Mrs. Lima English 9 Honors

Intro. to Short Stories & Review of Literary Elements

What is a Short Story?

Long story short… What does that mean?

Characteristics of a Short Story A piece of prose fiction which can be read at a single

sitting (half hour to two hours)

Often describes a defining life moment

A limited set of characters, one single action and a simple plot

Snapshot or slice-of-life story

Usually has an abrupt beginning and a surprise ending

Some Definitions… “A short story should be read in one sitting.” -Edgar Allan Poe “I think a short story is usually about one thing, and a

novel about many... A short story is like a short visit to other people, a novel like a long journey with others.” - M.E. Kerr

“A good short-story writer has an instinct for sketching in

just enough background to ground the specific story.” – Lynn Abbey

Setting The place and time in which a story takes place.

Consider: 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 color (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?

Setting "Every story would be another story, and

unrecognizable if it took up its characters and plot and happened somewhere else... Fiction depends for its life on place. Place is the crossroads of circumstance, the proving ground of, “What happened? Who's here? Who's coming?”’

-Eudora Welty

Plot The literary element that describes the structure

of the story (sequence of events)

It shows the a causal arrangement of events and actions within a story

“Framework” of a story

5 Components of Plot A. Exposition (Basic Situation) - provides needed background

information; presents a character in a situation that contains the possibility of action

B. Rising Action (Complication)- develops the basic situation; the

conflict intensifies; the series of conflicts and crisis leading to the climax

C. Climax- the most tense or exciting part of the story, the turning

point of the action (either mentally or in action) when something happens to decide the outcome of the conflict

D. Falling Action (Denouement)- the action after the climax

E. Resolution- conflict is resolved; the conclusion; the tying

together of all the threads of the story.

Plot

Plot “There has to be tension, a sense that something is

imminent, that certain things are in relentless motion, or else, most often, there simply won't be a story." -Raymond Carver

Plot, Motivation and Causation of Fiction events precede or follow another, not simply because

time ticks away but because effects follow causes Conflict = the controlling impulse in a connected

pattern of causes and effects

Conflict… conflict causes characters to engage in the decisions, actions,

and responses and interactions that make up stories concrete conflicts (man vs. man) or abstract conflicts (man vs.

natural objects, ideas, modes of behavior, or public opinion) characters may find themselves in a dilemma, a difficult or

even impossible choice conflict is the major element of plot because it arouses curiosity,

causes doubt, creates tension, and produces interest

Types of Conflict

Conflict- a struggle between opposing forces

A. Internal Conflict - conflict caused when a person

struggles with something inside his own heart or mind *can be emotional or psychological B. External Conflict- conflicts caused by something outside the character

1. Man vs. person 2. person against nature 3. person against society 4. person against supernatural beings/forces ex. fate

Plot Structure Structure: describes how the writer arranges materials in accord with the

general ideas and purpose of the work

--defines the layout of fiction or the way the story is shaped

--placement, balance, recurring themes, true and misleading conclusions, suspense all play a role in the structure of stories

*Formal Categories of Structure: 1. Exposition--laying out of main characters, their backgrounds, interests,

goals, limitations, potentials; laying out of the setting

2. Complication--the onset of the major conflict; the event that starts the conflict; it is sometimes called the " inciting moment"

3. Crisis--the point at which curiosity, uncertainty, and tension are greatest; it is often called the "turning point" or "climax" of a story

4. Falling Action--the events after the crisis that lead to the resolution

5. Resolution or Denouement--the "releasing or untying"; the completing of the story

Plot Structure, cont’d.

*Actual Structure: stories won't always follow the above diagram; instead they may have one or both of the following:

1. double take*

2. flashback

*First, think about when you see something and it catches you off guard and you take a "double take" or a second look at it. (Think of your head being like an owl's and it swivels super fast around to see if what you saw really was what you saw)

In fiction, the structure can have a "double take" when, for example, the end of the story produces a new conflict.

Writing about Plot, Setting & Conflict an essay about plot is an analysis of the conflict and its

developments it does not retell the story but stresses the major elements

in the conflict; it analyzes more broadly in terms of impulses, goals, values, issues, and historical perspective

it analyzes how the plot develops the theme(s) of the

story the conclusion of the essay should have a brief

consideration of the effect or impact produced by the conflict

Character A person in fiction

portrayed through action, speech, description and commentary

Protagonist vs. Antagonist Protagonist – the main character in a story

Antagonist- the character or force that conflicts with the protagonist

Usually evil

Can be a force of nature

Dynamic vs. Static Characters Dynamic – undergoes a change or alteration through

the course of a story Can be seen through: an action, an epiphany or an

acceptance of a new change/condition

Static – does not change or grow throughout the story

Is often used to highlight the development of round characters

Round vs. Flat Characters Round Character- a character with many traits, one

who is complex, whose personality has a lot of “layers”.

Flat character– a character with only one or two key personality traits

Character Example: Shrek

SHREK: An Ogre •Round character? Or Flat? •Dynamic character? Or Static? •Stock Character? •Protagonist or Antagonist?

Fiona: Princess-turned-Ogre Round? Or Flat?

Dynamic? Or Static? Stock Character?

Protagonist or Antagonist?

Character Example: Shrek Prince Charming: Hottie Round or Flat? Dynamic or Static? Protagonist or Antagonist?

Characterization Characterization -- The way that the author

develops the characters The information the author gives the reader about the

character Some ways in which character is revealed:

Physical appearance

Thoughts, feelings, dreams and words of character

Character’s actions

What others say about and react to character

Characters are convincing if they are consistent, motivated and life-like

Direct vs. Indirect Characterization Direct characterization – tells readers directly what

a character is like Ex. Narrator’s comments

Indirect characterization – shows readers what a character is like– requires readers to make an inference

Physical description; appearance

Speech/Dialogue

Private thoughts/feelings

Motives & Actions

Speech, action, thoughts, feelings of other characters

Effects on other characters

When analyzing character… Consider: How is character revealed at the beginning of the

novel/story? How does the character change throughout the course

of the novel/story? How is the character revealed at the end of the

novel/story? What do the character’s experiences teach us?

Point of View First Person -- character in story is telling the story

I, me, my reader only knows what the narrator is thinking

Author participant

3rd Person –Storyteller is NOT one of the characters 3rd Person Omniscient- the narrator uses third person pronouns

(he/she/they etc.) and is God-like: all knowing (omniscient). This type of narrator is not limited by time or space.

3rd Person Limited- the narrator tells the story using third person pronouns but limits herself to what one character can sense; the limitations are the same as in first person.

3rd Person Objective- don’t know any of the feelings/thoughts of the characters

2nd PERSON??? For kudos?

THEME A theme is the main idea, or message, of an essay,

paragraph, or a book. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and may be implied rather than stated explicitly

TheMessage

Symbolism Person, place, event or object that stands for

something beyond itself Example: a bird in a cage would symbolize lost freedom

The object or word can be seen with the eye or not be visible. Example: A dove stands for Peace. The dove can be seen

and peace cannot.