short story notes (structure, purpose, setting, plot, conflict & characterization)

SHORT STORIESSTRUCTURE, PURPOSE, SETTING, CONFLICT & CHARACTERIZATION

Nordonia High SchoolEnglish 9 CP

Presented by Mrs. TolinMrs. Smith

PLOT

It is an necessary element for any type of story.

Without a good plot line, you have nothing . . .

The most basic arrangement of events

PLOT IS THE LITERARY ELEMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORY.

TYPES OF LINEAR PLOTS CHRONOLOGICAL

FLASHBACK

IN MEDIA RES (in the middle)

PLOT STRU

CTURE 5 MAIN PARTS TO THE PLOT STRUCTURE

PLOT STRUCTURE

Exposition:setting, characters & basic plot: the situation before the action starts

Conflict: Main problem of a story. Four main types: man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society

Rising Action: All of the events that lead up to the climax, the series of crisis in the story

Climax: the highest point of interest, the most intense moment; the character makes a decision that cannot be reversed

Falling Action: All of the action which follows the climax

Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

THE PURPOSE OF THE SHORT STORY

Demonstrate a universal truth

Emphasize a character trait

Accentuate a mood or feeling

Recreate a scene

Teach a moral lesson Entertain Challenge the reader’s

intellect Answers the question

“what’s the point of stories that aren’t even true?”

The Setting of a Short StoryThe Environment in which a story takes place

Includes both TIME & PLACE

HOW SETTING FUNCTIONS IN A STORY

PROVIDES A BACKDROP FOR THE ACTION IN A STORY

ESTABLISHES ATMOSPHERE (SETS THE MOOD)

SHAPES CHARACTER & ACTION

REFLECTS CHARACTER PSYCHOLOGY

HO

W AU

THO

RS CREATE SETTIN

G

Example: using real cities or street names; describing a place as realistically as possible

Example: smell of cookies during winter break; swimming in cold lake water

DETAILS: BUILD DESCRIPTION WITH REALISTIC DETAILS TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE

SENSE IMAGES: APPEAL TO SENSES, WHICH HELPS READER RELATE TO PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

QUESTIONS I SHOULD ASK WHILE READING

WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BACKDROP? DOES IT CREATE ATMOSPHERE/ SHAPE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS/REFLECT INNER THOUGHTS?

WHAT TECHNIQUES DID THE AUTHOR USE?

Conflicts & Short StoriesThe central source of tension and drama that makes a story interesting to read and gives it purpose

CATEGO

RIES OF CO

NFLICT

Character vs. Character

› Conflict between 2 people or 2 groups of people

› Examples: family troubles, bullies or romantic trouble

CATEGO

RIES OF CO

NFLICT

Character vs. Society

› Between individual and larger groups

› Examples: outsider in a strange culture, a struggle to “make it” in the world

CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT

Character vs. Nature› Individual and the

natural world

› Examples: Fighting a force of nature

› Surviving a plane crash in the desert

CATEGO

RIES OF CO

NFLICT

Character vs. Self› Psychological conflicts

within a person

› Examples: Overcoming a drug habit

› Grieving over loss of loved one

› Making a moral decision

READING STRATEGIES:

Story Problem

› Try to state the problem in one sentence

Elements of plot

› Include both the conflict and the climax

CHARACTERIZATIONThe methods a writer uses to

communicate information about characters to readers

Techniques of Characterization

DIRECT: The author tells the readers details about the character directly› Even though she was the youngest, Sarah

was the smartest of all three sisters

INDIRECT: The author shows the character in action and lets readers make their own interpretations› At report card time, Sarah received an A in

all subjects, unlike her sisters.

AUTH

OR’S

CHARACTERIZATIO

N TO

OLS

Character’s Name Physical Appearance How the character is

dressed Occupation Home & Surroundings Habit’s and Actions What other characters

say about him or her

Understanding Character Defined by the qualities that make them think, act

and feel in certain ways.

› Values: What people, places or things are most important in the character’s life? What does he or she value most?

› Feelings: What Emotions does the character feel most strongly?

› Goals: What are the character’s greatest hopes? What are they working to accomplish?

› Problems: What other characters or circumstances are keeping the character from achieving his goals?