Reading Short Stories A short story is a fictional story short enough to be read in one sitting, which concentrates on only a few characters and one important event.

History of the Short Story Hare and the Tortoise Oral Tradition Fables, myths, and legends Canterbury Tales Bible Stories-Parables Short Stories 1800s Length for magazines Edgar Allen Poe First American Short Story Writer

TWENTY GREAT AMERICAN SHORT STORIES YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN -BY - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE; BARTLEBY THE SCRIVNER - BY - HERMAN MELVILLE; AN OCCURANCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE - BY - AMBROSE BIERCE; THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - BY WASHINGTON IRVING; THE CASK OF ALMONTILLADO - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POE; THE PRIVATE HISTORY OF A CAMPAIGN THAT FAILED - BY - MARK TWAIN; MY KINSMAN, MAJOR MOLINEUX - BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORN; SCARLET STOCKINGS - BY - LOUISA MAY ALCOTT; TO BUILD A FIRE - BY- JACK LONDON; THE PURLOINED LETTER - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POEREGRET - BY - KATE CHOPINTHE ECLIPSE - BY - JAMES FENIMORE COOPER A DARK BROWDOG - BY - STEPHAN CRANE THE IMP OF THE PERVERSE - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POEON THE GULLS' ROAD - BY - WILLA CATHER THE LOTTERY - BY - SHIRLEY JACKSON THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL - BY - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE THE TELL TALE HEART - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POE THE MONKEY'S PAW - BY - W. W. JACOBS SPLIT CHERRY TREE - BY - JESSE STUART

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Plot Character Setting Point of View Theme Tone

Person or animal who takes part in the action Characters The action/events centered around a conflict Plot Setting The time/place action occurs Point of view Through whose eyes we see the events

THEME The writer’s... ...message... ...presented through characters and plot. Writer’s point about life or people.

PLOT Introduction Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution

Elements of Plot Exposition: introduces character, setting, important background, and conflict (initial incident) Rising action: conflict builds as main character struggles with the conflict Climax: turning point when the main character makes a decision that will decide the outcome of the conflict Falling Action: shows effects of the climax Resolution: how the struggle ends for character-how it affects character

How does plot hook your curiosity? Suspense External Conflict Internal Conflict Conflict

How to Read a Short Story? Read in one sitting Experience the single effect: humor/mystery/horror Become familiar with characters’ feelings and motives Think about the struggle--- problem and its solution