Transcript Document

Short Story Unit
Introduction Notes
I. What is a Short Story?
A.Prose fiction (ordinary
language)
B.7,000 – 10,000 words
C.Can be read in one sitting
II. Why is the short story
important?
A. It is a distinct art form, a genre.
B. Every word counts. The author
carefully selects every word and
action.
C. It is a form of literature
cultivated by American writers.
D. It is ideal for high school study
because it is short.
III. Characteristics of the
short story
A. Can be read in one sitting
B. Relates to the author in some way
C. Relates to real life
D. Leaves the reader with a main idea
E. Has no more than 6 characters
F. Every detail is important
IV. Background Information
A. Originated in the United States
B. Established in the mid-19th
century (1850’s)
C. Edgar Allen Poe is considered the
Father of the Short Story
V. Differences between
A. Short Story
B.Novel
1. Simple plot
1. Complex plot
2. Single
2.Many
emotion
emotions
3. Covers short
3.Covers many
time span
years
4. Few
4.Many
characters
characters
VI. Purpose of the title
A. Sets the mood (“The Most Dangerous
Game”)
B. Arouses interest
C. Suggests the setting
D. Names the main character
E. Names an important object (“The
Necklace”)
F. Suggests the type of story (use of
words such as mystery or adventure)
VII.What are the elements of
the short story?
A. Setting (shown in the exposition)
B. Characterization
C. Plot
D. Conflict
E. Theme
F. Point of View
VIII. Setting
A. When and Where the story takes
place
B. Establishes the atmosphere of the
story
C. What are the requirements of
Setting?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Time
Place
General environment
Mood and Tone
IX.
Characterization –
Methods used by the
author to let the reader get to know the characters.
A. Direct method of
characterization – the author
directly tells the reader
something about the character
(She is kind.)
B. Indirect Method of
characterization – the reader
draws a conclusion about the
character based on
1. Character’s name
2. Character’s appearance (how
he/she looks, clothes worn, etc.)
3. What the character says
4. What the character thinks and
feels
5. What the character does
6. What other people think of the
character
7. How animals react to the
character (animal growls)
C. Usual characteristics of
characters in the short story
1. Must have believable traits
2. Stereotypical or stock
characters are classified by
certain characteristics which
everyone in a certain group has
or is assumed to have
D. Types of Characters
1. Protagonist – the main character
who is trying to achieve a goal
2. Antagonist – the character who
antagonizes, who causes
problems in the story; the
antagonist may be an obstacle
rather than a person at times
1. Flat Character – character with
only one trait, one-sided, no
depth
2. Round Character – a complex
character, many-sided, realistic,
more traits are given or
observed in this type of
character
5. Static character – does not
change during the story (in
personality, maturity, beliefs,
etc.)
6. Dynamic character – changes,
usually for the better, due to
events in the story
5. Foil – This character serves as
a contrast for another
character, often the
characteristics of the “foils”
appear exaggerated because of
the stark contrast. (Tybalt and
Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet)
6. Stereo Types – athlete, bully,
lawyer, etc…
X. Plot – The plan of action for
the story, the sequence of events
A. Exposition – the beginning
situation, introduces setting
and characters
1. Author may choose to jump
right into the story.
2. The beginning situation may
set the mood with
description.
3. The story may begin with an
emotional statement.
4. The story may begin with
dialogue.
B. Rising Action – complications,
problems, conflicts in the story
beginning
1. Internal Conflict – Man vs.
Himself (conscience)
2. External Conflict
a.Man vs. Man
b.Man vs. Nature
c.Man vs. Society
d.Man vs. Fate
C. Turning Point – the fate of the
main character is sealed; events of
the plot begin to move toward an
ending; the point when the story
changes direction.
D. Climax – the highest emotional
tension in the story; the outcome
of the story is clear at this point
E. Falling Action – bringing the story
to a close
F. Denouement (resolution) –
conclusion of the story, working
out of the final details.
Turning Point/Climax
Rising Action
Exposition
Falling Action
Denouement(Resolution)
PLOT
The plan of action for the story, the
sequence of events
consisting of…
Turning Point / Climax
Inciting Incident
Exposition
Resolution
XI. Theme – The main idea of the
story; the idea the author wants to
put across to the reader
A. Theme may be the author’s
commentary on life.
B. The theme must be
1. Specific
2. Universal, applies to anyone
(Romeo and Juliet – theme of
love and devotion)
3. Important to the story
4. Provide unity to the story
5. Presents the reader with a new
awareness of life
XII. Point of View – Who is
telling the story, from whose
perspective
A. First Person – story is told by a
character in the story – uses
“I”, narrator knows only his own
thoughts and feelings and what
he sees.
B. First Person Detached – story is
told by a narrator who is
reflecting on something that
happened in the past; narrator
has had time to reflect back on
the event
C. Third Person Objective – told
as a reporter, “eye of the
camera” point of view,
narrator only reports on what
he sees, no thoughts or
feelings of characters
revealed
D. Third Person Omniscient –
“God-like” narrator – knows
the thoughts and feelings of
all characters and sees all
that happens.
E. Third Person Limited
Omniscient – “God-like”
narrator knows the thoughts
and feelings of only one
character, usually the main
character.
XIII. Additional Important
Terms
A. Tone – the author’s
attitude about the story
B. Mood – the feeling the reader
gets from the reading
C. Foreshadowing – the author
hints at events to come later in
the story
D. Flashback – the author takes
time to tell events that occurred
in the past
E. Symbolism – a concrete object
stands for an abstract idea
(something represents something
other than itself. EX: the U.S.
Flag)
F. Allegory – the entire piece of
literature has a deeper
symbolic meaning (story can be
read on more than one level)
G. Style – the way the author
uses language in his story
1. Diction – vocabulary, word
choice, narration, dialogue, or
dialect.
2. Types of sentences – length,
type (simple, complex, etc.),
punctuation
3. Use of figurative language
4. Use of literary devices
H. What is figurative language?
1. Poetic language
a. Simile – comparison using
“like” or “as”
b.Metaphor – a direct
comparison saying one thing is
another
c. Personification – giving an
inanimate (non-living) object
human qualities
2. Sound Devices
a. Onomatopoeia – the
pronunciation of the word
sounds like the sound the
word makes (ex. Buzz, click,
pop)
b.Alliteration – the same sound
starts a series of words or
syllables
I. What are literary devices?
1. Flashback and foreshadowing
2. Symbolism and allegory
3. Inference and indirect
description – reader must draw
conclusions based on clues given
by the author
4. Satire – a literary work that
mocks (makes fun of) the
stupidity or vices of individuals,
groups, or society in general
5. Irony – a contrast,
contradiction
a. Verbal irony – what is said
is opposite to what one would
expect or what is said is the
opposite to what is intended
b. Situational irony – what
happens is the opposite to what
one would expect or when one
does not get what he deserves,
or when one acts differently
from what is expected.
c. Dramatic irony – the reader
knows things the characters do
not.
Extra Information
Add these definitions
Connotation – the positive or
negative association you make
with a word
Epiphany-a character undergoes
a transformation once he comes
to a certain realization about
himself or life