Plot – the series of events

PARTS OF THE PLOT

Exposition• The conditions present at

the beginning of the story• Background information• Setting

Inciting Incident• The first evidence of

conflict in the story• Where the action starts

Rising Action• Sequence of events

occurring between the inciting incident and the climax

• Events in the rising action should relate to the conflict

Climax • The highest point of

interest or emotion in the story

• The point where the two opposing forces are strongest

Falling Action • Events leading to the end

of the conflict• The outcome of the conflict

Resolution / Denouement

• The end of the conflict• Events that end the

story

OTHER SHORT STORY ELEMENTS

ConflictA.

What is it? 1. The struggle between two opposing forces 2. The problem in the story

B. Types 1. External conflict – involves an outside source2. Internal conflict –goes on within the character

Protagonist• The main character• Often the hero• The character that the

reader becomes emotionally involved with

Antagonist• The character who goes up

against the protagonist in the conflict

• Often the villain

Setting

Role of setting:• Background for action• Adds details necessary to the

story• Drives the action of the plot

(The story couldn’t take place in a different setting)

Setting includes:• Time – when story occurs

(could be as specific as second or as broad as year, decade, century, era, etc.)

• Place – where the story takes place (could be as specific as a particular

building, or as broad as a solar system)

• Conditions/context – what is the social or political situation

Setting

ThemeT

he--So What!

1. What the protagonist learns

2. What the reader can take and apply to his/her life (lesson learned)

•Different from topic which is what the story is about.

•For example, the topic of the movie Rudy is “football”, but the theme is “never give up.”