Short story-elements pp

Short Story
Elements
Mr. Constantine – English 11

What is a short story?
 A brief, imaginative narrative containing few
characters, simple plot, conflict, and
suspense which leads to a climax and a
swift conclusion.
 Can be read in one sitting

THE 4 ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY
 PLOT
 SETTING
 CHARACTER
 THEME

#1. PLOT
The chain of events in a story.
Consists of 6 main ingredients:
1. Introduction/Exposition
2. Inciting incident
3. Rising action
4. Climax
5. Falling Action
6. Resolution

PLOT GRAPH
An excellent way to map out a story’s plot

Introduction
Introduces the reader to:
 Setting
 Basic situation
 Characters involved
 Narrative Hook: question or statement that
grabs the reader’s attention

Inciting Incident
 The first major action in the story that sets
the story in motion (gets the ball rolling).

Rising Action
Incidents which carry the plot along. It often
includes the following:
 Foreshadowing
 Flashback
 Conflict
 Suspense

FORESHADOWING
 A technique for hinting at events that may
occur later in the plot.

FLASHBACK
 The insertion of an earlier event into the time
order of a narrative.

Conflict
 It is what prevents the main character from getting what he or she
wants
 The plot is driven by climax and it is THE MOST IMPORTANT
FEATURE OF THE STORY
 There are two types of conflicts: Internal and External

Internal Conflict
PERSON VS. SELF

External Conflict
PERSON VS. PERSON

External Conflict
PERSON VS. SOCIETY

External Conflict
PERSON VS.THE ENVIRONMENT

External Conflict
PERSON VS. FATE

External Conflict
PERSON VS. TECHNOLOGY

External Conflict
PERSON VS. THE SUPERNATURAL

SUSPENSE
 The feeling of
excitement and
curiosity that keeps
the reader turning the
pages; created by
making the readers
wonder how the
conflict will be
resolved

CLIMAX
 The highest point of
interest in the story when
the character(s) solves
his/her struggles
 Usually the point of
highest emotion
 The climax can be
SUBJECTIVE (there may
be different answers, so
you must prove your
choice)

FALLING ACTION
 The character completes the action of
his/her decision

THE RESOLUTION
 The final workings of a story’s conflict
 All of the loose ends are tied up (usually)
 Narrative Twist: a surprise ending

#2. SETTING
 The time (time of day, season, present, past, future) and
the location (country, planet, town, buildings, PLUS a
description of the surroundings) where the action occurs
 Helps to create the mood and atmosphere of the text

ATMOSPHERE
 The feeling that the setting evokes (i.e.
mysterious, happy, eerie)

MOOD
 The author’s emotional attitude toward the
subject matter (i.e. excitement, nostalgia)
 NOT the mood of the characters

#3. CHARACTERs
 Any personalities who
are involved in the plot
of the story (people,
animals, fantasy
characters)
 Usually less than 6 in
a short story

PROTAGONIST
 Usually the “good guy”
or hero in the story
 The main character
that we follow
 The character that
strives to solve the
conflict

ANTAGONIST
 The “bad guy” or
villain in the story
 Usually creates
conflict for the main
character

SECONDARY CHARACTERS
 Other characters who are necessary to
moving the plot along, but may not be
involved with the central conflict

CHARACTER TRAITS
Physical and personality characteristics that
are revealed through:
1. What the character does
2. What the character says
3. What other characters say or do about the
character
4. What the author states directly
5. What the author infers

#4. THEME
The central idea about life that the story
highlights; THE MAIN IDEA (universal truths).
The message the author is conveying.
1. Determine the specific conflict
2. Decide what side of the conflict the story
represents
3. How is the conflict resolved? Who wins?
Who loses?

THEME
 Theme is NOT the moral of the story
 Theme is NOT plot
 Theme IS the general subject matter of a
work of art
 Theme may contain a message

THEME
 Not all short stories have a theme; some
are just for entertainment or fun

THEME OR NOT A THEME?
1) Red Riding Hood is about how you shouldn’t trust strangers
2) Stars Wars is a movie about Luke Skywalker
3) Apocalypse Now is about the insanity of war.
4) This painting is about loneliness
5) That story is about two guys who steal a car
6) Romeo and Juliet is about love
7) Romeo and Juliet is about two families fighting
8) I saw a movie last night about survival
9) Hansel and Gretel is about two children
10) Cinderella is about poetic justice

Short story-elements pp

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