Parts of a Short Story Setting Setting is

Setting • Setting is often the time and place a story occurs (physical environment)

Atmosphere • The atmosphere of a story often refers to the: • tone or

Point of View • First person: personal view, using “I, me, my, mine” •

Time order • Chronological order: events take place in the correct time order •

Characters • Protagonist: the main character, often facing a problem • Antagonist: the character

Characterization • • What the character looks like What the character says or does

Conflict • External conflict: character vs. character (or nature, or society, or aliens…) •

Plot • Plot is the sequence of events, usually following the beginning, middle, and

Plot diagram • Exposition – introduces characters and setting • Initiating incident – the

Theme • The “idea, general truth, or commentary on life” • The main idea

Determining theme • What truth about life does the story show? • What insight

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Parts of a Short Story

Setting • Setting is often the time and place a story occurs (physical environment) • But setting can also be: • Social environment, the type of society portrayed, their values, beliefs • Cultural environment, the culture of the society in the story world

Atmosphere • The atmosphere of a story often refers to the: • tone or mood: sarcasm, playful, condescending, etc. • Narrative voice: the “personality” of the narrator, showing emotion and characteristics • Narrative voice is closely tied to ‘point of view’

Point of View • First person: personal view, using “I, me, my, mine” • Third person: distanced view, using “he, she, they” • Omniscient: literally means “all knowing” like a narrator that sees and hears all…

Time order • Chronological order: events take place in the correct time order • Flashback: when a character is looking back in time at previous events • Foreshadowing: giving hints as to what is going to happen in the future

Characters • Protagonist: the main character, often facing a problem • Antagonist: the character (or animal, storm, etc) in conflict with the protagonist

Characterization • • What the character looks like What the character says or does What other characters say about him/her What the author implies about the character

Conflict • External conflict: character vs. character (or nature, or society, or aliens…) • Internal conflict: character vs. him/herself

Plot • Plot is the sequence of events, usually following the beginning, middle, and end of a story • Plot diagram: • most short stories and novels follow a similar pattern

Plot diagram • Exposition – introduces characters and setting • Initiating incident – the incident that “kickstarts” the story • Crisis – the OMG moment, usually a decision must be made by the protagonist • Climax – the most intense moment of the story, the resolution to the problem! • Falling action – wrapping up the story line • Denouement – the ending (open, closed…)

Theme • The “idea, general truth, or commentary on life” • The main idea or moral of the story • Not a theme – Susan overcomes her fears and searches for her lost brother, and finds him. • Theme example – If we overcome our fears, then we have the strength to achieve our goals. Family relationships are important.

Determining theme • What truth about life does the story show? • What insight into a situation does it reveal? • What understanding about people or human relationships does it show? • What idea comes across most strongly? • What message does it convey?