Short StoriesShort Stories

Short StoryShort Story

A A short storyshort story is a brief work of is a brief work of literature, usually written in narrative literature, usually written in narrative

prose prose

No set lengthNo set length

Usually features a small cast of named Usually features a small cast of named characters, and focus on a self-characters, and focus on a self-

contained incident with the intent of contained incident with the intent of evoking a "single effect" or mood evoking a "single effect" or mood

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

Falling ActionFalling Action

The part of a story The part of a story that leads away that leads away from the climaxfrom the climax

SentenceSentence

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

WordWord

PicturePictureDefinitionDefinition

SentenceSentence

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

Plot LinePlot Line

A literary or dramatic A literary or dramatic plot; a story line.plot; a story line.

To summarize the To summarize the story Ms. Hinga story Ms. Hinga made us create a made us create a plot line about the plot line about the events in the storyevents in the story..

Exposition Exposition

The part of a narrative The part of a narrative that provides the that provides the

background information background information needed to understand needed to understand the characters and the the characters and the

actionaction

Rising ActionRising Action

The events of a The events of a narrative plot narrative plot

leading up to the leading up to the climax, often climax, often

building in intensitybuilding in intensity

ClimaxClimax

A moment of great or A moment of great or culminating intensity in a culminating intensity in a

narrative or drama, narrative or drama, especially the conclusion of especially the conclusion of a crisis, the turning point in a crisis, the turning point in

a plot or dramatic actiona plot or dramatic action

Falling ActionFalling Action

The events of a The events of a narrative plot narrative plot following the following the

climaxclimax

ResolutionResolution

The part of a literary The part of a literary work in which the work in which the complications (or complications (or

conflict) of the plot are conflict) of the plot are resolved or simplifiedresolved or simplified

Plot Line Plot Line

ConflictConflict

Opposition between Opposition between characters or forces in a characters or forces in a work of drama or fiction, work of drama or fiction, especially opposition that especially opposition that motivates or shapes the motivates or shapes the

action of the plot action of the plot

TYPES OF CONFLICT:TYPES OF CONFLICT:

ExternalExternal

Man vs. natureMan vs. nature

Man vs. manMan vs. man

Man vs. societyMan vs. society

InternalInternal

Man vs. selfMan vs. self

SettingSetting

The time, place, and The time, place, and circumstances in which a circumstances in which a

narrative takes placenarrative takes place

ThemeTheme

The unifying message The unifying message portrayed in a textportrayed in a text

(NOT what the short story is (NOT what the short story is about)about)

IronyIrony

The difference The difference between what might between what might

be expected and what be expected and what actually occursactually occurs

AllegoryAllegory

The representation of The representation of abstract ideas or principles abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or by characters, figures, or

events in narrative, events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial formdramatic, or pictorial form

CharactersCharacters Major CharactersMajor Characters

The most The most important important characters in the storycharacters in the story There is usually There is usually one MAIN one MAIN character, but character, but

there can be more than one there can be more than one MAJORMAJOR character character Usually undergo some major change in the Usually undergo some major change in the

novelnovel

Minor CharactersMinor Characters Intended to support Intended to support majormajor characters characters Necessary for the story to develop Necessary for the story to develop May not grow or change throughout the course May not grow or change throughout the course

of the story of the story

Antagonist vs. ProtaganistAntagonist vs. ProtaganistAntagonistAntagonist::

The “bad guy”The “bad guy”A person or a group of people who A person or a group of people who opposeoppose

the main character(s) the main character(s) A major threat or obstacle to the main A major threat or obstacle to the main

character by their very existence character by their very existence ProtagonistProtagonist::

The main characterThe main characterEnds up in Ends up in conflictconflict because of the because of the

antagonistantagonistThe character that the author intends the The character that the author intends the

audience to identify with audience to identify with

Characterization Characterization

The method by which The method by which the writer reveals the the writer reveals the

characters of the characters of the storystory

CharacterizationCharacterization

Direct characterizationDirect characterization – when an – when an author tells you directly about the author tells you directly about the character’s personality; character’s personality; ““Dena was a kind, caring individual.”  Dena was a kind, caring individual.” 

Indirect characterizationIndirect characterization – when – when an author reveals a character’s an author reveals a character’s personality through his or her actions personality through his or her actions or dialogue; or dialogue; ““Dena felt so sad when she saw the hurt Dena felt so sad when she saw the hurt

little chipmunk that she began to cry.”little chipmunk that she began to cry.”

4 Domains of 4 Domains of CharacterizationCharacterization

The four domains of characterization are:The four domains of characterization are: Words, Words, thoughtsthoughts and and actionsactions of the of the

character.character. DescriptionDescription (appearance and (appearance and

backgroundbackground)) What other What other characters say about the characters say about the

charactercharacter The way others The way others characters react to the characters react to the

charactercharacter

Character SketchCharacter SketchAddress the Address the four domains four domains of of characterizaticharacterization in a on in a character character sketch of sketch of yourselfyourself

Head-what you thinkHead-what you think Body-looks, description, Body-looks, description,

backgroundbackground Heart-feelingsHeart-feelings Hands-what you doHands-what you do Feet-you’re American Feet-you’re American

Dream…where are you Dream…where are you going?going?

Around you-What other Around you-What other people say about you or the people say about you or the way they react to youway they react to you