The Short Story

Short Story vs Novel Meant to be read in one sitting Tend to be less complex Usually focus on one incident Fewer characters Tend to follow similar pattern

The Pattern

The Pattern Where does this come from?

Aristotle’s Poetics

The Pattern Plot is “the first principle” Consists of

Exposition Incentive moment or “inciting incident” Rising action Crisis Climax Denouement

The Pattern Exposition: does not further plot but is essential

information for reader Inciting incident: starts cause and effect chain Rising action: continues cause and effect chain Climax: elements of story should have inevitably

led here. Resolution and denouement: caused by

preceding events, but don’t lead to outside incidents

The Pattern Must be “unified” No deus ex machina Aristotle didn’t like episodic plots

Some more Greek terms A complex plot is better because they have:

Peripeteia: reversal of fortune Anagnorisis: turn upon surprise--change from

ignorance or knowledge.

This leads to Catastrophe Catharsis

The other “principles” Character Diction Theme Melody Spectacle

Conflict Person vs person Person vs society Person vs self Person vs nature Person vs fate (God)

Character Protagonist vs hero Dynamic Static Flat Round Foil

Theme Statement General but not too general Should account for all major details Avoid sweeping generalizations. No clichés Helpful to mention topic title and author in a

theme statement

Narrative Point of View

First Person Advantageso reader more involvedo narrator as character

=more complex story

Disadvantageso Only see through eyes

of one charactero Trust?o What are we not

seeing?

Third Person Advantageso Fly on wall perspectiveo Understand

perspectives of multiple characters

o No judgment

Disadvantageso Sometimes author

intentionally limits our view for specific purpose

o Distancingo May appear to not

have bias

(Intrusive Narrator) An omniscient narrator who, in addition to

reporting events of story: Offers further comments Sometimes reflects generally upon significance

of story. Common with 19th century novelists.