1. Short Story Elements
ENG 9
Notes 1A

2. Setting
setting – the time and place in which a narrative occurs *The time can be either the past, the present or the future. It can also be a particular historical period, a season, or simply a certain time of day.
*The place can be an entire nation, a town, or simply a room.

3. Setting
Setting can also include the environment – for example, the weather or the culture.

4. Setting Examples
Do you remember what the setting for Harry Potter was?
PLACE – Hogwarts / England
TIME –
ENVIRONMENT – Wizarding World

5. Setting Examples
Have you ever read Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird?
PLACE – Maycomb, Alabama
TIME – early 1930’s
ENVIRONMENT – small southern town coming to terms with racial inequality

6. Plot plot – is the series of events that make up a story
Plot can be divided into these FIVE parts.
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution

7. Plot: Exposition Characters and setting are introduced.
The basic situation of the story is given.
Typically the conflict is introduced.

8. Rising Action
Difficulties arise as the characters act according to situation.
Tension increases as the story moves toward a breaking point.

9. Plot: Climax
The conflict is decided one way or the other, for the better or the worse.
Story reaches highest point of tension.

10. Plot: Falling Action
Part of story that follows the climax and comes before the very end of the story.
After all has been revealed by the climax, the falling action begins the resolution based on character’s actions.

11. Plot: Resolution Loose ends are tied up, and the story closes.
Questions are answered
Themes and Symbols are solidified.

12. Characters
character – a person, animal or thing in a piece of literature
Characterization: the process by which the narrator reveals the personality of a character.
Direct characterization
Indirect characterization
Static Characters
Dynamic Characters
Protagonists
Antagonists

13. Direct Characterization
Direct characterization: What the narrator SPECIFICALLY writes about a character.
Example:
“Joe was a mean person.”

14. Indirect Characterization
What we learn about a character from:
His/her actions.
His/her words or thoughts.
How other characters react to him/her.
Example:
“Joe pushed the injured kid and then broke his crutches.”

15. Kinds of Characters
static character – the kind of character that does not change much at all during the course of the work
dynamic character – the kind of character that changes as a result of the story’s events
- may grow in some way - gain some understanding - may take an action that changes his or her life

16. Protagonist & Antagonist
The leading character in a work of fiction. Not always the “good guy.”
Antagonist:
The force that works against the protagonist.

17. Point of View The three most common types of narration. First-person.
Third-person limited.
Third-person omniscient.

18. First Person Narrator is inside the story. He/she tells the story.
Narrator uses pronouns like “I, we, us, our,” etc.
First-person narrators are naturally unreliable. We only see the story from one perspective.

19. Third Person Narrator is outside of the story.
Narrator uses pronouns like “he, she, they, it, them, etc.”
This style of narration is more reliable than first-person. The narrator sees the story from multiple perspectives.

20. Third Person Limited
In third-person limited, the author sees inside the mind of only one character.

21. Third Person Omniscient
Omniscient means ‘all-knowing.’
Narrator can see inside the minds of ALL characters.

22. NARRATOR does not equal AUTHOR
IMPORTANT!
NARRATOR does not equal AUTHOR

23. Conflict
conflict - is a struggle between opposing forces or characters

24. Conflict Six kinds of conflict: Person vs. Person. Person vs. Self.
Person vs. Nature.
Person vs. Society.
Person vs. Fate.
Person vs. Technology.

25. Theme Theme: The author’s observation of humanity.
Universal theme: The lesson that we can all take away from a work of literature.
*we*= humans in general.
We learn about theme only when we take a good look at the other elements of fiction.

26. Theme Examples Avoid general, simplistic, or overused themes.
DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.
SHARING IS CARING.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR!