NarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrativesThe Short StoryThe Short Story

Part 1Part 1

Rhyme

Setting

Narratives• Narratives are stories that

entertain, inspire and inform readers.

• The main purpose is to entertain, and engage the reader in an imaginative experience.

Narratives• The focus is to have specific

sequential events and actions.

• Different types of narratives: Folktales, fairytales, fables, jokes, myths,

legends, science fiction, modern fantasy, short stories, picture story books and ballads.

Narrative StructureThere are three basic parts of the

Short Story.

1.Orientation (beginning)-The opening paragraphs of the story which set the scene and introduce the main ideas and the main character. In these paragraphs the characters often encounter a conflict/problem.

Narrative Structure

2.Complication (middle)- An event or events where things go wrong and they have to be resolved.

Example: In Harry Potter Lord Voldemort is always

trying to kill Harry Potter

Narrative Structure

3.Resolution (ending) - How the story finishes.

Example: In Twilight Edward protects Bella and

James is defeated.

When you begin to write your short story you need to ask the following questions…

Narrative Features

1. The Orientation:• Who? – identify the character/characters• What? – identify what the character is

doing (e.g. brushing their teeth)• Where? – identify the setting• When? – identify the time (e.g. night,

morning, yesterday, in the future)

Narrative Features

2. The Complication:• What happens? – identify a problem

or obstacle that occurs• How does this affect the

character? – identify how the problem or obstacle impacts the character (e.g. how does the character feel?)

Narrative Features

3.The Resolution:• How is the problem solved? – does the hero win? Is the mystery solved? Do the characters fall in love? Is the lost thing found?

Narrative Structure Handout

Features Example: Story:

Orientation

Who is it? What is he doing?Where?When?

Complication

Problem the character has to overcome

Resolution

The problem is solved

Humpty DumptyHumpty Dumpty

Sitting

On a wall

In the Morning

He has a great fall

The Kings horses and The Kings men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Rhyme

RID (replace, insert, delete)

•Replace words, phrases and sentences with more effective ones

•Insert extra words, phrases sentences

•Delete ineffective words phrases, sentences.

Example:Humpty Dumpty

Write a New Story:Humpty Dumpty

Orientation

Complication

Resolution

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a big fall

All the Kings horses and all the Kings men couldn’t put Humpty together again.

Wearing his yellow gumboots, Humpty Dumpty decided to go and sit on the wall to watch the soccer game.For a laugh, one of his friends decided to push Humpty off the wall.

Humpty Dumpty fell down with a thud and broke his leg. He had to go to hospital.

NarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrative Elements: Narrative Elements: The Short StoryThe Short Story

Part 2Part 2

Storytime

“The Trouble with Meg”

1. Identify the orientation2. Identify the complication3. Identify the resolution

Narratives Elements1. Characters- people in short stories.

Only one, or two main characters. Minor characters who are not developed in detail.

2. Setting- The place where and the time when, the story happens. One major setting.

3. Theme- The main idea of the story. E.g. Good Vs Evil.4. Plot- A summary of the events in the

short story.

1.Characters• Interesting stories have interesting

characters. These characters are so lifelike that you can imagine them in your head as you read.

• The way you describe your character is important.

• You need to make your characters FAT not SKINNY.

The Character

SKINNY CHARACTER

FAT CHARACTER

THINK ABOUT A FAT CHARACTER YOU WOULD LIKE TO WRITE ABOUT

The Character2.Handy Hints for describing

characters:• How old is your character?• What does he or she look like?• What does your character smell like?• Describe your characters mood.• Include colours and fabrics.• (Refer to your Paradigm Profile sheet)

The Character3.Your character must be

BELIEVABLE!• Whether the character is human,

animal or from another time and place, your character must have human qualities?

• The clothes your character wears and the way they act should match

The Character

DEMONSTRATE

The Character Imagine this character: “The children stepped into the office and got a

better look at the man who had mocked them. He was dressed in a rumpled brown suit that had something sticky on its jacket, and he was wearing a tie decorated with pictures of snails. His nose was very small and very red, as if somebody had stuck a cherry tomato in the middle of his splotchy face. He was almost completely bald, but he had four tufts of hair, which he had tied into little pigtails with some old rubber bands.”

Lemony Snicket. (1999). A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy. p. 18

The Character

Character Activity• Now… Invent your own character

and write a detailed description.

WANTED

NAME:

AGE:

LAST KNOWN ADDRESS:

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:

Eye colour:

Hair colour:

Clothes:

SPECIAL FEATURES:

OTHER INFORMATION:

The Character

Characters• Ask a partner to read your

description then draw a picture of your character.

The Character

Characters• Is the character what you

imagined? If not, what changes do you need to make to your original description to make it clearer to your readers?

NarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrative Elements: Narrative Elements: The Short StoryThe Short Story

Part 3Part 3

The SettingStory Settings• Detailed description which makes the

reader feel as if he/she is in the place described. The most effective way to do this is by using the 5 senses. What can the character see, hear, smell, taste, touch?

• Don’t forget: Describe what the character is feeling?

The Setting

Definition:

Setting- The place where and the time when, the story happens. One major setting.

Setting

See Hear Smell Taste Touch

Beach A group of surfers riding huge waves

Children laughing while building sand castles

Coconut oil sunscreen on my skin

Sea salt in the air

Feel the hot sun warming my back

School

Restaurant

Shops

The Setting

Worksheet

The Setting The Drover’s Wife by Henry Lawson

The Setting

Activity:

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. This place was not what I expected...

The Plot

What is a plot?• A sequence of events that drives

the story to its conclusion.• The series of events in a story and

the way they are linked together.

The Plot

There are only seven types of plots:

1. Overcoming the Monster

2. Rags to Riches

The Plot

3. The Quest

4. Voyage and Return

The Plot

5. Comedy

6. Tragedy

7. Rebirth

NarrativesNarrativesNarrativesNarrativesWriting your own Writing your own Short StoryShort Story

Part 4Part 4

Orientation (beginning)

• The beginning provides detail to establish relationships between setting, time, major and minor characters. It sets the mood of the story.

• The author needs to ‘hook’ his/her reader right from the start, so they will want to keep reading. The easiest way to do this is to start with something already happening.

E.g. A conversation, a problem, something unexpected.

• Don’t forget a title.

Four Hook Sentences

(for your beginning)• Start with a sentence that is immediately

interesting.

• Follow it with a second sentence that keeps the reader guessing.

• Add two more short sentences. E.g. The door slammed shut! Darkness filled the room.

Their eyes began to adjust to the scene around them. A clock tick-tocked in another room.

Complication (middle)

- Keep the action going! - Use suspense, invite the reader to fill in

detail.- Provide insight into characters feelings.- Get characters solving problems, but

make sure that there is always something else they need to do.

- Build up to the biggest event or problem and leave a few clues along the way.

Resolution (ending)

- Ties elements together to draw the story towards the conclusion.

- Characters should work out (resolve) how to solve the problem/conflicts themselves. Make sure the ending fits in with the rest of the story.

- Imaginative endings.- Some narratives leaves the reader

deciding on the ending.