Intro to Short Stories Ms. De La O English 9

What is a short story?

Short Stories vs. Novels Length Complexity Character Development

How to Approach Reading Literal Reading Inferential Reading Critical Reading

Literal Reading Reading for details and facts.

Inferential Reading A conclusion that is reached on the basis of evidence Key in active reading

Critical Reading Evaluate a piece. We are all critics when we read as soon as we give feedback.

Literary Elements

Setting The time and place of the story

Plot line What are the five key parts of a plot line? 1. Exposition 2. Rising action 3. Climax 4. Falling action 5. Resolution

Metaphor and Simile Comparisons A simile uses “like” or “as”; a metaphor does not.

Point of View The view from which a story is told First-person Third-person limited Third-person omniscient

First-person Point of View Tells the story from a character’s perspective. I, me, we

Third-person limited Told from the perspective of a character, but it is not the character who is telling the story.

Third-person Omniscient Tells the story from a “God-like” point of view The narrator is all-knowing

Conflict The struggle between two opposing forces. Internal conflict External conflict

Tone The attitude the writer takes towards the subject or the reader

Theme Underlying idea Exploration of important questions and issues.

Characterization The way characters’ personalities are developed. Direct characterization Indirect characterization

Traits Alll the aspects of a person's behavior and attitudes that make up that person's personality

Foreshadowing Clues or details that hint at upcoming events in a story. Symbols and omens.

Symbol Something that stands for something else.

Flashback A scene that interrupts the current action in order to give some sort of background information. It tells of earlier events that are probably still important to the story.

Suspense Feeling of uncertainty or anxiety in a story. What keeps us reading

Irony A contrast between what is said and what is meant. A contrast between what is expected and what happens.

Alternate Ending Describe the ending of a story that was planned or debated but ultimately unused in favor of the actual ending

Motive Analyzing characters often entail deciphering their motives (reasons) behind an action

Personification A form of figurative language in which something that is not human is given human characteristics

Allusion Figure of speech that refers to a well-known story, event, person, or object in order to make a comparison

Onomatopoeia the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named