Elements of Fiction

Short Story Unit

Elements of a Short Story

•A short story is a work of fiction that can be read in one sitting.

Plot Diagram

climax

rising action falling action

exposition resolution

Exposition-

gives the background of the story

introduces the characters

introduces the setting

introduces the conflict

Rising Action-

complications arise

builds suspense

events leading to the climax

Climax-

the turning point of the story

suspense reaches its peak

Falling Action

events that occur after the climax leading up to the resolution

usually ties up loose ends

Resolution-

the ending or conclusion to a story

the conflict is resolved

Types of Characters

• Protagonist

• main character

• round or dimensional

• dynamic- or changes throughout the story

•Antagonist

• force working against protagonist

• static- does not change

Characterization:

•The process by which the writer/author reveals the personality of the character.

Direct Characterization

•Direct TELLS the audience what the personality of the character is▫For example: The quiet boy, the patient girl

Indirect Characterization

• Indirect SHOWS things that reveal the personality of a character. ▫Speech (what do they say and how do

they speak?)▫Thoughts (private thoughts and feelings)▫Effect on others toward the character

(effect on others; behavior and reaction to the character)

▫Actions (what is their behavior?)▫Looks (what is their appearance like:

looks, clothes, etc.)STEAL

Setting•Tells time and place

•Puts the reader in the story by giving the reader the feeling of being in the situation.

•Creates atmosphere by the positive or negative feelings associated with the place.

Plot

•The chain or series of related events that take place in a story. that include rising action, climax, and falling action

•Built around conflict

Conflict• A struggle between opposing forces.

• External

•Man v Man

•Man v Nature

•Man v Obstacle or Society

•Man v Supernatural

•Internal

•Man v Self

Point-of-View

•(Who’s telling this story anyway?)

•the vantage point from which the story is told.

•determines how much we, the readers, know about the characters.

1st Person

•Narrator is a character in the story.

•Narrator uses first-person pronouns, I, me, my, we, us, our to refer to himself or herself.

•Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character and speaks directly to reader.

3rd Person Limited

• Narrator does not participate in action of story.

• Narrator does not refer to himself or herself.

• Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character, but readers are able to maintain some emotional distance from the character.

3rd Person Omniscient

• Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters; readers get insight into several characters.

Theme

• In literature, theme is a perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to share with the reader.

• In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but must be inferred.

•Themes can be revealed by

•a story’s title

•key phrases and statements about big ideas

• the ways the characters change and the lessons they learn about life.

Building Suspense•Moves the story along and helps the reader

to move forward

•One way is through cause and effect

▫creates new movement, or turns in the story, and adds new possibilities

•Often the reader can foresee (foreshadowing) events that will happen later in the story based on key phrases or events that occur earlier in the story

Imagery•Uses vivid description to help create a

picture in the reader’s head•Remember, imagery describes, other

devices compare such as:▫Simile- a direct comparison between two

things using like or as (My love is like a red, red, rose)

▫Metaphor- a direct comparison between two things- no like or as (Her heart was a drum, beating out a fast tune)

▫Personification- giving human characteristics to non-human objects (the wind whispered softly in my ears)

Mood v Tone

• Watch out! Tone and mood are similar!! • Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s

words. It is the feeling the reader gets from reading those words. It may be the same, or it may change from situation to situation. Mood is the overall feeling a reader gets from a story.

• Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation) and the readers. A work of writing can have more than one tone. An example of tone could be both serious and humorous. Tone is set by the setting, choice of vocabulary and other details.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILI3s7Wonvg