Intro to Short Stories

Intro to Short Stories

CP English 10Mr. Coleman

September 10, 2008

What is a short story?

Short Stories vs. Novels• Three key differences• Length

– meant to be read in one sitting• Complexity

– limits itself to one key event• Character Development

– only one or two main characters

Short Stories vs. Novels• Shorter length means maximum

impact with minimum words!• Writers rely on many techniques and

elements to tell their story as succinctly as possible.

• These elements are key in this unit!

How to Approach Reading• Three primary ways:• 1. Literal Reading

• 2. Inferential Reading

• 3. Critical Reading

Literal Reading• This is reading for details and facts.

• What are some examples of this type of reading?

Inferential Reading• What is an inference?

– a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence (facts)

– We will be talking about these all year.• Drawing inferences is key in active

reading.

Inferential Reading• What can you infer from…• a character who is “red-faced”?

• a poem that uses words like gloomy, tear-streaked, and heavy-hearted?

• a statistic that tells you that 85% of high school students use MySpace?

Critical Reading• This is reading beyond literal and

inferential in order to evaluate a piece.

• We are all critics when we read as soon as we give feedback.

• What do you think is key to quality critical reading?

Literary ElementsWhich do you know?

• Setting• Atmosphere• Plot line• Metaphor• Simile• Point of view• Internal conflict• External conflict• Tone

• Theme• Characterization• Foreshadowing• Symbol• Flashback• Suspense• Hyperbole• Irony• Satire

Setting• Setting is the time and place of the

story.

• Setting is key in developing a story’s atmosphere

Setting• What is the setting of Elf ?• North Pole / New York City• What is the setting of Family Guy?• Quahog, Rhode Island• What is the setting of Julius Caesar?• Rome

Atmosphere• Atmosphere is the general mood or

feeling of a story• What kind of settings and

atmospheres do you think of for…• horror movies?• Sci-fi novels?• Setting is the noun; atmosphere is

the adjective

Plot line• What are the five key parts of a plot

line?• 1. Exposition• 2. Rising action• 3. Climax• 4. Falling action• 5. Resolution

Exposition• Start of the story• Establishes setting and characters• Think: EXPosition = EXPlanation

Rising Action• Series of events that leads up to the

climax• Develops characters, conflicts, and

other key elements• Creates interest in the story• Builds tension

Climax• The moment of highest intensity in

the story

• The outcome of the conflict is made clear.

Falling Action• Any action that follows the climax

• This is usually quick-moving and makes up a small part of the overall story.

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Resolution• The end of the story

• All loose ends are (usually) tied up.

Metaphor and Simile• Both are comparisons• Simply, a simile uses “like” or “as”; a

metaphor does not.• Similes:• The horse was as big as…• The student was as smart as…



Metaphor and Simile• Metaphors:• The football player was a(n)…• His love for her was a(n)…

• But this is the basic definition of a metaphor. How will we refer to it?



Metaphor and Simile• A metaphor a comparison between

two seemingly different things, with hopes of giving more meaning to one of them.

• The football player was a house.• His love for her was an ocean.



Point of View• Point of View is the view from which

a story is told.• There are three main points of view:• First-person• Third-person limited• Third-person omniscient QuickTime™ and a

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Point of View• A first-person narration tells the story

from a character’s perspective.• It is the character speaking (I, me,

we).• We only know what he or she knows.• What must we remember in a first-

person narrative?• The events of the story may be

biased!

Point of View“I heard a noise from outside. As I got

up and walked boldly towards the entrance to the room, I knew that there may be someone lurking around the corner. I kept my composure and continued forward, knowing that I may soon have to take down an intruder.”

Point of View• A third-person limited narration is

told from the perspective of a character, but it is not the character who is telling the story.

• How is this different from first-person?



Point of View• “John heard a noise from outside. He

wasn’t sure what it was, so he slowly walked towards the door. He was visibly shaking, and he knew that he could be attacked at any minute. With sweat dropping from his brow, he slowly peaked around the corner.”

Point of View• A third-person omniscient narration

tells the story from a “God-like” point of view.

• The narrator is all-knowing.• We see several events taking place

at the same time.



Point of View• “John heard a loud noise outside. He

wasn’t sure what it was, so he walked slowly towards the door. Little did he know that his anxiety was unnecessary. At the same time, around the corner sat Snuggles, his cat, who had just knocked a plate from the kitchen sink. With sweat dripping from John’s brow, he slowly peaked around the corner.”

Conflict• The conflict is the struggle between

two opposing forces.• EVERY STORY has some sort of

conflict.• What’s your favorite movie? What’s

its conflict?



Conflict• Furthermore, there are two types of

conflicts to know:• 1. Internal conflict• 2. External conflict

Conflict• Internal Conflict: a struggle within a

character’s own mind• We experience these every day.• Think of the angel versus the devil

on your shoulder; this is internal conflict.



Conflict• External conflict has three types:• 1. Man vs. man• e.g. stories of good guy vs. bad guy• 2. Man vs. nature• e.g. stories of travel and adventure• 3. Man vs. society• e.g. stories of defying odds

Tone• Tone is the attitude the writer takes

towards the subject or the reader.• This is closely related to atmosphere

(feeling).

Theme• The theme is the underlying idea

about life.• It is an exploration of important

questions and issues.



Theme• Remember Romeo and Juliet?• The Power of Love• How?• The Individual vs. Society• How?



HALFWAY QUIZ!TAKE OUT A PIECE OF PAPER!

1. What is the difference between third-person limited and third-person omniscient (points of view)?

2. What is the difference between setting and atmosphere?

3. What is the difference between internal and external conflict?

Characterization• The way characters’ personalities are

developed.• There are two types of

characterization:• 1. Direct characterization• 2. Indirect characterization

Characterization• Direct characterization is when the

writer tells us what kind of person the character is.



Characterization• Indirect characterization makes us

figure out what kind of person the character is on our own.

• How?

• Through the character’s words, actions, and interactions with others.

Foreshadowing• Foreshadowing is clues or details

that hint at upcoming events in a story.

• It is often accomplished through symbols and omens.



Symbol• A symbol is something that stands

for something else.• What are some of the common

symbols for…• peace?• love?• life?



Flashback• A flashback is a scene that interrupts

the current action in order to give some sort of background information.

• It tells of earlier events that are probably still important to the story.



Suspense• Suspense is a feeling of uncertainty

or anxiety in a story.• Suspense is what keeps us reading.

Without suspense, we are usually disappointed with the story.

• It can occur in all genres.



Hyperbole• Hyperbole is exaggeration for effect.• We often use hyperbole in everyday

discussions.• When have you used it?• “It must have snowed eight feet last

night!”• “LeBron James scored about 600

points in that game.”

Irony• Irony is a contrast between what is

said and what is meant.• It is also a contrast between what is

expected and what happens.• It is a hard term to understand, so

let’s study some examples from pop music…

IronyFrom the song “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette,

tell me which ones are actual irony.• “An old man turned 98. He won the lottery

and died the next day.”• “It’s like rain on your wedding day.”• “It’s a traffic jam when you’re already

late.”• “And as the plane crashed down, he

thought, ‘Well, isn’t this nice?’”

Irony• What is the difference between irony

and sarcasm?• Sarcasm is meant to be insulting• So, sarcasm is ALWAYS ironic, but

irony is NOT ALWAYS sarcastic

Satire• Satire is when art (literature) mocks

or ridicules individuals or society.• It is often done in a humorous

manner.• What are some common examples?• The Simpsons• South Park• Saturday Night Live


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FINAL QUIZ!TAKE OUT A PIECE OF PAPER

1. What is direct characterization?2. Why do people use hyperbole when

they tell stories?3. What is the difference between

sarcasm and irony?

Intro to Short Stories

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