Elements Of A Short Story

1. Elements Of A Short Story Hip-Hop: “Five Things” – Flocabulary http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I24S72Jps&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

2. SHORT STORY • A story that is much shorter than a novel and can usually be read in one sitting.

3. CHARACTERS • People, animals, or imaginary beings who take part in the action of a story, novel, drama, or poem (Characterization – The development of a character or characters)

4. PLOT The sequence of events in a story. What happens in the story? In what order does the action happen?

5. SETTING • The time and place of action of a story, novel, drama, or poem When does the story take place? Where does the story take place?

6. EXPOSITION The beginning of the story; the first part of the plot: introduces the setting (where, when) and the main character(s); sets up the situation or conflict; sets the tone or mood of the story.

7. RISING ACTION The actions and events in a story that move the plot along; the story develops.

8. CONFLICT • A struggle or clash between opposing characters, or between opposing forces. (Can be internal or external.)

9. CLIMAX The key event or turning point in a story that will change the outcome of the story; the “point of no return.” (Usually the most exciting or interesting event in the story.)

10. FALLING ACTION The events or actions that occur after the climax; ties up “loose ends” and leads to the story’s resolution.

11. RESOLUTION Final part of the story; the story is “closed.” (Also called the de’nouement.)

12. PLOT DIAGRAM Climax Rising Action Conflict Falling Action Exposition Resolution

13. THEME • The main idea in a work of literature. A way of looking at life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader. In most cases, the theme is not stated directly, but is implied. (Themes should be expressed as a statement, not just one word. )

14. CHARACTERIZATION The way in which an author reveals the personalities of the characters in a story.

15. PROTAGONIST • The central character or hero in a narrative or drama. The person whose conflict sets the plot in motion.

16. ANTAGONIST • The principal character, force, or obstacle in opposition to the protagonist of a narrative or drama

17. NARRATOR • The character or voice from whose point of view events are told

18. POINT OF VIEW • The narrator (character or “voice”) telling (narrating) a story, or poem

19. FIRST PERSON P.O.V. • The narrator is a character in the story and uses the pronouns “I,” “me,” and “my” • Used for fiction, autobiographies (nonfiction) • EX: “As myfather walked across mylawn, I feared for his safety…”

20. THIRD PERSON P.O.V. • The narrator is not a character in the story uses the pronouns “he,” “she,” “they.” • Used for fiction or non-fiction (Two types of Third Person P.O.V. : 1. Omniscient 2. Limited)

21. THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT P.O.V. • “All knowing” point of view; the narrator telling the story knows everything there is to know about the characters, what they are thinking or feeling, and their problems. • EX: “John thought he would ask Tina to marry him.” “Tina had decided to break up with John.”

22. THIRD PERSON LIMITED P.O.V. • The narrator focuses on one character in the story and tells only what one character thinks, feels, and observes. • Ex: “As Mary walked through the forest, she began to feel scared, and she realized that she had goosebumps on her arms

23. STATIC CHARACTER • A main character who remains the same as the plot unfolds

24. DYNAMIC CHARACTER • A main character who undergoes changes as the plot unfolds

25. FLAT CHARACTER • A character who is described more simply than others • Character doesn’t have many personality traits

26. ROUND CHARACTER • A character whose many personality traits are revealed by the author

27. CONCLUSION Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a short story, let us use the elements to analyze a familiar fairytale.