Short Story Literary Elements

Do-Now: (Free-Write)

As you write, try to focus on TONE (your attitude towards the subject matter)

AND IMAGERY- using visual,

descriptive language

Elements of a Short Story Short story- A concise piece of fiction

containing elements such as: - Setting- Characters- Point of View- Theme- Plot

- Figurative Language

Setting

The time and place of a story’s action Ex: The show Jersey Shore takes place in

Seaside Heights over the summer months Includes ideas, customs, values, and beliefs. Setting gives the reader a better

understanding of the characters and events YOUR TURN: Describe the setting of a popular

movie/TV show.

Characterization DirectDirect: Writer/narrator makes direct

statements about a character’s personality or appearance

IndirectIndirect: We learn about character through his/her thoughts, others’ opinions, words, actions, and appearance (TOWAA)

Static CharacterStatic Character: Remains the same throughout the story from start to finish

Dynamic CharacterDynamic Character: Undergoes emotional changes due to events in a story.

Hunger Games Reading Task

1.What do you learn in the “EXPOSITION” of

the reading passage? (Setting/characters)

2. List THREE conflicts that are established early in the novel (signaling the rising action)

3. Give an example of DIRECT characterization of Prim

4. Find an example of INDIRECT characterization of the cat, Buttercup

First-Person In first-person point of view: the narrator is a character in the

story, referred to as “I” For example

Autobiographies Memoirs Narratives

(Sometimes less “reliable” due to the one-sided viewpoint)

Third-Person Limited Point of View

The narrator reveals the thoughts of only one character (Your knowledge of the characters is LIMITED)

Refers to that character as “he” or “she”

Narrator doesn’t tell us what other characters are thinking or feeling Ex: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella

Third-Person Omniscient Point of View

The narrator knows everything about the story’s events and the character’s inner thoughts and feelings

This narrator is “all-knowing”(Omni=everything)

What is the “Point of View” in The Hunger Games?

Theme Theme is the central idea or main

message that guides a story Often reveals a perception of human

nature or life Theme is like a moral of a fable

Ex: Cinderella’s Theme Good always triumphs over evil

Imagery

Vivid word choices that paint a mental picture in your head

Relates to ALL senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, taste

Ex: The warmth and crispness of the chocolate chip cookies wafted through the air

Hunger Games and Imagery

Find THREE examples of imagery in the reading selection of The Hunger Games.

Then indicate which SENSE it appeals to.

Make sure to QUOTE the phrase where the imagery occurs and record the page #

Ex: “rough canvas cover of the mattress” (3)- TOUCH

Mood The emotional quality or

atmosphere of a literary work. Includes writer’s choice of language, subject matter, setting, and tone

Ex: The mood of Poe’s “The Raven” is dark and dreary

Conflict within Plot External Conflict: Between a

character and an outside force, such as another character, nature, society, or fate.

Ex: Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Fate

Internal Conflict: Takes place within the mind of a character who is torn between two opposing forces or feelings Man vs. Self

Internal or External Conflict?

Student decides whether or not to do Ms. Izzo’s homework assignment

Internal Conflict Jill is not sure whether to confess about

seeing someone cheating in class Internal Conflict Soldier must fight an enemy on the

battlefield External Conflict

Irony Verbal irony: When what is said is the

opposite of what is meant Situational irony: An outcome that

turns out to be very different than what was once expected

Dramatic irony: Dialogue or speech that the audience/reader understands before the other characters in the story do

Symbol/ Symbolism An object, person, or thing that

represents an abstract thought or idea.

Ex: A rose is a symbol of love Ex: A snake is a symbol of

evil/deceit What does the “Mockingjay”

symbolize in Hunger Games?

Motif A commonly recurring symbol in a

story Ex: A horror movie might use a full

moon as a recurring symbol (motif) that represents an evil deed

In “The Necklace”...explain the following:

1. Situational Irony:

2. Symbolism of “the necklace” at the start of the story:

3. Symbolism of “the necklace” at the end of the story:

4. Internal conflict for Madame Loisel:

Foreshadowing The early use of clues or hints to

prepare readers for events that will happen later in a story.

Ex: Thunder & lightning foreshadows bad weather/storm or a major conflict in a story

Flashback

A scene in a story that goes back to an earlier period of time

Gives the reader a broader understanding of the present action/plot

Extended Metaphor

A comparison between two unalike things that continues throughout a series of sentences in a paragraph of a story or lines in a poem

Ex: A description of nature in the spring time in a book to describe a young person

Find an example for the following: (Choose a movie or book to base your

examples on)

Symbol Irony (indicate which type) Foreshadowing Flashback Theme Internal Conflict External Conflict Mood