1. Short Stories, Plot Structure, and Character Development Literature Note Section #1

2. What is a short story? A short story with a fully developed theme but significantly shorter and less elaborate than a novel.

3. What is plot? Plot is a literary term used to describe the events that make up a story or the main part of a story. These events relate to each other in a pattern or a sequence. There are five main elements in a plot.

4. Element 1: Exposition It is used to introduce background information about events/situations, climates, settings, characters etc. to the audience or readers. – Setting: environment or surrounding in which an event or story takes place – Climate: the mood of the story Exposition is crucial to any story, for without it nothing makes sense.

5. Element 2: Rising Action A series of relevant incidents that create suspense, interest and tension in a literary work. Begins immediately after the exposition. Comes right before the climax. The conflict should arise in the rising action

6. What is conflict? Defined as any struggle between opposing forces. Two main types of conflict: External -Man vs Man -Man vs Society -Man vs. Nature Internal -Man vs self

7. Element 3: Climax Particular point in a literary work at which the conflict or tension hits the highest point; sometimes called a crisis. It’s a decisive moment or a turning point in a storyline at which the rising action turns around into the falling action. Conflict(s) begin to be resolved

8. Element 4: Falling Action Effects of the climax become clear Events and complications begin to resolve and the result of actions of the main characters are put forward.

9. Element 5: Resolution part of the story in which the problems are solved and the action comes to a satisfying end. End of the story which reveals the final outcome

10. Class Work Read the story “My Favorite Chaperone” If you do not finish in class, you must finish reading it for homework!

11. Class Work In your Close Reader, read “Golden Glass” on pages 3-8 AND make annotations in the margins (like the examples shown in pink). Complete for homework if necessary.