣🤣 That was my father-in-law's nickname. Maybe you have a bit of Geordie in ya... 😆

[@RiskyStrats]

I'm starting to think Philip really IS the nemesis based on that opening. The dastardly devil!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Mwuhahahahaha! 😈

[@showmanshipgaming1326]

I started watching this channel for the One Piece episodes. I'm glad to find that those videos aren't the only content I'm enjoying here! I've never paid attention to these details in my thirty years of reading, and now I'm enjoying noticing this information in my favorite stories!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@showmanshipgaming1326 I’m so glad you’re finding value in this series! Understanding these facets of storytelling can really enrich one’s experience of a story. Thank you for watching!

[@Nasser851000]

The Rant Saga Continues!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Long may it continue!

[@valliyarnl]

The professors are back with another banger. Really enjoying this series. Wish I had it when I was back in high school 😊

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

You are very kind! 😊 We just recorded episode 8 on themes, my favorite thing to talk about, and it will appear on Professor Fireballs’ channel soon!

[@ZOMGfantasy]

Just catching up on this series now and really enjoying it. Thanks again for doing this!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I’m so glad you’re enjoying the series!

[@duffypratt]

One of my favorite examples: Soren Keirkegaard obtained his graduate degree with his thesis being the book that would be published as The Concept of Irony. Thereafter, he often referred to himself as a Master of Irony.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha ha! I didn’t know that, but now that I do, I will be repeating this lovely anecdote. Cheers!

[@ACriticalDragon]

Nemesis!!! You plague me. Will your torments never cease?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

As Shakespeare said, "As long as there's an internet, these videos will give life to thee." I might be paraphrasing a little.

[@ACriticalDragon]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee. Fiend!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

@@ACriticalDragon 😁😁😁

[@karloswald407]

and that's why we always leave a note, and a second note too, in case an ironic gust of wind blows the first note away or an ironic door mat covers it

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Exactly! I hate ironic door mats! 😁

[@A.Campbell]

Can we get an episode about how this blood feud started 😅?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Ha ha! We will address that important story in the final video, when we tie up loose ends and answer questions. However, to sum it up, Professor Fireballs is the evil one! 😁

[@jameswittak3483]

Another great video, thanks! You guys mentioned some clever titles, and it made me think, it wouls be cool to hear your guys thoughts on what makes for a good title of a story!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Excellent question! We talked about titles a little bit in the video about themes that will soon appear on AP’s channel. We will also address your question directly in the final video dedicated to answering questions. Cheers!

[@EresirThe1st]

For your question video: could you comment on aesthetics in writing? By which I mean the phonic qualities of the words and sentences the author uses.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

We would love to! Thank you for the question!

[@lucasrogers9055]

Thankyou for this video

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for watching!

[@blessthegood1404]

It's so good to see Ravenclaw and Slytherin come together in a mostly peaceful way. Lol

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Being fundamentally reptilian, A Critical Dragon was always going to be sorted into Slytherin. 😁

[@blessthegood1404]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy To be absolutely honest I love you both, but it sure is fun teasing.

[@EricMcLuen]

Sarcasm is often difficult to convey in text. As AP eloquently portrays, tone or facial expression is almost required. I believe he has a story about not liking an interaction he had read. Then, when listening to a reading, the inflections made the sarcasm obvious, and he had to reevaluate his interpretation. I have often been called sarcastic. My response is no, I am being facetious.

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I heard you say that last part sarcastically. 😁

[@pffbear9363]

love the banter from u guys, unrelated if u need a good superhero story, worm(parahamans) is really good, through its only online no physical though its the best superhero story ever (in my opinion) and I just want more talk on. it, I really strongly recommend it and I would say if you are going to try and start it, at the very least read up until the bank part. Please I want more talk of this amazing series and its pretty long(1.6mil) please try it out. Sorry for going off topic, good episode u had

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thank you for the recommendation!

[@chucklitka2503]

I know that A P did a video on this topic recently, but it might be useful to give the short version of how the author's own intent of his work fits into literary analysis. Does it count, and if so, how much does it count?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Thanks, Chuck! I think we can touch on that in the final video, when we answer questions from the series. All the best!

[@saysayonara]

Walking>Perambulating

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

😂😂😂

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

One might think that Philip is more likely to peregrinate than perambulate. 😅

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

I engage in all manner of peregrinations and perambulations. 😁

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

​@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasyPerhaps a perfidious peregrinating perambulator?

[@Paul_van_Doleweerd]

@@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy Perchance a perfidious peregrinating perambulator?

[@ericF-17]

Wait, does your nemesis support censorship?

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

He supports all manner of nefarious things!