Transcript Parts of a Story - Lawrence USD 497

Short Story Elements
English 9
Protagonist
The principle
character in a
literary work.
Usually a “good” guy
or hero but doesn’t
have to be.
Antagonist
One that contends
with or opposes.
Usually the “bad”
guy; the character
that opposes the
protagonist.
Static Character
A static character is one that does not
change during the course of a story.
Dynamic Character
A dynamic character is one that
develops and grows over the course of
a story.
Point of View
The point of view from which a story is
told:
– First person: when a character in the story
tells the story
– Third person: when a voice outside the
story tells the story; omniscient narrators
are all knowing
Setting
The time and place of the action of a
story.
May include a city or state, season,
year, or time of day.
Conflict
A struggle between opposing forces
– Can be internal or external
– External conflict is a struggle with an
outside force (society, nature, another
character)
– Internal conflict is a struggle a character
has with him or herself
Plot
The sequence of events in a story
– Exposition
– Rising Action
– Climax
– Falling Action
– Resolution
– Plot diagram
Theme
A theme is a broad idea in a story, or a
central message or lesson conveyed by a
work. This message is usually about life,
society or human nature.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a literary device in which
an author drops subtle hints about plot
developments to come later in the story.
An example of foreshadowing might be when
a character displays a gun or knife early in
the story. Merely the appearance of a deadly
weapon, even though it is used for an
innocuous purpose — such as being cleaned
or whittling wood — suggests terrible
consequences later on.
Symbolism
A symbol is a person, place, thing, or action
that stands for itself and for some other more
complex meaning or significance. Symbols
have literal and figurative meanings:
• A watch that a character wears is literally a watch.
• A watch that a character wears and constantly
plays with can figuratively represent that
character's obsession with time.
Irony
Irony is a literary or rhetorical device in which
there is a gap or incongruity between what a
speaker or a writer says and what is generally
understood (either at the time, or in the later
context of history).
Example: Romeo and Juliet
Metaphor
Metaphors are comparisons that show how
two things that are not alike in most ways are
similar in one important way. Metaphors are a
way to describe something.
Example:
– Jordan was a wall, keeping the defense
from reaching Tyler.
Simile
A comparison of two or more things.
Similes are typically marked by use of
"like" or "as" or "than", or "resembles".
Example:
– Nate’s passion for music is like an
obsession, demanding all of his time.
Imagery
Imagery is descriptive language that
deals with any of the five senses (sight,
touch, smell, hearing, and taste.)
Mood
Mood is the feeling created in the
reader while reading a story.
– Scared, happy, anxious, etc
– Remember “Tell-Tale Heart” from 8th
grade?
The End!
Remember to save all of your work
throughout the short story unit. It may
come in handy…