What makes a Good Story? Parts of a Story

Can the hero save the city from danger? Will the lost hikers find their way home? Will Plankton steal the secret recipe for the crabby patty?

Is the time and place of the action. The time can be past, present, or future. It can be a particular season or time of the day. The place can be anywhere in the world or in your imagination.

The people, animals, or imaginary creatures who take part in the action. The most important characters are the main characters. Static or Dynamic Less important characters are minor characters. Examples: A 12-year-old girl A wizard with mysterious powers A baseball coach A family’s pet dog

Protagonist The “good guy” in the story.

Antagonist The “Bad guy” in the story.

The struggle that a character faces in a story. Character vs. character Character vs. nature Character vs. society Character vs. self

External Conflict External conflict exists when a character struggles against some outside force, such as another character, nature, society, or fate. Man vs. Man Man vs. Nature Man vs. Society

Internal Conflict Internal conflict exists within the mind of a character who is torn between different courses of action. Man vs. Himself

Theme The message that the author is trying to send through the characters and events in the story. Example: In Shrek, the theme of the story is that of not judging people for their appearance but for what is in their hearts.

As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. Nevertheless, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.

As the girl walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. The cardinal tipped his head back and drew breath to sing, but just as the first note passed his beak he heard the crack of a dead branch far below his perch high in the maple tree. Startled, he looked down, cocking his head to one side and watching with great interest while the man rattled the blades of grass as he tried to hide himself behind the tree. As the man saw her start up the hill, he moved quickly into the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. The man thought if he could stay hidden until she came within range, she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she? The girl shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.

As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.

What is a Plot??? Plot is the sequence of events. It involves Both characters and a central conflict.

PLOTLINE Exposition Resolution Rising Action Climax Falling Action Conflict Introduced

Exposition The Exposition is the introduction. Introduces: the characters Setting basic situation.

Rising Action Rising Action is the part of the plot that begins to occur as soon as the conflict is introduced. Adds: complications to the conflict increases reader interest.

Climax The Climax is the point of greatest emotional intensity, interest, or suspense in the plot of a narrative. The climax typically comes at the turning point in a story or drama.

Falling Action Falling Action is the action that typically follows the climax and reveals its results.

Resolution The Resolution is the part of the plot that concludes the falling action by revealing or suggesting the outcome of the conflict.

Conflict Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces in a story or play. There are two types of conflict that exist in literature.

Point of View Point of View is the perspective, or vantage point, from which a story is told. It is the relationship of the narrator to the story. First-person is told by a character who uses the first-person pronoun “I”. Third-person point of view is the point of view where the narrator uses third-person pronouns such as “he” and “she” to refer to the characters. Omniscient-the narrator seems to know all the characters actions and thoughts Limited omniscience-the narrator knows one persons thoughts

Theme The theme of a literary work is its central message, concern, or purpose. A theme can usually be expressed as a generalization, or general statement, about people or life. The theme may be stated directly by the writer although it is more often presented indirectly. When the theme is stated indirectly, the reader must figure out the theme by looking carefully at what the work reveals about the people or about life.

Flashback A flashback is a literary device in which an earlier episode, conversation, or event is inserted into the sequence of events. Often flashbacks are presented as a memory of the narrator or of another character.

The movie Titanic is told almost entirely in a flashback. What are some other films that contain flashback to help tell stories? Holes Willy Wonka Think of some more… Flashback continued…

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is the author’s use of clues to hint at what might happen later in the story. Writers use foreshadowing to build their readers’ expectations and to create suspense. This is used to help readers prepare for what is to come.