1. English 9 Short Story Unit
Plot
Conflict
Theme

2. Identifying the Elements of A Plot Diagram

3. Plot Diagram 3 4 2 1 5

4. Plot (definition)
Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events that make up a story. Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

5. 1. Exposition
This usually occurs at the beginning of a story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).

6. 2. Rising Action
This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs.

7. 3. Climax
This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way.

8. 4. Falling Action
All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.

9. 5. Resolution
The story comes to a reasonable ending.

10. Putting It All Together
1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling Action
5. Resolution
Beginning of Story
Middle of Story
End of Story

11. Conflict
Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character.
Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

12. There are two types of conflict:
External – a struggle with a force outside of one’s self.
Internal – a struggle within one’s self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

13. There are 3 types of External Conflict
Person vs. Person - The most straightforward type of conflict pits the protagonist directly against another character with apparently opposing aims.
Person vs. Nature/Circumstance - This type of conflict pits a story's main character or characters against a natural force such as a flood, predatory animal, or disease epidemic.
Personvs. Society -In many stories, the protagonist battles an unjust element of government or culture.

14. There is only 1 type of Internal Conflict.
Person vs. Self - Some literary conflicts take the form of a character struggling to overcome fear, addiction, emotional damage or other crippling personal issues.

15. Practice
Decide what type of conflict is being illustrated in the following pictures. Be prepared to explain your answers.

16. 1. Person vs. ?

17. 2. Person vs. ?

18. 3. Person vs. ?

19. 4. Person vs. ?

20. 5. Person vs. ?

21. Now that you have mastered pictures, let’s try some text!
Person vs. ? 1. “If she had only proceeded more slowly. If she had only taken the Southerly route, avoiding the icebergs. If only the watch had had a pair of binoculars.” (news story about the Titanic)

22. Person vs. ?
2. Charles decided to break all the rules the day he decided to steal that car. He was immediately arrested and sent to jail to await his trial. He should have known better than to mess with the “rules.”

23. Person Vs. ?
3. After lowering himself into the damp and dark cave Tom began to reprimand himself for not having replaced his flashlight batteries. Tom’s terror slowly began to take over as the light around him grew dimmer and dimmer and dimmer. 4. After the light in the cave was completely gone Tom began to stumble through the cave blindly cutting his hands on what appeared to be sharp rocks.

24. Person vs. ?
5. “I don’t care who you talk to!” screamed Sarah to Mark. “I just wish I had never met you!”

25. Theme is the central message or insight into life revealed through a literary work. There are 6 guidelines to remember when asked to identify the theme.

26. Guidelines The theme must be expressed in the form of a statement.
Example: Loyalty Instead a good theme statement could be: Loyalty to country often inspires self-sacrifice.
2. The theme must be stated as a generalization about life. Do not use the names of characters or refer to specific events in the literature.
3. The generalization about life must not be larger than justified by the terms of the story. Avoid words like all, every, always.
4. The theme must be a central and unifying concept of the story.
5. The theme can be expressed in more than one way.
6. You must avoid reducing the theme to a cliché.
Example: Love is blind. OR Don’t judge a book by its cover.

27. How do I find the theme?
1. Summarize the plot by writing a one-sentence description for the exposition, the conflict, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution. 2. Identify the subject of the work. 3. Identify the insight or truth that was learned about the subject. • How did the protagonist change? • What lesson did the protagonist learn from the resolution of the conflict? 4. State how the primary insight or truth about the subject can be applied to a generalization about life. 5. Double check: Is the theme supported by evidence from the work itself? • Are all the author’s choices of plot, character, conflict, and tone controlled by this theme?

28. Practice!
Follow the 6 guidelines and the 5 strategies (as much as possible) for finding theme and determine the theme of the fables in your short story packet.