Elements of a Short Story

Definition of a Short Story Tells about a ____________ event or experience Fictional (not true) 500 to 15,000 words in length It has a _______________ ________________, and __________________. Creates an impression on the reader

Elements of a Short Story _______________ Characterization _______________ Conflict _______________ Resolution _______________ Point of view

Setting The time and ________________ of the story’s action

Short Story Vocabulary Theme: The story’s main ideas. The “______________” the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.

Short Story Vocabulary Characterization: Creation of imaginary people who appear to be ____________ to the reader. The writer gives _______________ about the characters in the story.

Characterization How the author ________________ the characters, especially the main character. This is done through: –what the character ____________ or says –what others say of and __________ the character –author’s _____________ _____________ in descriptive passages

Characterization Direct characterization –The author ________________ states what the character’s personality is like. Example: cruel, kind Indirect characterization –Showing a character’s personality through his/her ________________, thoughts, feelings, ________________, appearance or other character’s observations or reactions

Protagonist Main character of the story that changes –the most ___________________ character –changes and grows because of experiences in the story –“______________ Character”

Antagonist A major character who _______________ the protagonist –“_________________ Character”

Short Story Vocabulary Plot: A series of _______________ through which the writer reveals what is happening, to whom, and why.

What is the Plot? Plot: Series of related events that make up a story.

Exposition Section that ______________________ characters, the setting, and conflicts.

Rising Action Consists of a series of _______________. These occur when the main characters take _____________ to resolve their problems and are met with further problems: –Fear –Hostility –Threatening situation

Climax The turning _____________ in the story: the high point of interest and _______________. Rising Action or Complications Falling Action Climax

Falling Action All events following the climax or turning point in the story. These events are a _______________ of the action taken at the climax.

Resolution The _____________ of the central conflict: it shows how the situation turns out and ties up loose ends

Short Story Vocabulary Conflict: Is a _______________ in the story that needs to be resolved.

Conflict A struggle between two opposing forces Types –Internal – takes place in a character’s own ________. Man vs. Him(Her)self –External – a character struggles against an _________________ force Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. Society

Man v/s Himself/Herself: The central character has to make personal decisions about what is the right thing to do (ex.: a young person must decide whether or not to tell his parents he stole some money, a person sees a twenty dollar bill fall out of someone’s pocket and must decide whether to return it or not.) Internal

The two types of conflict can be shown in the following ways: Man v/s nature: the central character battles the forces of nature (ex.: caught in a rain storm w/ no umbrella, stalked by a wild animal)

Man v/s Society The central character battles societal norms (ex.: a new student dressing differently than the other students, a person who won’t drink even though his friends are)

Man v/s Man: The central character battles another character in the story (ex.: Luke Skywalker vs. Darth Vadar, Tweety vs. Sylvester)

Short Story Vocabulary Point of view: The _______________ of the ______________ of the story and what the writer sees from that vantage point.

Point of View –First person- One of the characters is actually telling the story using the pronoun “__________” –Third person- Centers on _____________ character’s thoughts and actions. –Omniscient- ___________ knowing narrator. Can center on the thoughts any actions of _________ and _________ characters.

Flashback The present scene in the story is interrupted to flash backward and tell what happened in an ________________ time.

Foreshadowing _____________ the writer puts in the story to give the reader a hint of what is to come.

Irony A _____________ between expectation and reality.

Irony Verbal Irony – _______________ one thing but meaning something completely different. –Calling a clumsy basketball player “Michael Jordan” Situational Irony – A contradiction between what we _______________ to happen and what really does happen Dramatic Irony – occurs when the ____________ knows something important that the characters in the story do not know.