Notes – Short Story Notes – Short Story ElementsElements

Heather SandersHeather Sanders88thth Grade English Grade English

Fall Semester 2009Fall Semester 2009

What Makes a Good Short What Makes a Good Short Story?Story?

A Good Short Story:A Good Short Story:•Can Can usuallyusually be read in one sitting be read in one sitting

•Has one or two well-developed Has one or two well-developed characterscharacters

•Tries to leave behind a Tries to leave behind a single single impressionimpression or effect or effect

•Has a problem/conflict which is Has a problem/conflict which is developed as the story progressesdeveloped as the story progresses

•Has a recognizable solution to the conflict

Elements of a Short Elements of a Short StoryStory

•Setting

•Plot •Character

•Conflict

•Point of View

•Theme

What is Conflict ?What is Conflict ?All stories are built on CONFLICT. It provides the

central source of tension and drama that make stories interesting to read.

Types of Conflict:

Man vs. ManMan vs. SocietyMan vs. Nature

Man vs. SelfMan vs. Fate

Man vs. Technology

Man vs. Man – involves conflicts between people – such as family conflict, trouble with a buddy, difficulties in romance, etc.

Man vs. Society – involves conflict between an individual and larger groups – such as the outsider in a strange culture, a poor character’s struggle to “make it” in the business world, etc.

Man vs. Nature – involves conflict between and individual and the natural world – such as fighting a powerful hurricane, surviving a plane crash in the desert, etc.

Man vs. Self – involves characters’ psychological conflicts with themselves – such as overcoming a drug habit or alcoholism, grieving over the loss of a loved one, etc.

Man vs. Fate – involves conflict with what seems to be an uncontrollable problem – such as destiny.

Man vs. Technology – involves a conflict with the forces of man-made technology – such as a robot.

Conflict, Continued:Conflict, Continued:EXTERNAL CONFLICT:

A struggle between a character and an outside force.

Which types of CONFLICT are EXTERNAL?.

INTERNAL CONFLICT:

A struggle that takes place in a character’s mind.

Which types of CONFLICT are INTERNAL?

What is Plot ?What is Plot ?

•The sequence of events, or The sequence of events, or basically basically

what happens in a story.what happens in a story.

What is Setting?What is Setting?The SETTING of a story serves different functions in

the action and the emotional effect it has on the reader. In some stories, the setting might almost be

considered a “character” itself!

Setting works in many important ways in the short story:

Provides a backdrop for the action (mood).

Establishes atmosphere.

Shapes character and action.

Reflects character psychology.

How Do Authors Create How Do Authors Create Setting?Setting?

Details

o By building their description of setting with realistic details, authors make their story seem more believable – such as using actual street names when setting a story in a real city, or choosing authentic details to depict a setting set in a foreign country.

Sense Images

o By describing settings in images that appeal to the reader’s senses, the author creates a vivid atmosphere that readers can associate with settings in their own experiences – such as the smell of bread baking in a farmhouse kitchen, the feel of swimming in cool lake water, or the sound of rain falling on a tin roof.

What is Character?What is Character?

CHARACTER is perhaps the most important of all elements of the short CHARACTER is perhaps the most important of all elements of the short story. Almost invariably, it is the people in stories that interest us most.story. Almost invariably, it is the people in stories that interest us most.

UNDERSTANDINGUNDERSTANDINGCHARACTERCHARACTER

Characters are defined by the qualities that make them think, feel, and act in certain ways. To understand each character completely, try looking at him/her from

different angles:

VALUESWhat people, places, or things are most important in the character’s life?

What does he/she value most?

FEELINGSWhat emotions does the character feel strongly? (Anger? Fear? Love? Hate?...)

GOALSWhat are the character’s greatest hopes?What is he or she working to accomplish?

PROBLEMSWhat other characters of circumstances are keeping the character from achieving

his or her goals?

TECHNIQUES OFTECHNIQUES OFCHARACTERIZATIONCHARACTERIZATION

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION:The author TELLS the reader information about the characters directly.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION:The author SHOWS the character in action and lets the readers make

their own interpretations.

AUTHOR’S CHARACTERIZATION TOOLS:The character’s namePhysical appearance

Character’s dressOccupation

Home & surroundingsHabits & Actions

What other characters say or think about him/her

Types of CharacterTypes of Character

•ProtagonistProtagonist – the main – the main character , typically the character , typically the

“good guy” (but not always)“good guy” (but not always)

•AntagonistAntagonist – the character – the character or force in conflictor force in conflict

What is Point of View?What is Point of View?

The perspective from which a story is told. Ask yourself, “Who is telling

the story?”

There are several different POINTS OF VIEW:

Limited Points of ViewLimited Points of View

FIRST PERSON: the character narrates his/her own experiences

directly.

THIRD PERSON: the author tells the story from the viewpoint of

JUST one character.

OMNICSCIENT POINT OF OMNICSCIENT POINT OF VIEWVIEW

This point of view is called “Third Person This point of view is called “Third Person Omniscient” if the author is OUTSIDE Omniscient” if the author is OUTSIDE

the story and presents the thoughts of the story and presents the thoughts of ALL the characters involved as an ALL the characters involved as an

OBJECTIVE OBSERVER.OBJECTIVE OBSERVER.

Ex: When Jane saw Bill jogging past her Ex: When Jane saw Bill jogging past her house, her heart skipped a beat. When house, her heart skipped a beat. When Bill saw Jane in the hallway at school, Bill saw Jane in the hallway at school, he fought hard to catch his breath. No he fought hard to catch his breath. No doubt about it – it was love!doubt about it – it was love!

The Narrator vs. The The Narrator vs. The AuthorAuthor

If the NARRATOR is telling the story, readers must be careful not to confuse the narrator’s attitude with the author’s. Often authors create a character to act as a

narrator who expresses far different attitudes than those they hold for themselves.

THE UNRELIABLE NARRATOR:Sometimes authors create a narrator who gives the reader clues that he or she is not to be trusted as a reliable source of information. It then becomes the reader’s job to decide the “real truth” beneath the

unreliable narrator’s lies or distortions.

What is Theme?What is Theme?Theme is a novel/short story/poem’s Theme is a novel/short story/poem’s

central message or insight into life;central message or insight into life;

a “universal truth.”a “universal truth.”

It is NOT “What is the story about.” It It is NOT “What is the story about.” It is what the work is what the work MEANSMEANS..

Some Traditional Story Some Traditional Story ThemesThemes

Have you encountered any of these common theme patterns in your reading?

•The struggle between good and evil

•The differences between nature and civilized society

•The conflict between the individual and the community

•The differences between country and city life

•The conflict between human free will and fate

RECOGNIZING THEME:RECOGNIZING THEME:SOME POINTERSSOME POINTERS

When looking for theme, consider some of these possible clues:

•The title of the story

•Important images or symbols in the story

•General observations made by the author, narrator, or characters in the story

•Any “moral” suggested by the outcome of the conflict

Flashback & Flashback & ForeshadowingForeshadowing

Flashback is an interruption in the present action of a story to tell about something that happened in the past—a jump back in time.

Foreshadowing is when the author gives clues or hints about what might happen later on in a story.

What is Figurative What is Figurative Language?Language?

Figurative languageFigurative language is a tool is a tool that an author uses to help the that an author uses to help the reader visualize what is happening in reader visualize what is happening in a story or poem. Figurative language a story or poem. Figurative language is meant to be interpreted is meant to be interpreted imaginativelyimaginatively, not , not literallyliterally..

Types of Figurative Types of Figurative LanguageLanguage

SimileSimile- a figure of speech that compares - a figure of speech that compares two dissimilar things by using the key two dissimilar things by using the key words “like” or “as”words “like” or “as”

MetaphorMetaphor- a figure of speech that - a figure of speech that compares two unlike things describing compares two unlike things describing one as if it were the other. one as if it were the other. *Does not use *Does not use “like” or “as”“like” or “as”

PersonificationPersonification- a figure of speech in - a figure of speech in which human qualities are given to a which human qualities are given to a nonhuman subjectnonhuman subject

Figurative Language, Figurative Language, Cont.Cont.

HyperboleHyperbole - an exaggerated statement - an exaggerated statement or overstatement. It’s a figure of speech or overstatement. It’s a figure of speech that is not to be taken literally.that is not to be taken literally.

IIdiomdiom - Idioms are words, phrases, or - Idioms are words, phrases, or expressions that cannot be taken literally.expressions that cannot be taken literally.

Examples – Examples –

I am exhausted; I have been I am exhausted; I have been burning the candle at both ends burning the candle at both ends lately.lately.

I went over my paper I went over my paper with a fine-toothed comb with a fine-toothed comb and couldn’t and couldn’t find a single spelling error.find a single spelling error.

Ben Franklin Ben Franklin kicked the bucket kicked the bucket a long time agoa long time ago..

SymbolismSymbolism Symbols are animals, elements, things,

places, or colors, writers use to represent other things.

What might these things symbolize?

Fox

Snake

Lamb

RedBlack

Purple

Spring

Winter

Sunset

Thunderstorm

Style, Tone, & MoodStyle, Tone, & Mood

STYLE is the way an author uses words, phrases, sentences, language, and conventions. It is the author’s unique way of expressing his/her ideas. Two authors’ styles can be as different as their speaking voices or signatures.

Example: Edward Bloor vs. Ray Bradbury J.K. Rowling vs. Stephen King

Style, Tone & MoodStyle, Tone & Mood TONE is the author’s attitude/feelings about

the subject of his/her writing.

It is the way a writer uses words (connotation), creates images, chooses details, uses language, and structures sentences to present a certain attitude or feeling to the reader about his/her writing topic.

Tone can be positive, negative, or neutral.

Style, Tone, & MoodStyle, Tone, & Mood

MoodMood is the overall feeling – light, is the overall feeling – light, happy, dark or mysterious, for example – happy, dark or mysterious, for example –

created by an author’s words. created by an author’s words.

MoodMood is the way the a text makes the is the way the a text makes the READER feel.READER feel.

Woo Hoo!Woo Hoo!That’s All Folks!That’s All Folks!

(Smashing, baby!)(Smashing, baby!)

Buh-Bye!