Short Story Notes

Setting Check out the condition of the scene Setting helps to establish the mood Place and location Look for specific details Look for a season- they are symbolic Spring- new life/relationship Summer- height of life Fall- dying/aging Winter- death

Plot Exposition- setting, character, and conflict is revealed Complication/Rising Action- conflict gets complicated Climax- turning point of the story Denouement/Resolution- conclusion/final outcome

Conflict- a problem External Internal A problem outside of self Physical fight Getting fired Tornado Internal A struggle within the character’s mind Self-esteem issues Mental disease, depression

Four Kinds of Conflict Man vs. Nature- (external) Man struggles against elements of nature Shipwreck, tornado, global warming, survivalist Man vs. Man- (external) Two or more characters opposed against each other Physical fight, campaign, competition Man vs. Himself- (internal) Character overcomes personal challenges Battles depression, overcomes eating disorder, paranoia Man vs. Society- (both) A struggle against society's rules and habits Civil rights, materialism

Character- a person in a work of fiction Characteristics- The way they look Their personality Revealed by Actions, thoughts, and descriptions Antagonist- the rival, bad guy, opposing force against the main character Protagonist- the main character

Types of Characterization Round- has many characteristics Flat- very little description, stereotype Dynamic- changes over the course of the story Static- they stay the same

Point of View-perspective from which the story is told 1st person- told from the main character’s point of view Uses I, we, me, my 3rd person- limited narrator, follow only 1 character He, they, she 3rd person omniscient- a narrator that knows everything that is happening God-like, even thoughts all the character’s thoughts

Theme The moral, or point of a story What is the story about? What the author wants you to take away from it General statement about life NOT a summary sentence (include no story details) What is the story about? Pick a single word or phrase What is the author saying about that aspect of life? Subject + Claim + Explanation Example- The family bond goes deeper than blood relations; they are the people there when everything falls apart.

Irony Situational- The outcome is the opposite of what is expected Example- The prince arrives to safe the princess, but she has already freed herself. Verbal- The character says something other than what they mean Similar to sarcasm Dramatic- The reader knows something the characters don’t Creates tension/suspense within the reader

Foreshadowing The author hints at what is going to happen.

Symbols Authors include objects that represent something else Cross= Christianity Black= death Spring=rebirth