1. Elements of the Short Story
English 12
Mrs. Taylor

2. Plot Structure
Exposition/Introduction: background about characters, setting, situation
Rising Action: conflict arises, more information is learned about characters and setting
Climax: when action reaches the highest point
Falling Action: the story begins wrapping up, characters are dealing with whatever happened in the climax
Resolution/Denouement: This tells how the story concludes
Climax
Falling Action
Rising Action
Exposition
Resolution

3. How Writers Create Setting
Details: Adding details makes the story seem more believable.
Sensory Imagery: Adding details that appeal to the reader’s sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing creates a vivid picture.
Why is setting important? Because it often indicates MOOD.
Mood is the emotion or feeling that the author communicates to the reader through a variety of details—particularly at the beginning of the story.

4. Point of View: This is the view from which the story is told
Ask yourself, “Who is telling the story?”

5. First Person

6. Omniscient
-An outside force without clear identity tells the story. Often described as a God-like narrator.
-This narrator knows all thoughts and feelings of characters and may comment on their behavior and its meaning.

7. Limited Omniscient
-An omniscient narrator who can only tell the story with insight into one character knowing what he/she sees, feels etc.

8. Objective :

9. Theme: what the story is about--the issues that it explores
A theme is a universal idea.
A theme teaches a specific lesson or moral.
Most stories have more than one theme.
For example: sometimes it’s better to turn a person in to the cops if it means they will turn their life around and be a more positive and successful person!

10. Imagery: uses details to describe something and evoke feelings
The icy hail
furiously pelted
my car, leaving
magnificent holes
in the smooth hood.
The sound pierced
my ears ruthlessly, as I
tried to find shelter.
Imagery gives you detailed pictures in your mind.

11. Symbol: an image, character, or action that stands for an idea beyond its literal meaning
Some aren’t...
Some are obvious...

12. Tone: is like the author’s “tone of voice”--it tells you their attitude towards the characters, setting, etc.
“She dismally
muttered that she’d always
love him, even though
he was gone.
She’d never love again.”
What’s the tone here?

13. Irony: to intend a meaning opposite of what is expected
Irony: to intend a meaning opposite of what is expected. There are a few kinds of irony.
Dramatic Irony: The audience knows something that the character does not.
Situational Irony: when the opposite of what was expected happens.

14. Dramatic Irony: You know what the farmer does not.

15. Situational Irony: You’d expect cheetahs to run, not speed-walk.

16. Which kind of irony is this?

17. Which kind of irony is this?

18. Hyperbole: an exaggerated statement used to make a strong effect
“Whoa! That cookie looks like a million bucks!”

19. What might this be foreshadowing?
Foreshadowing: A writing technique that gives readers clues about what will happen later in the story.
“As he pondered the morning, he reassured himself that he locked the door. Something kept telling him otherwise, but he pushed it out of his mind.”
What might this be foreshadowing?

20. Protagonist: the main character in the story
Protagonist: the main character in the story Antagonist: the force against the protagonist

21. Simile: comparing 2 things using like or as.
Her hair was as soft as cotton.
His hair was like wires
Metaphor: comparing 2 things without using like or as.
A heavy blanket of snow fell all day long.

22. Flashback: details from an earlier point in time are revealed to the reader