Welcome Back! One paragraph about what you did over your two week break. THEN… New Year’s Resolutions –Personal –Academic –Something that will help others

Short Story Terms

What is a Short Story? A short story is : a brief work of fiction where, usually, the main character faces a conflict that is worked out in the plot of the story

What is the Plot? Plot: the chain of events that make up a story.

Setting The time and place of a story.

Complications Problems that arise as characters struggle to reach their goals.

Protagonist Main character of the story that changes –(death is not a change) –the most important character –changes and grows because of experiences in the story

Antagonist The character of force in conflict with the protagonist. –the antagonist does not change Types of antagonists: –people –nature –society

Little Red Riding Hood Plot –While visiting her sick granny, Little Red Riding Hood finds the Big Bad Wolf dressed as Granny to trick Little Red so that he can eat her. Setting –In the woods, at Granny’s house, a long time ago. Complications –Big Bad Wolf eats Granny and pretends to be her. Progatonist –Little Red Riding Hood Antagonist –Big Bad Wolf

Plot Diagram

Exposition Characters, setting, and basic situation revealed.

Rising Action A series of complications that moves the plot along. These occur when the main characters take action to resolve their problems and are met with further problems: –Fear –Hostility –Threatening situation

Climax The turning point in the story: the high point of interest and suspense OMG moment! Rising Action or Complications Falling Action Climax

Falling Action Events that follow the climax and lead to the resolution.

Resolution The end of the story. Loose ends of the plot are tied up. Conflicts are resolved.

Guiding Questions to Help You

Goldilocks and the Three Bears d3r_gIchttps:// d3r_gIc

Conflict A struggle between two opposing forces or characters A story can have several conflicts but… The MAIN conflict is CENTRAL to the plot and is usually resolved at the resolution.

Types of Conflict Internal –Takes place inside a character’s mind or heart –Sometimes involves a decision External –Takes place between a character and something outside the character –Outside forces = nature, an event/situation, or another character.

Types of Conflict Internal –Man vs. Him/Herself External –Man vs. Nature –Man vs. Society –Man vs. Man

Examples of Conflict External – dfQhttps:// dfQ Internal – XFB8https:// XFB8

Types of Conflict Man vs. Self (internal) –a struggle between a character and his feelings, conscience, or fear Man vs. Man (external) –a struggle, mental or physical, between two characters –other character may be the antagonist

Types of Conflict Man vs. Nature (external) –a struggle between a character and mother nature  weather, animals, insects, sickness, epidemics Man vs. Society (external) –a struggle between a character and the laws or beliefs of a group  poverty, politics, social norms, expectations, or values

Characterization How the author develops the characters, especially the main character. We learn about characters through: –The character’s thoughts, words, feelings, choices, and actions. –what others say about and to the character. –author’s word choice in descriptive passages.

Point of View Viewpoint from which the writer tells the story. –First person- One of the characters is actually telling the story using the pronouns I and We. –Third person- He, She, It, They. Examples: Sally went to the park. She played on the swings for an hour. I went for lunch with my mom. We ate at Boston Pizza.

Flashback Interrupting the plot to flash backward and explain what happened at an earlier time.

Foreshadowing Hints or clues suggesting what may happen later in the story. Examples in “The Landlady

Suspense Uncertainty or anxiety the reader feels about what is going to happen next in a story.

Narrative Hook Usually the first sentence in a story that “hooks” or grabs the reader’s attention. Designed to make the reader want to keep reading. Examples: –“Across the room, a woman holds her teeth in the palm of her hand.”

Theme The central message or insight into life revealed through a literary work. The “main idea” of the story Examples: love, friendship