Short Story Definitions

Short Story A brief story with a single theme, plot, and only a few characters.

NovelA long story with detailed plot and many characters.

Suspenseuncertainty about the end of the story.

RetardationPurposely slowing down to increase suspense

Plot Sequence of events that make up action.

Setting Time, place, and conditions of the story.

Why is it important?

Exposition The setting, problem and characters.

Inciting Incidents Inciting incident is the point at which the

main character decides, grows, or changes

A Bug's Life: The inciting incident is when the character of Flik accidentally loses all the collected food. Because of this event, Flik is banished to the city, leaving the others as vulnerable as ever.

Inciting Incidents-A human entering Monstropolis (Monsters, Inc.)

-When two lovers meet in a love story

-When Dorothy travels to the Land of Oz

-Person goes to jail and learns to better their life

-Tell Tale Heart: character feeling guilty when the

police came

Climax The turning point of the story.

ResolutionThe last part of the story where the problem is solved.

False climax Fooling the reader into thinking the story is almost over.

Plot Triangle

Exposition

Ris

ing

Actio

ns

ClimaxFalling

Actions

Antagonist The one person in the story who stands

in the way of the good guy (protagonist) from achieving his/her goal.

Man vs. Man conflict = person Man vs. nature = element of nature Man vs. self = the same character

Conflict StruggleFour types

Man vs man Man vs nature Man vs society Man vs self

Internal Conflict struggle with in a character.happens inside the characters mind

Man vs. Self What did I do wrong? How can I be better?

External Conflict

struggle outside the character, no control.

Includes Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society

Characterization

How authors create memorable characters.

Character Traits- Qualities which describe a character’s personality

Direct characterization – author tells you (Sam is tall)

Indirect characterization – find out through other characters or actions

Foreshadowing Giving clues about what will happen.

Point of View Voice telling the story

1st person: narrator, I me, we

I asked the student to help me put together a packet. Instead of helping me, she said she would rather do homework. I was very disappointed.

Point of View 3rd person Objective:

Narrator does not reveal any character’s thoughts or feelings.

Only character’s dialogue and actions are narrated.

Johnny quickly walked up to the school. As he pulled on the front door, it yanked back at him and his back cracked.

Point of View 3rd person omniscient:

Narrator is all knowing Narrator tells thoughts and feelings of more

than one character.

He said he loved her not knowing if she had felt the same way about him. Secretly, she had always loved him since the day they met. But this love was forbidden by the Gods as they soon would find out.

Atmosphere Mood or feeling in the story.

Happy, Sad, Tense, Mysterious, Gloomy, Adventurous, Funny, Scary, Lonely, Hopeful

In her attic bedroom Margaret Murry, wrapped in an old patchwork quilt, sat on the foot of her bed and watched the trees tossing in the frenzied lashing of the wind. Behind the trees clouds scudded frantically across the sky. Every few moments the moon ripped through them, creating wraith-like shadows that raced along the ground.

Flashback Break in action where earlier events are remembered.

Cause Reason

EffectOutcome

ThemeIdea or comment on lifeLesson

Symbolism The use of symbols to represent ideas or

qualities.

Symbols whose intended meaning or significance is well-known and accepted by the majority.

Many of these do wind up in books, magazines, stories, and other written works. 

Symbolism in Everyday Life

Symbolism is found in colors: Black is used to represent death or evil. White stands for life and purity. Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or

immoral character. Purple is a royal color. Yellow stands for violence or decay. Blue represents peacefulness and calm. 

Symbolism in Everyday Life Symbolic Objects

A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things.

A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth.

A mirror can denote the sun but when it is broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a separation.