1. Elements of a Short Story
Students will be provided a copy of the power point presentation in outline form. The outline form will have blanks to be filled in during the presentation. This presentation is in preparation of writing a short story for their portfolio. This presentation was designed for a resource Language Arts class; students having learning and behavior disorders.

2. Goal: The short story? YOU will be able to:
Identify the elements of the short story
Establish working definitions of the elements of a short story
Create your own short story

3. What we will focus on to learn.
What is a short story?
What are the characteristics or elements of a short story?
How can we create a short story?

4. “Duffy’s Jacket”
As you listen or read “Duffy’s Jacket, write down anything you notice the story having as far as their structure.

5. Definition of a Short Story
Tells about a single event or experience
Fictional (not true)
500 to 15,000 words in length
It has a beginning, middle, and end
Creates an impression on the reader

6. Elements of a Short Story
Plot
Theme
Point of view
Conflict
Characterization
Setting
Climax
Resolution

7. PLOT
Plot: A series of events through which the writer reveals what is happening, to whom, and why.

8. Theme
Theme: The story’s main idea. The “message” the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.

9. Theme
A central message, concern, or insight into life expressed through a literary work
Can be expressed by one or two sentence statement about human beings or about life
May be stated directly or implied
You will need to infer what the theme is from the work’s title, key scenes, characters, symbols, and plot events.

10. Identifying Theme Consider the following questions:
What is the problem?
Why does the problem occur?
How does the character confront the problem?
How does it turn out in the end?
Why does it turn out that way?
What is to be learned from the way the character dealt with the problem and the way it turned out?

11. Identifying Theme Consider the topic:
What seems to be the topic of the message?
Is there more than one topic?
If so, how do the topics connect?
What does the writer seem to be saying about the topic(s)?

12. Final Word about Theme
In order to understand and appreciate a writer’s story, it is necessary to understand the message behind the story.

13. Point of View
Point of view: The position of the narrator of the story and what the writer sees from that vantage point.

14. POINT OF VIEW THIRD PERSON (Matt made the winning shot.)
FIRST PERSON (I made the winning shot.)
THIRD PERSON (Matt made the winning shot.)
OMNISCIENT–all knowing so it can reveal inner thoughts, feelings (Matt was nervous as he released the basketball.)
LIMITED OMNISCIENT

15. Point of View Character – 1st person Major Minor Observer Participant
Reliable/unreliable
Narrator – third person
Omniscient
Limited
Objective
Example: “There was a man who had two sons, and the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.”

16. Conflict
Conflict: Is a problem in the story that needs to be resolved.

17. These are Examples of Conflict

18. These are Examples

19. Types of Conflicts External Conflicts Internal Conflicts
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Supernatural
Person Vs. Technology
Internal Conflicts
Person vs. Self

20. Characterization
Characterization: Creation of imaginary characters who appear to be real to the reader. The writer gives information about the characters in the story.

21. Characterization Telling us directly what the character is like
Describing how the character looks and dresses
Presenting the characters words and actions
Revealing characters private thoughts and feelings
Showing how other people respond and feel about the character

22. Setting
Setting: Tells the reader where and when the story takes place.

23. Climax
Climax: When the action comes to its highest point of conflict.

24. Resolution
Resolution: The story’s action after the climax until the end of the story. The “conclusion” of the story.