SHORT STORYA short story is a work of fiction
Elements of the Short Story
Plot The chain of related events that take
place in a story. Plot at a Glance climax
falling action
rising action
resolution
exposition
Exposition-
gives the background of the story
Rising Action-
introduces complications; builds suspense
Climax-
the turning point of the story
suspense reaches its peak
Falling Action and Resolution
resolves the conflict
Types of Characters
• Main or Secondary
• Protagonist or Antagonist
• Round or Flat
• Dynamic or Static
Setting= time and place
-puts the reader in the story by giving the reader the feeling of being in the situation.
Mood and Atmosphere
positive or negative feelings
Point of View or . . .
(Who’s telling this story anyway?)
-the 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 does not participate in action of
story.
• Narrator does not refer to himself or herself.
• Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all characters; readers get insight into several characters.
Symbolism
A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an object that stands for something beyond itself.
Theme
In literature, theme is a perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to share with the reader.
Style
Look at the writer’s sentence structure and vocabulary. Does he or she use long sentences or short, concise sentences? What about figurative language?
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