Transcript What are the characteristics of a short story?

SHORT STORY REVIEW
Language Arts 9
What are the characteristics of a short story?
1. It is a work of narrative, prose fiction or fiction based on fact.
Narrative means it tells a story. Prose means it doesn’t rhyme.
Fiction means it is not true.
2. It is usually between 3,000 and 6,000 words in length
3. It will have the components of character, plot, setting, and point of
view.
4. It may have the component of theme
5. There must be some sort of conflict in the story which engages
one or more of the characters. It there is no conflict, it is NOT a short
story, but a personal essay.
What are the five elements of a story?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Characters
Setting
Plot
Conflict
5.
Point of View
What is so important to have in a story, that if you don’t
have it, you don’t have a short story?
CONFLICT
Explain the three types of characters, and give an
example of each one from a story we read this year.
1. Round - this character is thoroughly developed - we know a lot about him
from what the author describes, and we can imply much based on
what we see him do or what he says in a the story. He is complex and
interesting, and is often a main character. He can be compared to a
diamond, with many sides to it.
2. Flat - this character is usually a minor character because he is not well
explained, and we can’t tell much about him from seeing or hearing
him. We only see one or two character traits of this character, and
therefore do not have the opportunity to “get to know him” like we do
with a round character. He is simple - like a blank sheet of paper -only
two visible sides
3. Stereotyped - this character is very predictable based on commonly held
beliefs or stereotypes which society has placed on him. A stereotyped
character will act much the same no matter which story or situation he
is placed in. Bruce Willis is stereotyped in most of his movies. When
we see his name on a movie we expect him to be the “tough, good
guy” who saves many people by his daring acts. He has starred in
many movies, and he usually plays the same type of person. His
name may be different, and the situations changed, but his role is
basically the same. He is predictable - like a book. No matter when
or where you reread the book, it is still the same.
What is the difference between direct and indirect
character presentation?
1.
Direct presentation - This is where the author will tell his
readers all about his character. He will leave little to the
imagination of the reader. We do not get much chance to
form our own opinions of the person because we are told
what to expect. For example “ He’s 178 centimetres tall,
weighs seventy-two and a half kilograms, has a tendency
toward high blood pressure. . .”
2.
Indirect presentation - This is where the author will let his
readers see the characters in action and in interactions with
others and then make their own judgments based on what
they have seen and heard. It allows the reader to participate
in an imaginative way in the story. For example “Now he
sighed. I saw his shoulders heave and the rest of his body
shudder like the chain reaction of freight cars.” We can
assume that there is something bothering this person after
having read that line.
What is the difference between a static and dynamic
character?
1.
A Static character will be basically unchanged by the
events or other people in the story. If he is a bully at
the beginning of a story, he will be a bully at the end of
the story.
2.
A Dynamic character will somehow change his
personality in an important, and permanent way
because of what happens to him in the story. The
characters in the show “Touched by an Angel” are
usually dynamic because they are given some
revealing truth about their lives which cause them to
change permanently.
Explain what a protagonist and antagonist are.
1. The Protagonist is considered the “good guy” (pro
means good at something) This is the character
whom we sympathize with and want to “win” or
succeed.
2. The Antagonist is the “bad guy” He is often
portrayed as bad or evil, and acts against the
protagonist to stop him from reaching his goal, or
winning the conflict.
Draw a plot diagram and place each step in the
development of plot on it.
climax
falling action
suspense
complication
conclusion
denouement
exposition
(setting and
antecedent
action)
motivation
initial incident
Explain each of the above steps in the development of
plot.
1. Exposition - This first element is of vital importance. In it the author
outlines, directly or by implication, background information which the
reader must be aware of if he is going to understand the story. The
exposition may act as an introduction to the story or it may be included in
various places throughout the story as the need arises for an explanation
to help the reader. The following are part of the exposition:
A. Setting - Where and when the action occurs, and the mood
and atmosphere of the setting.
B. Antecedent Action - The antecedent action allows the reader
to become familiar with events that have occurred prior to the opening of
the story, and which have led up to the situation or event beginning the
story itself. The author will be selective and will include only those things
which have a bearing on the story.
Explain each of the above steps in the development of plot con’t...
2. Rising Action - This is the development of the events
which will lead to the climax of the conflict. It is the bulk of the
story, and includes several components:
A. Initial Incident - This is the first event which
starts the action or which puts the plot in
motion.
B. Motivation - this is the reason for the actions of the
characters
C. Complications - This is a series of events which
complicates the plot. They stop or hinder the
protagonist from reaching his goal. Conflict is an
important part of the complication. Conflict is
absolutely essential in a short story. It is part of
the complication on the plot diagram, and accounts
for much of the story line.
Conflict
There are several kinds of conflict which an author can
choose to include in his story. Sometimes he will have
all of them, but most often, he will concentrate on one or
two.
EXTERNAL CONFLICT - This is when the protagonist
(good guy) struggles against a force outside of himself.
Choices include:
Man vs Man - the protagonist struggles with another
person in a physical or mental (battle of wits) conflict
Man vs Beast - the protagonist struggles with a beast in
a physical or mental (battle of wits) conflict
Beast vs Beast - two animals struggle against each
other - usually in a physical struggle.
Conflict Con’t…
ENVIRONMENTAL CONFLICT - This is when the
protagonist (good guy) struggles against some naturally
occurring force of nature. For example, the protagonist
may be lost in the woods, or stranded in a blizzard. It is
a struggle for him to overcome the obstacles he faces.
INTERNAL CONFLICT - This is when the protagonist
(good guy) struggles against some issue within his mind.
Think of it as man vs his conscience. For example, the
protagonist may have a conflict which shows his values:
“Should I make friends with that weird kid or not?” He
and his conscience will argue about what the right thing
to do is.
Explain each of the above steps in the development of plot
con’t...
D. Suspense - This may or may not be used in any
given story, but it is the quality of the plot which arouses
the reader’s curiosity and anxiety regarding what will
happen next. It may be achieved through the use of:
>mystery - an unusual set of circumstances which
may be difficult to be explained.
>dilemma - the protagonist is placed in a
situation where all his choices are equally good
or bad.
>dangerous situation - we feel concern for the
safety of the main character.
>foreshadowing - clues which make the reader
aware of what the ending will be like
>delay - the author stretches the description to
make the reader wish for something to happen
soon
Explain each of the above steps in the development of plot
con’t...
3. Climax - This is the point that the whole story is leading up to , or the
highest point of suspense or tension which leads to resolving the conflict.
It should come near the end of the story and give the readers an idea of
the outcome.
4. Falling Action - This is the sorting out of loose ends following the
climax. It includes the things that happen once the climax is reached.
5. Conclusion or Outcome - This signifies the end of the conflict.
Outcomes may be happy (comedy - the conflict is solved successfully or
the protagonist obtains what he wants), unhappy (tragedy - the
protagonist is beaten by the forces acting against him),indeterminate (the
conflict is not solved - we are left to imagine what exactly did happen), or
surprise (the ending is not what the reader expected to happen).
Unhappy and indeterminate endings are justifiable because they are
realistic or they force the reader to think about life.
6. Denouement - This is an optional element of plot - it is an explanation
of the ending. The author will often explain the climax or what happened
to the characters following the climax. It is often used in movies.
Thoroughly explain the different points of view an author
can choose to use in a story.
FIRST PERSON PARTICIPANT - This is where the person telling the story is
participating in the action and telling us about what happened to him, and
allowing us to know what is in his thoughts. This point of view depends on
using the first person pronouns - I, Me, We, Us
FIRST PERSON OBSERVER - This is where the person telling the story is
observing the action and telling us about it. We are allowed to know the
thoughts and feelings of this observer, but not of all the other characters.
This point of view also uses the first person pronouns. The author will
also use third person pronouns (he she they them him her) when telling
what the person he is watching is doing or saying.
OMNISCIENT - This point of view is told from a person “outside the story”
who can tell us about ALL the characters’ thoughts and feelings.
“Omniscient” actually means “all knowing” so the author knows and tells us
all about all the characters actions, dialogue, thoughts and feelings. The
story is told with third person pronouns. (he, she, they, them, him, her).
LIMITED OMNISCIENT - This point of view is the same as omniscient, BUT
we only get to know the thoughts and feelings of ONE character. All the
other characters’ thoughts and feelings must be told to us by the all
knowing narrator. The third person pronouns are also used for the
narration of this story.
What is theme?
When an author writes a story he often wishes us to
remember and think about some of these ideas which
are part of who we are. His purpose is to make us think
about ourselves, the world, and how we “fit into the
picture” If he is writing a story with these ideas in mind,
his story has a THEME.
Theme is somewhat like a moral, but it is not a “lesson”.
The purpose of a theme is NOT to get us to change our
behavior, or learn a lesson. For example a theme is
NOT something like “Children should respect their
parents.”
Give five rules for stating theme correctly.
1. It is not a question. It must be stated as a declarative
statement.
2. It is not a fragment. It must be stated in a complete
sentence.
3. It must be a GENERAL statement about life which reminds
us about something we already know. There will be no
direct reference to any particular literature, person, or place.
4. It must allow for some exceptions in life. In other words, you
do not use words like ALL, EVERY, NONE, NOBODY, etc.
because they do not allow for even one person to be
different. It is more suitable to use words like MOST, SOME,
SOMETIMES, OFTEN, etc. That way you are not presuming
to know what every single person in the world thinks, feels,
or does.
5. It does not teach or preach - it is not a moral.
What four things are usually found in the exposition of the
plot?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Setting - Time/place
Setting – Mood/Atmosphere
Antecedent Action
Character Introduction
What two things would be considered part of setting?
Place: The place a story is set is important because it will affect
such things as the names of the characters, what they believe
in, their motivations,how they act, how they interact with
others, and what their appearance is like. A story set in
central Africa will obviously have very different characters and
plots than one set in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
The problems the characters face may be closely related to
the climate and cultural beliefs of the particular geographic
region. As soon as we become aware of where a story takes
place, we begin to have expectations of what will happen, and
what kind of people we will meet.
Time: Time setting can be very general, or very specific. For
example, “sometime in the 1800’s” or “Last Thursday night”
Some stories span several years or decades while others
take only a day or less to complete. One famous story “An
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” has a time span of only a
few seconds! When a story takes place will also impact our
expectations of the characters too.
When you begin to read a story, why is it important to
understand the setting?
The setting of a piece of literature gives the reader
a framework for understanding it better. The
setting simply means where and when the story
takes place. If we are not clear on these two
things, we find it more difficult to “buy into” the
plot. The setting is often crucial to the plot
because it could not happen if the setting was
different.
What is irony? Give an example from a story we read this
year
In its simplest definition, irony is a form of expression which implies
something different or even opposite of what is actually said.
There are several kinds of irony:
A. Irony of Situation. - the true meaning of a set of circumstances
is not revealed until the outcome of the circumstances is seen; then
a contradiction in the expected outcome is the result. The situation
may seem to be developing to its logical conclusion, yet almost at
the end it takes an opposite turn. This unexpected or unintended
development is an example of irony
B. Verbal Irony - This is when something is said, but the implied
meaning is completely different from the literal meaning. Tone of
voice is very important in conveying verbal irony.
C. Dramatic Irony - Authors use dramatic irony when they allow the
reader to know more about the situation than the characters who are
in the situation actually know. This creates a great deal of suspense
because we can see danger, or realize outcomes before the
characters can.
What is foreshadowing? Give an example from a story we
read this year.
This is a technique used by authors to add interest
and suspense to a story. He will give hints or clues
throughout the story about what is going to
happen. Sometimes the hints are so well hidden
that we miss them the first time we read the story.
It is only after we get to the end of the story that we
realize that they were there at all. When we go
back and reread the story, they become quite
obvious.
What is the difference between standard and nonstandard language?
Provide an example of non-standard language.
Formal and informal language are part of what we call STANDARD
LANGUAGE. They are both
acceptable forms of language which can be used in different situations.
Formal language is absolutely and totally correct in all respects. You will
never see contractions, fragments, slang terms, or abbreviations. The
words are also very stiff and correct, and often unfamiliar to us. Formal
language is used in some school assignments, and when speaking to a
person who has more status than us. (Boss, leader, clergy)
Informal language is more flexible. You will often see slang, contractions,
abbreviations and fragments in this language. It does, however, follow
the general rules of grammar. It is familiar to us, and sounds casual and
conversational. We use informal language when talking to friends and
family, at work and at play. Some school assignments will be completed
with informal language.
NONSTANDARD LANGUAGE
Sometimes, when an author wishes to create a certain impression, he will
write using nonstandard language. For example, if an author had a
character who had not had any formal schooling, and lived with parents
who had not had any either, the author may want to give the impression
that the character was uneducated by having him use improper
grammatical structures, and colloquial language (slang that is specific to a
particular geographical area)
You must know the main idea and characters of each
short story that we read this year.
Golden Girl
Taste of Melon
A Mountain Journey
The Interlopers
The Landlady
The Sniper
Don’t Make Fun of Old Beliefs
The Gift of the Magi