1. Fiction & Short Story Unit
Comm 11

2. Fiction - Purpose
Fiction combines the purpose of entertaining with that of revealing life.
Stories that are intended for escape focus on:
1. Plot Suspense
3. Conflict Humour
Interpretative stories focus on:
1. Theme Character
A story gains depth and significance as the characterization becomes more developed and realistic.

3. Fiction
A story that reveals life provides us with an experience that may be significant because it may affect our understanding of ourselves and others. There is nothing to prevent a story from making a serious point while being entertaining, and a story that aims chiefly to entertain can provide us with thought-provoking insights about humanity.

4. Purposes of the Short Story
Entertain
Provide insight
To question
Presents a value of life
Provides a set of values
These are achieved through different short story elements such as Plot, Characters, Setting and Themes

5. Plot Has five main features: Exposition Rising Action Climax
Serves as a framework for the story
Action that takes place within the story
Has five main features:
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action/Denouement
Resolution

6. Exposition (Introduction)
Gives background information
Introduces the main characters & setting (time and place)
May suggest a possible ending (flashback or foreshadowing)
Initial incident takes place to get the story rolling (the crisis).
– Forrest Gump; Introduces Forrest; Talks about mother; Foreshadows importance of shows -

7. Rising Action
Series of steps that develop and show an obstacle or problem in a story.
Largest part of the plot
The clash or fight between opposing forces/persons/ideas/emotions

8. Climax Highest point of interest in the story
Turning point of the story or change in action
Often the problem or mystery is about to be solved.
Hunger Games – before Katniss and Peeta; The Lottery – find out who wins the lottery. The lottery – when we find out who wins. Usually when bad guys meet and fight for the final time.

9. Falling Action or Denouement
The “unknotting” of plot and conflict following the climax
Follows quickly after the climax and lasts until the end of the story
Ties up all the loose ends in the story – all questions answered and problems resolved.

10. Conclusion
Usually the last paragraph or last couple of sentences to draw a story to a close.

11. B. Character Protagonist Antagonist - Main character of the story
- Force or character in opposition to the protagonist
- Often known as the villain or evil force

12. Characterization
Round character - Character has many traits (developed) - Usually the main character in the story Flat character – Character has few traits (not developed) - Usually a minor character within the story
Usually only one in story because of development time
Main character of the story

13. Characterization
Stereotype/Stock – characters with cliched or familiar traits which appears often in escapist-type literature Eg. – James Bond, Robin Hood, Wicked Step Mother

14. Characterization Dynamic Character Static Character
Usually the major character will go through a permanent change in some aspect of their life or personality (large or small).
Static Character
The character undergoes no change in the story
Dynamic - The change is important to the character’s personality and development
The change comes from a crucial situation in the life of the character

15. Character Presentation
Presentation – How the author tells the reader about a character.
Direct Presentation
The author tells the reader the crucial information about the protagonist
Indirect Presentation
The author has the other characters tell the readers about a particular character, or shows up through the character’s actions

16. Character Foil
Two characters set in opposition whose strengths and weaknesses are enlarged by one another
Any character or thing that, by strong contrast, underscores or enhances the distinctive characteristics of another
(George and Jerry or Kramer and Jerry)

17. Setting
The time and place in which a story occurs

18. Foreshadowing
Hints given in the plot as to its outcome.

19. Mood Also called atmosphere or ambience
The “feeling” presented in the story through the way the author describes the scenes or plot events
Eg – It was a dark and stormy night

20. Tone
The author’s attitudes and/or biases that come through in the story, whether in character descriptions, or in their dialogue

21. Moral A message the author is trying to give through the story
Also, a term that indicates whether or not the actions of the charactes are good or just, from a societal perspective.

22. Dilemma
A choice that a character must make between 2 unpleasant outcomes, in response to a plot challenge.
Dilemmas are often hard choices that involve moral or ethical issues

23. Symbolism
When an important person, place or thing in a story represents both itself, and something else.
The secondary representation is generally figurative

24. Suspense A feeling of tension that builds throughout the plot
Usually linked to what will happen at a climax.

25. Flashback
A scene inserted into the plot that shows events that occurred at an earlier time.

26. Complication
A challenge or hurdle placed in the way of the protagonist

27. Conflict General term for negative interactions between characters:
A. Internal
Person vs. self – struggle inside a character’s mind or self – person vs. self
B. External
- Person vs. Person – conflict between two or more characters
- Person vs. Environment – conflicts between a person and their situation – Nature, society, group etc.

28. Point of View The viewpoint through which a story is told: Types:
First Person – “I” – solely the POV of the narrator; reader only knows as much as the narrator
Third Person Ominscient – “God Mode” – Narrator knows characters’ thoughts and feelings
Third Person Limited Omniscient – narrator knows thoughts and feelings of one character but not necessarily others.
Objective/Dramatic – “Fly on the Wall” – narrator is completely outside the action, and simply relates it as he/she sees it happening.

29. Theme The central idea or thesis of a story
Can be stated directly by the author, or indirectly through the outcome of the plot.