1. STRUCTURE, PURPOSE, SETTING, CONFLICT & CHARACTERIZATION
SHORT STORIES
STRUCTURE, PURPOSE, SETTING, CONFLICT & CHARACTERIZATION
Nordonia High School
English 9 CP
Presented by
Mrs. Tolin
Mrs. Smith

2. PLOT
It is an necessary element for any type of story.
Without a good plot line, you have nothing . . .
The most basic arrangement of events
PLOT IS THE LITERARY ELEMENT THAT DESCRIBES THE STRUCTURE OF THE STORY.

3. TYPES OF LINEAR PLOTS CHRONOLOGICAL FLASHBACK
IN MEDIA RES (in the middle)

4. PLOT STRUCTURE
5 MAIN PARTS TO THE PLOT STRUCTURE

5. PLOT STRUCTURE
Conflict: Main problem of a story.
Four main types: man vs. man, man vs. self, man vs. nature, man vs. society
Climax: the highest point of interest, the most intense moment; the character makes a decision that cannot be reversed
Rising Action: All of the events that lead up to the climax, the series of crisis in the story
Falling Action: All of the action which follows the climax
Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads
Exposition:
setting, characters & basic plot: the situation before the action starts

6. THE PURPOSE OF THE SHORT STORY
Teach a moral lesson
Entertain
Challenge the reader’s intellect
Answers the question “what’s the point of stories that aren’t even true?”
Demonstrate a universal truth
Emphasize a character trait
Accentuate a mood or feeling
Recreate a scene

7. The Setting of a Short Story
The Environment in which a story takes place
Includes both
TIME & PLACE

8. HOW SETTING FUNCTIONS IN A STORY
PROVIDES A BACKDROP FOR THE ACTION IN A STORY
ESTABLISHES ATMOSPHERE (SETS THE MOOD)
SHAPES CHARACTER & ACTION
REFLECTS CHARACTER PSYCHOLOGY

9. HOW AUTHORS CREATE SETTING
DETAILS: BUILD DESCRIPTION WITH REALISTIC DETAILS TO MAKE IT BELIEVABLE
SENSE IMAGES: APPEAL TO SENSES, WHICH HELPS READER RELATE TO PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Example: using real cities or street names; describing a place as realistically as possible
Example: smell of cookies during winter break; swimming in cold lake water
HOW AUTHORS CREATE SETTING

10. QUESTIONS I SHOULD ASK WHILE READING
WHAT IS THE PHYSICAL BACKDROP? DOES IT CREATE ATMOSPHERE/ SHAPE CHARACTERS’ ACTIONS/REFLECT INNER THOUGHTS?
WHAT TECHNIQUES DID THE AUTHOR USE?

11. Conflicts & Short Stories
The central source of tension and drama that makes a story interesting to read and gives it purpose

12. CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Character
Conflict between 2 people or 2 groups of people
Examples: family troubles, bullies or romantic trouble

13. CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Society
Between individual and larger groups
Examples: outsider in a strange culture, a struggle to “make it” in the world

14. CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Nature
Individual and the natural world
Examples: Fighting a force of nature
Surviving a plane crash in the desert

15. CATEGORIES OF CONFLICT
Character vs. Self
Psychological conflicts within a person
Examples: Overcoming a drug habit
Grieving over loss of loved one
Making a moral decision

16. Story Problem Elements of plot Reading Strategies:
Try to state the problem in one sentence
Elements of plot
Include both the conflict and the climax

17. CHARACTERIZATION
The methods a writer uses to communicate information about characters to readers

18. Techniques of Characterization
DIRECT: The author tells the readers details about the character directly
Even though she was the youngest, Sarah was the smartest of all three sisters
INDIRECT: The author shows the character in action and lets readers make their own interpretations
At report card time, Sarah received an A in all subjects, unlike her sisters.

19. Author’s Characterization Tools
Character’s Name
Physical Appearance
How the character is dressed
Occupation
Home & Surroundings
Habit’s and Actions
What other characters say about him or her

20. Understanding Character
Defined by the qualities that make them think, act and feel in certain ways.
Values: What people, places or things are most important in the character’s life? What does he or she value most?
Feelings: What Emotions does the character feel most strongly?
Goals: What are the character’s greatest hopes? What are they working to accomplish?
Problems: What other characters or circumstances are keeping the character from achieving his goals?