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STRUCTURE, PURPOSE, SETTING, CONFLICT & CHARACTERIZATION
SHORT STORIES STRUCTURE, PURPOSE, SETTING, CONFLICT & CHARACTERIZATION Nordonia High School English 9 CP Presented by Mrs. Tolin Mrs. Smith
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PLOT It is an necessary element for any type of story. Without a good plot line, you have nothing . . . The most basic arrangement of events PLOT IS THE LITERARY ELEMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORY.
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TYPES OF LINEAR PLOTS CHRONOLOGICAL FLASHBACK
IN MEDIA RES (in the middle)
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PLOT STRUCTURE 5 MAIN PARTS TO THE PLOT STRUCTURE
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PLOT STRUCTURE Conflict: Main problem of a story. Four main types: man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society Climax: the highest point of interest, the most intense moment; the character makes a decision that cannot be reversed Rising Action: All of the events that lead up to the climax, the series of crisis in the story Falling Action: All of the action which follows the climax Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads Exposition: setting, characters & basic plot: the situation before the action starts
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THE PURPOSE OF THE SHORT STORY
Teach a moral lesson Entertain Challenge the reader’s intellect Answers the question “what’s the point of stories that aren’t even true?” Demonstrate a universal truth Emphasize a character trait Accentuate a mood or feeling Recreate a scene
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The Setting of a Short Story
The Environment in which a story takes place Includes both TIME & PLACE
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HOW SETTING FUNCTIONS IN A STORY
PROVIDES A BACKDROP FOR THE ACTION IN A STORY ESTABLISHES ATMOSPHERE (SETS THE MOOD) SHAPES CHARACTER & ACTION REFLECTS CHARACTER PSYCHOLOGY
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HOW AUTHORS CREATE SETTING
DETAILS: BUILD DESCRIPTION WITH REALISTIC DETAILS TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE SENSE IMAGES: APPEAL TO SENSES, WHICH HELPS READER RELATE TO PERSONAL EXPERIENCES Example: using real cities or street names; describing a place as realistically as possible Example: smell of cookies during winter break; swimming in cold lake water HOW AUTHORS CREATE SETTING
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QUESTIONS I SHOULD ASK WHILE READING
WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BACKDROP? DOES IT CREATE ATMOSPHERE/ SHAPE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS/REFLECT INNER THOUGHTS? WHAT TECHNIQUES DID THE AUTHOR USE?
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Conflicts & Short Stories
The central source of tension and drama that makes a story interesting to read and gives it purpose
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CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Character Conflict between 2 people or 2 groups of people Examples: family troubles, bullies or romantic trouble
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CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Society Between individual and larger groups Examples: outsider in a strange culture, a struggle to “make it” in the world
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CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Nature Individual and the natural world Examples: Fighting a force of nature Surviving a plane crash in the desert
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CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Self Psychological conflicts within a person Examples: Overcoming a drug habit Grieving over loss of loved one Making a moral decision
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Story Problem Elements of plot Reading Strategies:
Try to state the problem in one sentence Elements of plot Include both the conflict and the climax
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CHARACTERIZATION The methods a writer uses to communicate information about characters to readers
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Techniques of Characterization
DIRECT: The author tells the readers details about the character directly Even though she was the youngest, Sarah was the smartest of all three sisters INDIRECT: The author shows the character in action and lets readers make their own interpretations At report card time, Sarah received an A in all subjects, unlike her sisters.
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Author’s Characterization Tools
Character’s Name Physical Appearance How the character is dressed Occupation Home & Surroundings Habit’s and Actions What other characters say about him or her
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Understanding Character
Defined by the qualities that make them think, act and feel in certain ways. Values: What people, places or things are most important in the character’s life? What does he or she value most? Feelings: What Emotions does the character feel most strongly? Goals: What are the character’s greatest hopes? What are they working to accomplish? Problems: What other characters or circumstances are keeping the character from achieving his goals?
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