Short Stories/Story Songs Unit! Crain RWC

Elements of a Short Story A short story is a work of fiction that can be read in one sitting.

Plot The chain of related events that take place in a story. Built around conflict, which is a struggle between opposing forces.

The plot of a short story centers around one main conflict The plot of a short story centers around one main conflict. Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. There may be several conflicts in the same story, but the central conflict is the one issue that is the focus throughout the story. Complications build the reader’s excitement.

Plot at a Glance climax falling action rising action Central Conflict resolution exposition inciting incident

Exposition - always contains characters and setting, may contain additional background information if needed Inciting Incident - a single event that starts the central conflict Rising Action - introduces complications and builds suspense, all events from the inciting incident to the climax

Climax - the highest point in the action (where the suspense reaches its peak) or the turning point of the story Falling Action - includes the events after the climax and up to the resolution Resolution - must resolve the central conflict for the main characters

Types of Conflict EXTERNAL -Man v Man – between 2 characters -Man v Nature – character v. natural -Man v Society – character v. group around them that judges right and wrong -Man v Supernatural – character v. something that can’t be explained by any of the other types of conflict. INTERNAL -Man v Himself – character must battle self, usually to make a decision or take action

Types of Characters Main or Minor Protagonist or Antagonist Round or Flat Dynamic or Static *Stereotypes=Stock Characters*

(Who’s telling this story anyway?) Point of View or . . . (Who’s telling this story anyway?) -the vantage point from which the story is told. -determines how much we, the readers, know about the characters.

1st Person Narrator is a character in the story. Narrator uses first-person pronouns, I, me, my, we, us, our to refer to himself or herself. Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character and speaks directly to reader.

3rd Person Limited Narrator does not participate in action of story, much like someone on the outside watching what is happening. Narrator does not refer to himself or herself.

3rd Person Omniscient Narrator does not participate in action of story. Narrator does not refer to himself or herself. Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters; readers get insight into several characters.

Tone: The author’s attitude about the subject or topic they are writing about.

Mood: The reader’s attitude created by the subject or topic they are reading about.

A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an object that stands for something beyond itself. =love =freedom

Theme In literature, theme is a perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to share with the reader. In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but must be inferred. Themes can be revealed by - a story’s title - key phrases and statements about big ideas - the ways the characters change and the lessons they learn about life.