Elements of the Short Story

1. Elements of the Short Story Essay 4 Prewriting

2. Creative Writing (Fiction) Creative writing is a form of writing that may function persuasively in that it makes a point or conclusion about a topic, but this form requires dramatic elements in order to show your reader the major premise (thesis) of the story. Using reality or fantasy can add drama to the point/s you are making because it adds spice to characters, situations, and or concepts you are proving or showing in your story. The same topic (concept) can be applied to poetry and theatre.

3. Essay 4 Prompt (Part I) PART I: Essay 4 Prompt (Rough Draft due Wednesday April 22nd!) Write a short story of your own using anything (short stories or the poem we have read so far this semester) as a model. In other words, use one of the stories as inspiration for your own story. You should bring a rough draft of your story to class (typed). Must be at least 3 pages in length. Some ideas: • Your own version of “Cooking Lesson” • A story about taking a star, a wave, a gust of wind home with you • A work of art that comes to life (Inspired by Chacmool) • A man who is waiting to die on death row (inspired by “Tell them Not to Kill Me!” • A poem like “I am Joaquin” but about your life

4. Guidelines for your story • Your story should have a main character (could be first person “I” or “3rd person omniscient” • Include a “conflict,” “tension,” “climax” and ending • Include symbolism and vivid description • Have fun and be creative!

5. Part II (Writing about my Own Story) Now you are going to be asked to write a 2-3 page essay explaining the process of your story and the elements of your short story. For example: Two Elements in My Short Story In this short story, I have tried to utilize two different elements of the short story—point of view and symbol. First, in choosing the point of view I decided on a nonparticipating narrator with limited omniscience. Initially I thought that Jack would be too young to comprehend the meaning of some of the events to have him tell the story himself. After working on the story, I also discovered it was easier to comment on the events rather than trying to express the emotions that Jack felt (although I think this might be an approach I would like to try as well). The symbol I incorporated into the story was the deserted old mill. This represents the emptiness and frustration of the town, which contributes to the events at the ballpark. Breathing life back into the mill is meant to show how the people need to put the past behind them and get a fresh start. Jack’s symbolic gesture in the end is his way of expressing this need. It would be impossible to write a story without utilizing the other elements as well: character, setting, plot and so on. For this story, however, I did not concentrate much effort on these areas. In rewriting this story, I would like to focus more attention on character, Jack’s in particular. He is the more rounded character of the story. Focusing more in attention developing him might add more life to the story. Also, working more on the setting of the story, the town, and the ball field might make the symbol clearer.