Elements of a Short Story

Definition of a Short Story

Tells about a ____________ event or experience Fictional (not true)500 to 15,000 words in lengthIt has a _______________

________________, and __________________.Creates an impression on the reader

Elements of a Short Story

_______________Characterization_______________Conflict_______________Resolution_______________Point of view

Setting

• The time and ________________ of the story’s action

Short Story Vocabulary

Theme: The story’s main ideas. The “______________” the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.

Short Story Vocabulary

Characterization: Creation of imaginary people who appear to be ____________ to the reader. The writer gives _______________ about the characters in the story.

Characterization

• How the author ________________ the characters, especially the main character.

• This is done through:– what the character ____________ or says– what others say of and __________ the

character– author’s _____________ _____________ in

descriptive passages

Characterization

• Direct characterization– The author ________________ states what

the character’s personality is like. Example: cruel, kind

• Indirect characterization– Showing a character’s personality through

his/her ________________, thoughts, feelings, ________________, appearance or other character’s observations or reactions

Protagonist

• Main character of the story that changes– the most ___________________ character– changes and grows because of experiences

in the story– “______________ Character”

Antagonist

• A major character who _______________ the protagonist– “_________________ Character”

Short Story Vocabulary

Plot: A series of _______________ through which the writer reveals what is happening, to whom, and why.

What is the Plot?

• Plot: Series of related events that make up a story.

Exposition

• Section that ______________________ characters, the setting, and conflicts.

Rising Action

• Consists of a series of _______________.

• These occur when the main characters take _____________ to resolve their problems and are met with further problems:– Fear– Hostility– Threatening situation

Climax

• The turning _____________ in the story: the high point of interest and _______________.

Rising Action or Complications Falling Action

Climax

Falling Action

• All events following the climax or turning point in the story. These events are a _______________ of the action taken at the climax.

Resolution

• The _____________ of the central conflict: it shows how the situation turns out and ties up loose ends

Short Story Vocabulary

Conflict: Is a _______________ in the story that needs to be resolved.

Conflict

• A struggle between two opposing forces• Types

– Internal – takes place in a character’s own ________.• Man vs. Him(Her)self

– External – a character struggles against an _________________ force

• Man vs. Man• Man vs. Nature• Man vs. Society

Man v/s Himself/Herself:

• The central character has to make personal decisions about what is the right thing to do (ex.: a young person must decide whether or not to tell his parents he stole some money, a person sees a twenty dollar bill fall out of someone’s pocket and must decide whether to return it or not.)

• Internal

The two types of conflict can be shown in the following ways:

• Man v/s nature: the central character battles the forces of nature (ex.: caught in a rain storm w/ no umbrella, stalked by a wild animal)

Man v/s Society

• The central character battles societal norms (ex.: a new student dressing differently than the other students, a person who won’t drink even though his friends are)

Man v/s Man:

• The central character battles another character in the story (ex.: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vadar, Tweety vs. Sylvester)

Short Story Vocabulary

Point of view: The _______________ of the ______________ of the story and what the writer sees from that vantage point.

Point of View

– First person- One of the characters is actually telling the story using the pronoun “__________”

– Third person- Centers on _____________ character’s thoughts and actions.

– Omniscient- ___________ knowing narrator. Can center on the thoughts any actions of _________ and _________ characters.

Flashback

• The present scene in the story is interrupted to flash backward and tell what happened in an ________________ time.

Foreshadowing

• _____________ the writer puts in the story to give the reader a hint of what is to come.

Irony

• A _____________ between expectation and reality.

Irony

• Verbal Irony – _______________ one thing but meaning something completely different.– Calling a clumsy basketball player “Michael Jordan”

• Situational Irony – A contradiction between what we _______________ to happen and what really does happen

• Dramatic Irony – occurs when the ____________ knows something important that the characters in the story do not know.