Elements of a Short Story - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Elements of a Short StorySlide2

OBJECTIVES

Identify elements of a short storyDefine elements of a short storyDemonstrate mastery of short story elementsSlide3

OVERVIEW

Short stories often contain structural and character elements that should be familiar to you.

These elements can be used as guides to help you think about the actions, themes, and contexts of the story. Slide4

Genre: a distinctive category of literary compositionSlide5

InferenceA conclusion reached based on textual evidence and reasoningSlide6

Theme

Ex.

Love

Family Feud

Themes

from ‘The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’

Elements of a Short Story

The subject

of a

story.

It

is not a

moral, lesson

,

or

a rule for living

.

It is a general ideaSlide7

Central Idea

The most important or central thoughtsTells reader what text is aboutMore specific to the storySlide8

CHARACTERIZATION

The description of the personalities of the characters in the story and the ways in which authors reveal their personalities:Speech Thoughts

Effect on other characters

Action

Looks

“STEAL”Slide9

DialogueConversations between people in a piece of writing.Usually has quotation marks (“Hello”)Slide10

THEME

The main idea of a literary work, usually expressed as a generalization and in sentence form.

Example: “Forgiveness is the key to true happiness.”

SETTING

The time and place in which the story is set.Slide11

CHARACTERS

The point of writing stories: telling us what human beings are like. Characters allow readers to “see” life from different perspectives and to “meet” new (or familiar) people.

“

Characters in the plot connect us with the vastness of our secret life, which is endlessly explorable.” – Eudora WeltySlide12

FORESHADOWINGA warning or indication of future event(s)Slide13

FLASHBACKA scene in a movie set in a time earlier than the main story.Goes back in timeSlide14

Point of ViewThe position of the author or characterIt is their attitudeSlide15

Point of ViewFirst Person Point of View- a character from the story is telling the story; uses the pronouns “I” and “me”

Second Person Point of View- the narrator tells the story to another character using the words “you”Third Person Point of View

- an outside narrator is telling the story; uses the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”Slide16

Types of Third-Person Point of ViewThird-Person Limited

The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings on only ONE character in a story.

Third-Person Omniscient

The narrator knows the thoughts and feeling of

ALL

the characters in a story.Slide17

Tone and MoodTone: The author’s attitude toward the subjectMood: the emotion the reader feels from a piece of literatureSlide18

CharactersProtagonist and

antagonist are used to describe characters. The protagonist is the main character of the story, the one with whom the reader identifies. This person is not necessary “good”.

The

antagonist

is the force in opposition of the protagonist; this person may not be “bad” or “evil”, but he/she opposes the protagonist in a significant waySlide19

Conflict = StruggleSlide20

Conflict

External Conflict: Conflict between a character and another person OR a character and something non-human.

- Man vs. Man

- Man vs. Society

- Man vs. NatureSlide21

ConflictInternal Conflict

: Conflict takes place inside a character’s mind

Man vs. Himself (fears, self-doubts, etc.)Slide22

Parts of a Plot

Exposition - introduction; characters, setting and conflict (problem) are introducedRising Action

- where the conflict starts to develop

Climax

- highest point of interest or suspense of a story

Falling Action

- tension eases; events show the results of how the main character begins to resolve the conflict

Resolution

- loose ends are tied up; the conflict is solvedSlide23

Plot Diagram

2

1

3

4

5Slide24

ExpositionThis usually occurs at the beginning of a short story. Here the characters are introduced. We also learn about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).Slide25

2. Rising ActionThis part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs and leads to the climax. Complications ariseSlide26

3. ClimaxThis is the turning point of the story. Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way. This is the most intense moment.Slide27

4. Falling ActionAction that follows the climax and ultimately leads to the resolutionSlide28

5. ResolutionThe conclusion; all loose ends are tied up.

Either the character defeats the problem, learns to live with the problem, or the problem defeats the character. Slide29

Putting It All Together

1. Exposition

2. Rising Action

3. Climax

4. Falling Action

5. Resolution

Beginning of Story

Middle of Story

End of StorySlide30

Diagram of Plot

Setting, characters, and conflict are introduced

Introduction/ Exposition

Development/

Rising

Action

Climax

Falling Action

ResolutionSlide31

PLOT

The sequence or order of events in a story, each event connected to the next like a chain. Each event in a plot “hooks” our curiosity and pulls us forward to the next event.

Suspense builds as the series of related events hook our curiosity.

The plot includes the following (4) parts:Slide32

Types of Linear PlotsChronological

FlashbackIn media res (in the middle of things): when the story starts in the middle of the action without an exposition.Slide33

CHRONOLOGICAL PLOT DIAGRAM

Rising Action

Falling

Action

Resolution

Climax

Exposition

ConflictSlide34

1. Basic Situation/Exposition

Exposition Statement – This is the part of the plot that tells how the story begins. The character, conflict, and setting are usually introduced.

Example ~

Cinderella

The basic situation shows us Cinderella, a beautiful and good heroine, in a conflict with her evil stepmother and nasty stepsisters.Slide35

2. Rising Action/Complication

The part of the story in which the main character takes some action to resolve the conflict and meets with problems or complications: danger, fear, hostility, etc.

Example ~

Cinderella

Cinderella wants to go to the ball. Her stepmother says “No,” but a Fairy Godmother promises to get her to the ball if she obeys one rule: “Be home by midnight.” Cinderella goes to the ball, the Prince falls in love with her, she flees at midnight, and she loses one of her glass slippers.Slide36

3. Climax

Climax: the KEY scene of the story

That tense or exciting moment when we realize what the outcome of the conflict is going to be.

Example ~

Cinderella

The Prince makes a house-to-house search for the foot that fits the slipper and finds that foot on Cinderella.Slide37

4. Falling Action(s)All of the action which follows the climaxExample ~ Cinderella: Cinderella and the prince make preparations for their wedding.Slide38

5. Resolution/Denouement

The final part of the story. (The French word, denouement, means “unraveling the knot”).You learn how the conflict is resolved and what happens to the characters.Example ~ Cinderella

Cinderella marries the Prince and they live happily ever after. In the original

Girmm

story, you also learn that ravens peck out the eyes of the evil stepmother.Slide39

CONCLUSION

Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a short story, let us use the elements to analyze the short story by Ray Bradbury, “The Pedestrian”. You may use your notes from the PowerPoint presentation.Slide40

Bibliography

Dinneen, K. Elements of the Short Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003, from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:

http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1983/3/83.03.09.x.html

Five Elements of a Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2277.html

Guevin, D. Short Story Elements. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

http://www.uvm.edu/~dguevin/Elements.html

Anderson, Robert, Et. al. Elements of Literature. Austin: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1989.