•Short Story

•Plot

•Conflict

•Characterization

•Setting

•Mood

•Point of View

•Symbol

•Theme

•Irony

“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allen Poe

Short Story

A prose narrative that is shorter than a novel, that describes a tightly constructed series of events, and that can be read in one sitting

•A single emotion is expressed and sustained throughout.

•There is seldom a change of scene.

•The plot is simple.

•Setting, character or action is important, but not all three.

•The ending may be a twist or surprise, but the ending generally teaches a moral or ethical lesson.

The highest point of action or turning point in the story.

Obstacles are presented as the conflicts

become clear.

The conflict is resolved!

The plot refers to a series of happenings in a literary work. The plot consists of an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and the resolution. A short story will

always have rising action and a climax, but may not have a clear resolution.

The conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces. The conflict is always stated as “man vs. _________.” There are two categories and four types of conflict. Click on each

link below for specific definitions and examples.

Internal Conflict External Conflict

Man vs. Self Man vs. Man

Man vs. Nature

Man vs. Society

An example of man vs. self, Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde are two personalities, one good, one

evil, trapped in the same body.Return to Conflict

Caught in a rain storm and surrounded by a shark, this man is experiencing the conflict of Man vs.

Nature. Jack London’s short story “To Build a Fire” is a famous example of the conflict Man vs. Nature.

Return to Conflict

Man vs. Nature

The conflict between two people is stated as Man vs. Man, although the characters may be women, children, ect. This conflict in a short story generally takes place between the antagonist and protagonist of the story.

Return to Conflicts

Atticus Finch was a man who opposed Maycomb society when he defended Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman.

Return to Conflict

The conflict of Man vs. Society occurs when an individual stands for what he/she believes is right and stands against those around him/her.

Characterization:Refers to the techniques used by an author to create a

character. There are FOUR elements to creating character:

• physical description

• conversation/ dialogue

• actions/reactions

• thoughts/feelings

Setting:the time and place of the action of the story.

The element of TIME includes:

•The time period (1800’s, 1900’s)

•The season (winter, spring, summer, fall)

The element of PLACE includes:

•The actual location of the action (house, school, office)

•Surrounding setting (city, country, island, jungle)

Theme:Always stated in a complete sentence, The main idea or “life

lesson” to be learned from the literature.

The theme of “Green Eggs and Ham” can be stated “Don’t be afraid to try new things,” or “Do not make judgments based on appearances.”

Refers to a person, place, event , or object that has meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well.

Santa Claus represents the joy of Christmas.

Point of ViewThe relationship between the teller of the story, also

called the narrator, and the characters and action in it.

If the narrator is a character who takes part in the story.

I believed I was going to be the next

Picasso!

The use of “I” in the text is an indication that the point of view is FIRST PERSON.

First PersonWhen the narrator describes

the thoughts and action of one character. ..

Third Person Limited

As Wily fell from the sky, he cursed that tricky Road Runner

Third Person Omniscient

Sylvester hoped for a feathered friend for lunch, while Tweety anxiously

thought of a way to escape.

When the narrator describes the thoughts and action of

many characters.

The overall atmosphere or feeling within a story. Mood is how the reader feels as he/she reads the story. Setting often contributes to the mood of the story.

Irony is a technique used to create a surprise or twist to the story. There are three types of irony:

Verbal Irony refers to a character saying the opposite of what one might expect.

Hi Ho, off to work we go!

Have a wonderful

day!

Situational Irony refers to an event or situation ending the opposite of what one might expect.

Dramatic Irony occurs when a reader knows more than the

characters themselves knows.