elements of a short story 2.notebook · 2018. 9. 10. · elements of a short story 2.notebook 3...

Elements of a Short Story 2.notebook

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September 14, 2015

English 1201

Short Stories


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Types of Characters1) Dynamic Characters: known as a developing character, they learn something and change from the beginning to the end (this change is permanent)

2) Static Characters: a character that does not change from beginning to end, their opinions and behavior remain the same because they learn nothing from the events in the story

3) Round Characters: a well‐developed character, usually dynamic, complex, and many‐sided

4) Flat Characters: one‐sided, a minor character that is known by one or two personality traits


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Types of Characters5) Foil Characters: a character that is used to entrance another character through contrast

Ex. Cinderella's grace and beauty as opposed to her self‐centered stepsisters

6) Confidante Characters: someone in whom the main character confides, thus revealing the main character's personality, thoughts, and intentions. *The confidante does not need to be a person*

7) Protagonist: main character, good or bad. Can be anti‐hero, a hero that is troubled or has slight heroic qualities. Reader identifies with protagonist


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Types of Characters8) Antagonist: sets up the conflict, and often times works against the protagonist. Protagonist can be his/her own antagonist (internal conflict). Groups can be antagonists.

*DO NOT confuse antagonist with part of a general conflict in the story*

9) Unique Characters: are not predictable in any way, they face unique situations and conflicts.


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Point of View (POV)1) Third Person Omniscient (all knowing, all seeing): the omniscient author, writing in third person, sees whatever he wants to see, inside or outside his character, in privacy or public, and interprets as he chooses

2) Third Person Limited: author as an observer. Involves objective treatment as though the story teller had no inner sight into the character's thinking or behavior. Only actions and dialogue are revealed

3) First Person (author participant): the author may be the main character or could be a secondary character

4) Second Person: used to adress the reader


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CharacterizationThere are two types of characterization:

1) Direct Characterization: the author tells us straight out, by exposition or analysis, or through another character2) Indirect Characterization: the author shows us the character in action; the reader infers what a character is like from what she/he thinks or says or does

So we learn about characters in the following ways:‐ by what the author says‐ by what the character says, thinks, and does‐ what other characters say about the character


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Making ConnectionsMaking connections is a reading strategy. It can help you understand and respond to the texts we read.

There are three types of connections:1) Text‐Self (T‐S): parts of the text that remind you of things in your own life or things you have experienced2) Text‐Text (T‐T): parts of the text remind you of other things you have read, other texts3) Text‐World (T‐W): parts of the text that remind you of facts you already know and things, events, etc. happening throughout the world


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Elements and Characteristics of the Short StoryShort: can usually be read in one sitting

Concise: information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told. This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge the main plot

Usually tries to leave behind a single impression or Unity of Effect. Usually, though not always, built around one character, place, idea, or act or conflict

There is often an ambiguous ending, leading the reader to question what happened to the characters after the story ended


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Components of the Short Story5 Major components of the short story:

1) Plot: the action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result

Stages of a Plot:‐ Introduction of characters and setting‐ Rising action ‐ primary conflict is introduced, heightened anticipation for the reader‐ Climax ‐ highest point of anticipation ("make or break" for the main character)‐ Falling action/Conclusion/Denouncement


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2) Setting: the time, place and circumstance of a piece of literature.

It is the background against which the incidents of the story take place. Not merely a place, it includes the place where, the time when, and social conditions under which the story moves alongThis can include atmosphere, the tone, and feeling of a story (gloomy, cheery, etc.)

Setting is essential to the story, it is of particular relevance in creating conflict or building character


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Components of the Short Story

5 Major components of the short story:

3) Characters (types of characters see previous notes)

There are four methods of presenting a character:‐ Actions or thoughts of the character‐ Conversations the character engages in‐ Conversations of other characters about a third character‐ Author's own opinion (may be overt or implied)


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4) Theme: the comment about people or life that the author wishes to make. Sometimes the theme is stated, sometimes it is implied. Without a theme, the story lacks meaning or purpose.

Theme is not specific to the story. Rather, the story is the means to the end; the vehicle by which the author uses to convey his/her message about people or society

Cliches should be avoided ("the grass isn't always greener on the other side")The theme is a complete message and should be stated as such. "Life" is not a statement of theme. "Life often leads us through conflicts which make us stronger" is an acceptable theme statement


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5) Conflict: the struggle between two opposing forces

There are two main types:1) Internal (man vs. himself): usually exhibited through character description (wringing hands, shifting body position, crying, frowning, downtrodden face, etc.)2) External (man vs. man or man vs. nature): each type of external conflict that a character experiences is a struggle with a force over which he/she has little or no control

elements of a short story 2.notebook · 2018. 9. 10. · elements of a short story 2.notebook 3...

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