Characteristics Short stories

Reference Points pp CQ2013

Short stories you liked and disliked Ones you remember & Liked:Disliked:

Four Major Components of Short Story 1. Plot 2. Setting 3. Character 4. Theme

But let’s add a few more…

Plot The action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result. In order to have a result, we must have an initial event, or conflict.

Graphic Organizer

WHAT KEEPS READERS INTERESTED?

Stages of the Plot Characters are introduced- major and minor The situation is developed through the initial conflict ( external, internal and /or interpersonal) This allows complication(s)/circumstance(s) to come into play which create: i. Rising action – heightened anticipation for the reader-suspense ii.Climax - highest point of action - “make or break” for the main character. iii. Falling action iv. Conclusion/ Resolution *These LAST two are also known as a denouement.

Revist the key points

Setting  Mood and Atmosphere The background against which the incidents of the story take place. More than the physical place although it includes the where, the when- the time as well as social conditions under which the story moves along. This can include atmosphere, the tone and feeling of a story, i.e. gloomy, cheery, etc. Setting is essential to the story. How is the relevance of the setting important to the story? Use of flashback important to note-effective -discuss

Characters An author has to make characters believable, the reader must relate to how they think or act so that he/she identify with them and feel strongly about them The worst thing that could happen for an author is that he/she feel indifferent toward the characters. If authors don’t care for the characters, readers are not inclined to keep reading because they pick up on the lack of interest. There are major and minor characters. Relationships are a must  conflict internal, interpersonal and/or external Dialogue, tone, point of view are all components that make the characters real and intriguing.

Characters

Methods of presenting character: Actions Dialogue: Actions or thoughts of the character. Conversations the character engages in. Conversations of other characters each other or another character The author’s own opinion which can be implicit or explicit. Dialogue: Tone, style, intonation, dialect, coloquial language, clichés,etc. Does dialogue impact mood?

Short Stories usually include the following : Dramatic conflict. Usually the basis of the story. Source of the problems which may or may not be overcome in the climax. Foreshadowing. May be used to leave clues in the story to motivate readers’ interest or maybe to predict the ending. Irony- complication Repetition. At the least, it helps drive home a point. It can also be used to create other literary devices. Suspense. Keeps readers interested and wondering what may happen next.

Points of View: Author Omniscient (all knowing, all seeing): This is a third person point of view. It allows the storyteller to reveal more than what one specific character could possibly know because the narrator is knows the characters omnisciently! It is as if the author is a mind reader or an eavesdropper! Author participant (first person-subjective): The author may be the main character, or could be a secondary character. The narrator tells the story from his/her perspective and voice. Hint: Pronouns: I, me, we, and us Author as an observer (3 rd person limited):The third person narrator who stands outside the story’s characters but tells the story from the point of view of one character is called limited omniscient or third person narrator. (Reference Points p. 153 ). Involves objective stance, as though the story teller had no inner knowledge into the other character’s thoughts or actions. Second Person is the you point of view/perspective- not frequently used in fiction. Reference Points, pp

Personal Pronouns pp.362 Reference Points SingularPlural PersonGenderSubjectObjectSubjectObject 1 stt I Me We Us 2 nd You 3 rd Masc. He Him They Them Fem. She Her Neut. It

Conflict

How is this like a short story?

Theme The total meaning of the story. The central insight or idea of a work. the meaning and/or purpose. Sometimes the theme is stated-explicitly/directly and sometimes it is only implied/indirect. Sub themes Thematic statement- avoid clichés

Review

Thematic Statements The theme statement can help you interpret and write about literature in two main ways: (1) it forces you to decide on a clear, simple interpretation before you begin writing, and (2) it provides your reader with a summary of your interpretation. Dr. Steven Hale's Classes Georgia Perimeter College Spring,

Characteristics of a good thematic statement A successful theme statement must be general enough to capture the overall meaning of the work, but specific enough so that it conveys your unique interpretation. If your theme statement follows the following guidelines, and if you don't misread or misinterpret the work, you will be starting your essay on the right foot or identifying a thematic statement for essay analysis.

Characteristics of a good thematic statement continued… In a sense, every literary work makes a statement or has a point. When you create a theme statement you have to simplify the meaning somewhat to get it into a single sentence, but nevertheless, your theme statement itself should make a point. The theme statement should be a complete sentence. "Love and death" (for example) is not a theme statement. It's just an announcement of the topic of the work. What in particular is the author saying about love and death? A sentence like "The theme of the short story is love and death" is grammatically speaking a complete sentence, but if you remove the beginning of the sentence ("The theme of the short story is"), then you don't have a complete sentence, just a wordy announcement of the topic.

Continued… The theme statement should describe the general meaning of the work, not the specific events, actions, or characters. The statement "Luke defeats Darth Vader" is not a theme statement but a plot summary. Instead of describing what the characters do, discuss what they represent ("Good defeats evil"). Often the theme statement takes the form of a moral or a judgment ("We cannot defeat an external evil until we acknowledge our own dark side"). Of course this overall theme results from what the characters do (or from the literal meaning of words in a work), and in supporting your general interpretation, you should cite some of these specific details.

Continued… The theme statement should reflect the values of the entire work, not just one or two episodes or lines. In particular, look at the end of the work to make sure that the story's outcome matches what you think its general meaning is. Dr. Steven Hale's Classes Georgia Perimeter College Spring,

Steps to writing a short story

Assignment Write a short story of 300 words-typed Make sure your title is engaging so your reader wants to read your story Follow your rubric /checklist for the important components needed to write a strong story.

The long and short of it!