Elements of a Short Story

1. Elements of a Short Story

2. Definition of a Short Story • Tells about a ____________ event or experience • Fictional (not true) • 500 to 15,000 words in length • It has a _______________ ________________, and __________________. • Creates an impression on the reader

3. Elements of a Short Story • _______________ • Characterization • _______________ • Conflict • _______________ • Resolution • _______________ • Point of view

4. Setting • The time and ________________ of the story’s action

5. Short Story Vocabulary • Theme: The story’s main ideas. The “______________” the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.

6. Short Story Vocabulary • Characterization: Creation of imaginary people who appear to be ____________ to the reader. The writer gives _______________ about the characters in the story.

7. Characterization • How the author ________________ the characters, especially the main character. • This is done through: • what the character ____________ or says • what others say of and __________ the character • author’s _____________ _____________ in descriptive passages

8. Characterization • Direct characterization • The author ________________ states what the character’s personality is like. Example: cruel, kind • Indirect characterization • Showing a character’s personality through his/her ________________, thoughts, feelings, ________________, appearance or other character’s observations or reactions

9. Protagonist • Main character of the story that changes • the most ___________________ character • changes and grows because of experiences in the story • “______________ Character”

10. Antagonist • A major character who _______________ the protagonist • “_________________ Character”

11. Short Story Vocabulary • Plot: A series of _______________ through which the writer reveals what is happening, to whom, and why.

12. What is the Plot? • Plot: Series of related events that make up a story.

13. Exposition • Section that ______________________ characters, the setting, and conflicts.

14. Rising Action • Consists of a series of _______________. • These occur when the main characters take _____________ to resolve their problems and are met with further problems: • Fear • Hostility • Threatening situation

15. Climax • The turning _____________ in the story: the high point of interest and _______________. Climax Rising Action or Complications Falling Action

16. Falling Action • All events following the climax or turning point in the story. These events are a _______________ of the action taken at the climax.

17. Resolution • The _____________ of the central conflict: it shows how the situation turns out and ties up loose ends

18. Short Story Vocabulary • Conflict: Is a _______________ in the story that needs to be resolved.

19. Conflict • A struggle between two opposing forces • Types • Internal – takes place in a character’s own ________. • Man vs. Him(Her)self • External – a character struggles against an _________________ force • Man vs. Man • Man vs. Nature • Man vs. Society

20. Man v/s Himself/Herself: • The central character has to make personal decisions about what is the right thing to do (ex.: a young person must decide whether or not to tell his parents he stole some money, a person sees a twenty dollar bill fall out of someone’s pocket and must decide whether to return it or not.) • Internal

21. The two types of conflict can be shown in the following ways: • Man v/s nature: the central character battles the forces of nature (ex.: caught in a rain storm w/ no umbrella, stalked by a wild animal)

22. Man v/s Society • The central character battles societal norms (ex.: a new student dressing differently than the other students, a person who won’t drink even though his friends are)

23. Man v/s Man: • The central character battles another character in the story (ex.: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vadar, Tweety vs. Sylvester)

24. Short Story Vocabulary • Point of view: The _______________ of the ______________ of the story and what the writer sees from that vantage point.

25. Point of View • First person- One of the characters is actually telling the story using the pronoun “__________” • Third person- Centers on _____________ character’s thoughts and actions. • Omniscient- ___________ knowing narrator. Can center on the thoughts any actions of _________ and _________ characters.

26. Flashback • The present scene in the story is interrupted to flash backward and tell what happened in an ________________ time.

27. Foreshadowing • _____________ the writer puts in the story to give the reader a hint of what is to come.

28. Irony • A _____________ between expectation and reality.

29. Irony • Verbal Irony – _______________ one thing but meaning something completely different. • Calling a clumsy basketball player “Michael Jordan” • Situational Irony – A contradiction between what we _______________ to happen and what really does happen • Dramatic Irony – occurs when the ____________ knows something important that the characters in the story do not know.