1. Elements of Short Stories

2. What is a short story?
A story with a fully developed theme and plot, but is much shorter than a novel

3. What is a short story?
The term “short story” most often refers to a work of fiction no shorter than 1,000 and no longer than 20,000 words (5 to 20 pages)
Stories with fewer than 1,000 words are sometimes referred to as "short short stories”, or "flash fiction.”

4. What makes a short story different than a novel?
Short stories tend to be less complex than novels.
Usually a short story has a single plot, a single setting, a small number of characters, and covers a short period of time.
Gets quickly to the point and “action” of the story
Characters typically don’t have a lot of back story
Usually only a few details about setting

5. 5 Elements of a Short Story
Plot
Character
Conflict
Theme
Setting
Flocabulary

6. Plot
Plot describes the structure of a story.

7. Plot Components
Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action
Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax
Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax
Exposition: The mood and conditions existing at the beginning of the story. The setting is identified. The main characters with their positions, circumstances and relationships to one another are established. The exciting force or initial conflict is introduced. Sometimes called the “Narrative HOOK” this begins the conflict that continues throughout the story.
Rising Action: The series of events, conflicts, and crises in the story that lead up to the climax, providing the progressive intensity, and complicate the conflict.
Climax: The turning point of the story. A crucial event takes place and from this point forward, the protagonist moves toward his inevitable end. The event may be either an action or a mental decision that the protagonist makes.
Falling Action: The events occurring from the time of the climax to the end of the story. The main character may encounter more conflicts in this part of the story, but the end is inevitable.
Resolution/Denouement: The tying up of loose ends and all of the threads in the story. The conclusion. The hero character either emerges triumphant or is defeated at this point.
Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts
Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

8. Characters
Characters are the people in the story who carry out the action
Can be human or non-human (animals, objects, etc)
Think Beauty and the Beast—there are humans, animals, and objects!
Different types: protagonist, antagonist, and supporting/minor characters
Review terms protagonist, antagonist, and supporting/minor characters (Students should know these terms; ask for volunteers)
Protagonist-main character of the story, sometimes the “hero” or “good guy”
Antagonist-opponent, enemy, rival; stands in the way of the protagonist; sometimes the “villain” or “bad guy”
Supporting/minor characters—do not have a lot of time in the book, but are necessary to move the plot (usually help/teach the protagonist)

9. Conflict
Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

10. 4 Types of Conflict Man vs Man Man vs Nature Man vs Society
Man vs Self

16. Types of Conflict
There are 3 other types of conflict that are not as common:
Man vs Fate
Man vs Supernatural
Man vs Technology

17. Theme Theme is the big message or lesson
Also called “The Big Idea” or “the moral of the story”
It is the major idea of the story
What the author is trying to tell us

18. Theme There are two main types of themes:
A stated theme is directly expressed by the narrator or character; they come right out and say it
An implied theme is only suggested by events and the characters actions and reactions
Stated themes are usually found in fairy tales or fables, such as Boy Who Cried Wolf—”Nobody believes a liar, even when he is telling the truth!” or Tortoise and the Hare—”Slow and steady wins the race!”

19. Theme Most themes are implied-you need to dig down to find them
Notice: Themes need to connect to the real world and go beyond the story
Students need to understand that the theme must go beyond the story, or else we can’t learn the lesson from.

20. Common Themes Faith Isolation Life lessons Honesty Justice Kindness
Hope
Freedom
Love
Courage
Ambition
Death and Dying
Trust
Prejudice
Forgiveness
Hard work
Sacrifice
Guilt
Good v Evil
Fate
Family/ Friendship
Cruelty
Students do not need to write this slide down

21. Theme
Flocabulary Video

22. Setting The where and when that the story takes place
Can be real or fictional—or a combination of both!
Also establishes the mood of story
It basically helps in establishing where and when and under what circumstances the story is taking place.
In the first installment of the Harry Potter series, a large part of the book takes place at the protagonist, Harry’s, aunt’s and uncle’s place, living in the “muggle” (non-magical) world with the “muggle” folks, and Harry is unaware of his magical capabilities and blood. This setting establishes the background that Harry has a non-magical childhood with other “muggle” people and has no clue about his special powers or his parents and is raised much like, actually worse than, regular people, till his 11th birthday.