Short StoriesWhat you always wanted to know…and more!!

What exactly is a short story?

Always FICTION (something feigned, invented, or imagined; a made-up story)

Able to read in one sitting

A GOOD short story presents enough lifelike qualities to help us better understand ourselves and our world.

Short Stories present us with a world of the author’s imagination. The author has at least one important purpose in mind: to illustrate a truth, or generalization, about life.

What should I be thinking while reading a

short story?What happens? (PLOT)

When and Where does it happen? (SETTING)

Who does it? (CHARACTER)

What does it mean? (THEME)

What exactly do those words mean?

PLOT: Arrangement of action. The author must select facts and place them in an interesting order.

SETTING: The time and place of the action.

CHARACTERIZATION: How the author presents the character Direct- A summary of character’s traits and

characteristics Indirect- Through a character’s dialogue and action

THEME: The whole story, including the atmosphere or feeling, makes up the theme. The whole story is an image.

Plot Development Chart

What do these have to do with a short story?

Exposition: Introduction to the character, setting, situation, and background of story

Narrative Hook: Introduction of the story’s conflict

Rising Action: Begins with the narrative hook, catches attention and adds to the conflict

Climax: Highest point of emotional involvement, the conflict peaks

Falling Action: Events stemming from the results of the climax

Resolution: The final outcome or conclusion of conflict

Conflict

Man vs. Man: Man in conflict against another character

Man vs. Himself: Man in conflict with himself (inner turmoil)

Man vs. Nature: Man in conflict with an aspect of nature (blizzard, bear)

Man vs. Society: Man in conflict with a group of people or society beliefs

Man vs. Fate: Man in conflict with that which he cannot change