Elements of the Short Story

For the CP 10 Short Story Unit

Elements Include:

Character

Plot

Setting

Theme

Character

Definition: An individual represented in a work of literature. Characters are defined by:

what the narrator says

what others say

what the character him/herself says.

Thoughts

Actions

Protagonist: The main character in the story; from the Greek: “first actor; the protagonist usually is trying to achieve something.

Antagonist: The character against which the protagonist struggles or contends; blocks the desires of the protagonist.

Foil: A character that serves by contrast to highlight or emphasize opposing traits in another character

Characters are Static or Dynamic

Characters that are static do not grow or change over the course of the story.

Dynamic characters do grow over the course of the story.

Characters are Flat or Round

Round characters are complex and life-like, drawn with subtlety.

Flat characters are built around a single idea or concept

Conflict

Conflict is defined as the opposition between two characters, between two large groups of people, or between the protagonist and a larger problem such as forces of nature, ideas, public mores, and so on. Conflict may also be completely internal, such as the protagonist making a decision or coming to terms with something.

Conflict

Internal Conflict occurs inside a character: i.e. making a choice, coming to terms with something, or overcoming a personal problem.

Janie can’t decide what shoes to put on this morning.

Nadine is torn between applying early decision to Yale or Brown.

Conflict

External Conflict: between two individuals, between the individual and society, between the individual and a force of nature.

Nathan wants to watch Toy Story; Simone wants Care Bears.

Simone likes to keep her toys safe; Nathan likes to break them.

Plot

Exposition: also called basic situation

Complication (inciting incident)

Rising action

Climax

Falling action

Resolution (Denouement)

Exposition

Also called “situation”

The introduction of the materials in the story: the main characters, the setting, and the hint of conflict (foreshadowing)

Example from Everyday Use?

Inciting Incident

The onset and development of the major conflict.

The complication is introduced by the inciting incident, and is developed by the rising action.

Example from Everyday Use?

Rising action

The onset and development of tension as the conflict unfolds.

Example from Everyday Use?

Climax

A character makes a decision, a discovery, or a decisive action which resolves the conflict

Example from Everyday Use?

Falling Action

Events that occur immediately after the climax

Example from Everyday Use?

Resolution / Denouement

Loose ends are tied up; conflict is fully resolved

Example from Everyday Use?

Setting

When and where a story is taking place

Includes cultural beliefs and assumptions

“Setting is fate.”

Functions of setting:

Setting reveals character

Establishes mood or atmosphere

Causes / influences action

Reveals theme

Mood/atmosphere

A feeling, emotional state, or disposition of mind--especially the predominating atmosphere or tone of a literary work.

Established by diction, syntax, and descriptive phrases.

Which stories that we have read have distinctive moods?

Theme

The main idea / message of the text

In great works of literature, theme is sometimes ambiguous (supporting divergent perspectives)

A theme statement is… Universal A complete sentence Supported by the text

Symbolism

A symbol is an object, a setting, an event, an animal, or a person that stands for something greater than itself, usually something abstract.

Examples from the stories that we have read?

Point of View

Omniscient

First person

Limited third person

From what perspective is the story told?

What is revealed? What is hidden by the narrative voice?

Omniscient

Omniscient means “all knowing”. The omniscient narrator is a godlike observer who knows everything that happens in the story and can see into all of the characters’ minds.

First person

Told from the perspective of an “I” who usually participates in the action.

The first person POV draws us directly into the story as if we are talking to a friend.

Third person limited

The story is told by an outside observer, but the narrator is not able to see into all characters’ thoughts and feelings. The narrator might be able to see into one or more characters’ thoughts and feelings.

Verisimilitude

How life-like is the story? How similar is it to the reality that we know? Verisimilitude (realism) is what makes us connect to the story and want to read.

Tone

Tone refers to the speaker’s attitude toward the subject

Tone is revealed through denotation and connotation

Denotation: the literal, dictionary definition of the word.

Connotation: the cultural associations that we make connected to the word.

Irony“The opposite of what you would expect”

In its original Greek sense, means the pretense of ignorance in order to ridicule a

person or to expose the truth. Situational

Dramatic

Cosmic

Verbal

Situational Irony

An occurrence in the story’s plot that is the opposite of what the reader might expect.

Verbal Irony

When a character says one thing but means another.

Sarcasm (Gr. to tear flesh) is a type of verbal irony that uses words in a particularly harsh and cruel way.

Dramatic Irony

When the reader knows something that a character does not know.

Known as “Dramatic” because it is often used on stage.

Cosmic Irony

Based on the belief that a greater power is toying with us, that there is no divine empathy for our pain.

“Man cries, god laughs.”