Elements of a Short Story.pptx

ELEMENT S OF A SHORT STORY UNIT #1: SHORT STORIES  WHAT IS A SHORT STORY? A SHORT STORY is a piece of prose fiction, usually under 10,000 words, which can be read in one sitting. It’s length is too short to publish in a single volume like a novel. Short stories are usually betw...

ELEMENT S OF A SHORT STORY UNIT #1: SHORT STORIES  WHAT IS A SHORT STORY? A SHORT STORY is a piece of prose fiction, usually under 10,000 words, which can be read in one sitting. It’s length is too short to publish in a single volume like a novel. Short stories are usually between 5 to 60 pages; as a result, they can be read in a single sitting. Usually, short stories concentrate  WHY DO WE STUDY SHORT STORIES? We read and study short stories because: We are curious about the lives and lifestyles of others They are a bridge to our own culture, our personal past We need to escape the problems and the tedious realities of daily life and need to dream  WHY DO WE STUDY SHORT STORIES? We read and study short stories because: We need to know we are not alone. We are not the first to face a broken relationship. We are not the only one who has lost a loved one. We are not the only one with a problem Stories centre us, and keep our heads together on the journey through life. Stories are mirrors. Stories are signposts. Stories are “the stuff of life” WHY DO WE STUDY SHORT STORIES? The short story gives the illusion of life. It is a tint capsule of living, a moment or two in the lives of people. Short stories have THREE (3) principal functions: 1. To entertain: This is the first reason we read. In studying the short story it is important not to lose sight of this vital purpose. 2. To teach: If we want them to, many stories can go beyond simple entertainment. Often the author has a particular point of view that she/he wants to show. Instead of just blurting it out, the writer uses the story to convey the lesson. Symbols, meaning, and other literary concepts, terms, and devices are important as we try to interpret what the story is saying.  WHY DO WE STUDY SHORT STORIES? The short story gives the illusion of life. It is a tint capsule of living, a moment or two in the lives of people. Short stories have THREE (3) principal functions: 3. To raise questions: Often the specific lesson of the author is not clear. Sometimes the writer might not even have a message, but just wishes to have us question things we may never have thought about, or to raise new questions about familiar things. It is the questioning, not the answering, that is crucial.  Fun Facts About Short Stories The oldest known short story is 'The Tale of Two Brothers' from Ancient Egypt dating back to 1400 BC. The shortest short story ever written is 'For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn' by Ernest Hemingway. ELEMENTS OF A SHORT PACCTS Use the acronym PACCTS to help STORY: you remember the elements short story. of a Plot These key elements help to break down or analyze a short work of Atmosphe fiction and will prepare you for Setting re analysing longer works of fiction. Element Plot s of a Short Atmosphere Story Character Theme Character Conflict Theme Conflict Setting  PLOT ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY The events of the story or the series of action that make up the story are traditionally referred to as the plot. Basically, the plot is what happens in the story. The PLOT GRAPH is a helpful way to map out the important plot details in a given story. It allows the reader to select the important plot elements and trace how they build to  PLOT ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Traditionally, the plot consists of the following elements which can mapped out on a PLOT GRAPH: 1. INTRODUCTION (Exposition) Provides necessary background information, establishes setting, and introduces principal characters. 2. INCITING (Trigger) INCIDENT The event which starts the main conflict of the story and sets the plot in motion. 3. RISING ACTION Series of complicating problems and incidents that leads to the climax. 4. CLIMAX The turning point and highest point of interest in the story. Resolution of conflict. 5. FALLING ACTION The immediate reaction to the climax and leads to the resolution. 6. CONCLUSION (Denouement or Resolution) The conclusion of the plot; ties up any loose ends.  ATMOSPHERE ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Atmosphere refers to the mood and tone of the story. Description sets up the emotional setting of the story. The atmosphere takes the reader to where the story is happening and lets them experience it much like the characters. The author establishes an atmosphere by creating an emotional response in the reader through the use of significant details that appeal to the five senses (i.e. sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound).  CHARACTER ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY A character is a fictional representation of a person usually a psychologically realistic person Stories have both major and minor characters. The main character (typically the hero) of the story is the PROTAGONIST. The character who opposes the main character or hero of the story is the ANTAGONIST. The character’s personality is established by: – What they do – What the say  CHARACTER ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY ➔For a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real ➔Characterization is the ways in which a writer reveals the traits of characters to the audience ➔There are TWO methods: ◆ Direct – when an author directly states what a character is like ◆ Indirect – when an author reveals certain information about a character and lets readers draw their own conclusions about the character; thoughts, actions, words of the character or other characters which  CHARACTER ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY The following are terms used to describe the different types of characters: Round – character is well-developed, closely involved, complex, realistic, and reacts to the action of the plot Flat – a minor character who will have only a single trait, barely developed or stereotypical Dynamic – character grows and changes in the course of the story as a reaction to events or other characters  CONFLICT ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict, there is no plot It is the opposition of forces in the story which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones  CONFLICT ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Conflict may arise from either external or internal sources: External - A struggle with a force outside oneself Internal - A struggle within oneself; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.  CONFLICT ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY There are SIX (6) main types of conflicts: 1. Person vs Person The protagonist finds himself/herself pitted against some other person or groups of people. 2. Person vs Self The protagonist is pitted against himself/herself; that is, some element of his or her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc. 3. Person vs Society The protagonist struggles against the society in which they live such as ideas, practices, institutions, laws, or customs of other people. 4. Person vs Nature The protagonist is pitted against a force of nature (natural disaster, desolation, animal, etc.) 5. Person vs Supernatural The protagonist faces resistance from a supernatural force, such as fate, magical forces, otherworldly beings, etc. 6. Person vs Technology The protagonist struggles to overcome unemotional and unsympathetic machinery that believes it no longer requires humanity.  THEME ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight It is the author's underlying meaning or lesson that he is trying to convey The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony. Themes can be simple or complex. Some examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are: – Revenge – Things are not always as they appear to be – Love is blind – People are afraid of change  SETTING ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY Setting refers to the time and place where the story takes place The setting influences the mood or atmosphere (emotional tone) of a story There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story): a) Place –Where is the action of the story taking place? (geographical location) b) Time – When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc.) c) Weather Conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.? d) Social Conditions – What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local colour (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)? e) Mood or Atmosphere – What feeling is created  POINT OF VIEW (P.O.V.) Point of view or P.O.V. is defined as the angle from which the story is told. The three main points of view are first person, second person, POINT OF VIEW (P.O.V.) First (1st) Person: – The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who interacts closely with the protagonist or other characters (using pronouns “I”, “me”, “we”, etc.) – The reader sees the story through this person's eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels. Second (2nd) Person: – Uses the pronoun “you” to address the reader. – This narrative voice implies  POINT OF VIEW (P.O.V.) Third (3rd) Person: ❖ The story is told by an onlooker or narrator who does not participate in the action of the story; he/she informs the reader how each character behaves (camera-like). Uses pronouns such as “he”, “she” and “they“. ❖ There are two types omniscient and limited: 3rd Person Omniscient: ❏ The narrator is “all-knowing”, knows everything about all the characters and the events in the story ❏ He can move from character to character, event to event, having free access to the thoughts, feelings and motivations of his  POINT OF VIEW (P.O.V.) 3rd Person Limited : The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns “they”, “she”, “he”, “it”, etc.) through one character or a group of characters’ eyes We know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to