The Short Story

1. The Short Story

2. The Setting • The setting is where and when the story takes place • place - geographical location.  Where is the action of the story taking place? • time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc) • weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc? • social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)? • mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?  Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

3. Characters • Characters are the people, animals, or things that the story is about • Main Character – the primary and most important characters; these characters are affected by the story • Subordinate Characters – characters that have smaller parts; these characters affect the story

4. Characters, continuedProtagonist & Antagonist • Protagonist • The main character • Antagonist • The character who stands in the way of the protagonist

5. Characterization • Direct Characterization • How the author describes the character • Indirect Characterization • What other characters say about the character, what you learn through action and dialogue

6. Character Types • Round • Character who resembles a real person; a character who has a complex personality • Flat • A character who is one dimensional, few personality traits; usually exists in the story to fulfill a minor role • Static • A character who stays the same throughout the entire story • Dynamic • A character who changes in an important way during the course of the story

7. Types of Communication • Dialogue • Two people speaking together • Monologue • One person speaking usually to express thoughts but could also address others • Soliloquy • One person speaking alone on stage • Aside • Character steps “aside” to address audience; other character unaware of this interaction

8. Point of View • From what perspective is the story told? • First person – POV of the main character, uses “I,”“me,”“we,”“mine” • Second person – POV of the reader, uses “you;” engage you the reader in story • Third person – POV of an outside observer, uses “he,”“she,”“it,”“they” • Limited – the reader can only “see” what happens; they are not in the characters’ heads • Omniscient – the reader knows the characters’ thoughts, can “see” inside their heads

9. External vs. Internal Conflict • ExternalConflict • A struggle with a force outside one's self. • Internal Conflict • A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

10. Four Kinds of Conflict • 1)  Man vs. Man - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals. • 2)  Man vs. Circumstances - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her. • 3)  Man vs. Society - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people. • 4)  Man vs. Self-  The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

11. The Plot Curve • Exposition • Beginning of the story; characters are introduced, setting is established, tone and mood are set • Rising Action • The conflict begins; the protagonist works towards settling the conflict • Climax • The pinnacle of the story; the protagonist solves the conflict (or doesn’t). The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

12. About the Climax • 1) the main character receives new information  • 2)  accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it) • 3)  acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether or not he/she gains his/her objective).

13. Plot Curve, continued • Falling Action • The specifics of the climax play out; what happens as a result of the climax • Resolution (Denouement) • Loose ends are wrapped up; the reader sees the new and changed protagonist; life goes on

15. Theme • The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.  It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey.  The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature.  The author may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.   • Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are: - Things are not always as they appear to be - Love is blind - Believe in yourself - People are afraid of change- Don't judge a book by its cover

16. Theme vs. Subject • Theme is the moral or lesson • Love is blind • Subject is usually one-word • Love (Love is NOT a theme. The lesson about love is the theme.) • Relationships

17. Tone • Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation) and the readers. A work of writing can have more than one tone. An example of tone could be both serious and humorous. Tone is set by the use of literary devices, choice of vocabulary and other details. • Words that describe tone: amused, angry, light, sad, cheerful, etc.

18. Mood Mood • Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s words. It is the feeling the reader gets from reading those words. It may be the same, or it may change from situation to situation • Words that describe mood: frightening, gloomy, sorrowful, romantic, etc.

19. Literary Devices: Alliteration • The repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words • Ex) “The wicked wind laughs long and loud”

20. Literary Devices: Allusion • A reference to a specific person, place, or thing (outside the story). • She had a Cinderella wedding. • He had Herculean strength. • The man was as wise as Solomon.

21. Literary Devices: Flashback • a transition to an earlier event or scene that interrupts the normal chronological development of the story

22. Literary Devices: Flashforward • a literary device in which the chronological sequence of events is interrupted by the interjection of a future event.

23. Literary Devices: Foreshadowing • vague indications of what is to come; hint at what will happen (purpose: build suspense and make narrative & end more believable)

24. Literary Devices: Hyperbole An extreme exaggeration Ex) “It’s a million degrees outside, and I’m stuck at home!” “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

25. Literary Devices: Imagery The use of description that helps the reader imagine how something looks, sounds, feels, smells, or tastes. Most of the time it refers to appearance Ex) A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze. Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the Milky Way

26. Literary Device: Irony • A discrepancy between appearance and reality (what you expect to happen vs. what really happens) • Dramatic • Situational • Verbal

27. Dramatic Irony • Audience knows something the characters do not. Character in a play or story thinks one thing is going to happen, but the audience or reader knows better. • Example: Audience knows Juliet is a Capulet, but Romeo doesn’t know it immediately. • In the movie you know the ax murder is on the other side of the door, but the character doesn’t. “Don’t open that door! Get out of the house

28. Situational Irony • An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the reader or characters (what happens vs. what you expect to happen) • Example • Marriage counselor gets divorced. • Teacher failed test. • Student who didn’t study passes test.

29. Verbal Irony • Character says one thing and means another • Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony

30. Literary Device: Metaphor • A comparison in which one thing is said to be another • Examples: • He’s a pig! • The athlete is a cheetah on the track. • School is a river of knowledge.

31. Literary Devices: Motif • A reoccurring image, word, phrase, or action that tends to unify the literary work or that forms the theme in a work of literature

32. Literary Device: Personification • A figure of speech in which a nonhuman thing or quality is talked about as if it were human. • Example: • Justice is blind. • The hours crawled by like years. • The sea swallowed the sinking ship.

33. Literary Device: Simile • A comparison between two unlike things using words such as: “like” or “as” • Example: • The little boy was quiet as a mouse. • He was as big as a house.

34. Literary Device: Symbolism Symbol: A word or object that represents something else • Universal Symbol • Light = good / Dark = evil • Dove = peace • Lion = strength/courage • Constructed Symbol • Conch shell (in Lord of the Flies) = power, order