Elements of the Short Story or Novel

1. Elements of the Short Story or Novel

2. Character • The charactercan be revealed through the character's actions, speech, and appearance. It can also be revealed by the comments of other characters and of the author.

3. Types of characters that appear in many stories: • The protagonist: the central character (person, animal, or personified object) in the plot's conflict.  The antagonist is the force in conflict with the protagonist. It may be society, nature, fate, as well as another person. It can also be the protagonist's own self, if he or she has an internal conflict.

4. Characters may also be classified as : Major: most important characteraroundwhom the action revolves (protagonist or antagonist). Secondary: helps in the development of the major character(s). Minor: least important characters

5. Plot Plot: the sequence of events which involve the characters in conflict. a) preliminary action b) complicating incident c) rising action d) climax e) falling action e) outcome

6. Most plots have certain common elements: A story commonly begins with preliminary action, an explanation of the situation and the condition of the characters. It also includes when and where the story takes place. A plot usually continues with a complicating incident, the first incident which creates a conflict.

7. Story continues with . . . • Rising action:after the complicating incident, tension isbuiltthrough a series of eventsleading to the climax, oftencreating suspense.

8. The climax is the end of suspense; usually it is the most exciting or important moment in the story. • The falling action(after the climax), it gives explanation and usually ends with problems from rising action being solved.

9. Outcome The ending of the story may be either opened or closed. In a closed ending, the most usual one in children's books, readers feel that they know what will happen. The reader feels a sense of completion.

10. In an open ending, readers must draw their own conclusions; they do not know how the story will end.

11. Conflict • Conflict is the struggle between the protagonist and an opposing force. • Several types of conflict may be present in any one story.

12. There are several types of conflict: Character vs character: the protagonist against someone else. • Character vs society:when the protagonist is in conflict with the values of his or her society.

13. Character vs nature: takes place when the protagonist is threatened by an element of nature. • Character vs self : occurs when the protagonist struggles within himself or herself. The protagonist is pulled by two courses of action or by differing emotions.

14. Theme The themeis the underlying message or idea of the story. It canbe the author’s message about important issues, a universaltruth, a significantstatement the story ismaking about society, human nature or the human condition.

15. Themesmust be clearly stated; one word is usually not enough. To say that a book's theme is "friendship" is not clear. It may mean, "Friends are a person's most valuable possession." It may also mean, "Friends can never be trusted if their own interests are opposed to yours."

16. Point of View • The point of viewis the position fromwhich the story istold. • 1st personpoint of view: The narratoris the « I » of the story. • 3rdperson point of view: The narratoris not part of the story but is an individualwhoknowseverythingthathappens.

17. Literary Genre • Fiction: stories that are made up withoutactualrealism to them. Ex. science-fiction, romance, western, fantasy, crime, mystery. • Non-fiction: real life stories Ex. essay, biography, autobiography

18. Literary Devices • Other elements which may be found in plots include: • Foreshadowing: the dropping of hints or clues about what will happen later in the story. • Flashback: occurs when the author interrupts the flow of the action and narrates an event that took place before the current time of the story.

19. Ironyisthe use of words in a waythat’sdifferentfromtheirordinarymeaning. It canalsobewrittensarcastically. • Examples: People whocomplainmostloudly are the oneswho do the least to help. • The firestation caughtfire!

20. Figures of speech • Personificationisusedwhenapplyinghumanqualities to inanimateobjects, animals, or naturalphenomena. Ex: The rock refused to move. The moon’s light shakesacross the lake. • A hyperboleis an exaggeration or an overstatement of facts. Ex: I have a ton of homework! I toldyou a million times to stop talking.

21. A metaphoris a comparison of twounlikelythingswithoutusing the wordslike or as. Ex: He is a pigwhenheeats. A green plant is a machine thatruns on solarenergy. • A simileis the comparison of twounlikelythingsusing the wordslikeor as. Ex: Hiseyes are as shiny as the moon-lit sky. Shestookat the alter shakinglike a trout.