ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORIES. SHORT STORIES Short story- a brief work of fiction intended to be read...
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Transcript of ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORIES. SHORT STORIES Short story- a brief work of fiction intended to be read...
ELEMENTS OF SHORT STORIES
SHORT STORIESShort story- a brief work of fiction intended to be read in a single sitting
Elements of a short story- characters, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, theme
Characters
Conflict
Setting
Plot
CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERIZATIONCharacters- the people or animals who take part in the action
Characterization- the act of creating and developing a character
Direct characterization- narrator makes direct statements about a character’s personality
Indirect characterization- writer shows what a character is like by providing details about what the characters say and do, what other characters say about them, and how other characters respond to them
Dialogue- character’s words; helps to move the action along
SETTINGSetting- the time and place of the story’s action
Characters live and act in a setting.
Helps to set the atmosphere or mood.
PLOT AND PLOT STRUCTUREPlot- the sequence of events in a story
Plot structure- the way in which story events are organizedExposition- introduces the characters and their situationRising action- develops the conflictClimax- the turning point at which the story’s outcome is determined; moment of greatest intensity
Falling action- sets up the endingResolution- conclusion
Chronological order- events unfold in time order
Flashback- shows events from before
CONFLICT
Internal conflict- takes place in the character’s mind character vs. self
External conflict- takes place between a character and an outside force Character vs. character Character vs. nature
Conflict- struggle between opposing forces, calls on characters to act and drives the plot
POINT OF VIEWPoint of view- the perspective from which a story is told
First-person point of view- story is told from the perspective of a character in the story
(I, me, my)Third-person point of view- story is told from the perspective of a narrator outside the story
Omniscient third-person narrator- narrator knows everything that happens and reveals what characters feel and think
Limited third-person narrator- reveals the thoughts and feelings of a single character
THEMETheme- a central message or insight about life
Stated theme- expressed directly by the authorImplied theme- suggested by what happens to the charactersUniversal theme- message about life that has been expressed throughout time and in different cultures
The details of a short story (characters, setting, plot, and conflict) work together to develop the story’s theme.
Tips for identifying a story’s theme:Note changes in charactersTrace the development of the plot, look at the choices characters had to make, and evaluate the resolution
Pay attention to the settingKeep an eye out for irony (what happens is the opposite of what the reader or characters expects to happen)