Short Story Unit

Student Study Guide

PLOT

PLOT: The action of the story. Usually made up of a series of events called the plot line or plot chart.

STAGES OF THE PLOT CHART:

Exposition: Explains the background and setting (usually at the beginning). Characters are often introduced here.

Inciting Incident: An event that starts the action in the story.Rising Action: Central part of the story during which various

problems arise. Leads up to climax.

Falling Action: Follows climax. Leads story to a resolution.

Climax: Highest point in the action of a story. (Turning point)

Resolution: End of story. Part where problems are solved.

Foreshadowing:A writing technique where the writer gives the reader hints or clues about what is going to happen in the story.

CONFLICT

Conflict: The problem in the story which triggers the action.INTERNAL CONFLICT

Man vs. Self Character struggles inside himself with decisions.EXTERNAL CONFLICT

Man vs. Man Character has a problem with one or more other characters.

Man vs. SocietyCharacter has a problem with school, law, or tradition.

Man vs. Nature Character has problem with a blizzard, avalanche, flood, etc.

Man vs. Fate Character has to battle what seems to be and uncontrollable problem (fate,

destiny, etc.)

IRONY, MOOD, & TONE

Irony: A contrast between what is expected and what actually exists or happens.

Situational Irony: When the character or reader expects one thing to happen but something entirely

different occurs.

Dramatic Irony: The contrast between what a character knows and what the reader or audience knows.

Verbal Irony: When someone says one thing but means another.

MOOD: The feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.

TONE: The attitude a writer takes toward a subject. (playful, serious, bitter, angry, or detached – for example)

Mood and Tone

• TONE: The attitude a writer takes toward a subject.

(playful, serious, bitter, angry, or detached – for example)

• MOOD: The feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.

SYMBOLISM

Symbolism or Symbol: A person, place, or object that stands for something beyond itself.

Conventional or Universal Symbol: National symbols, religious symbols, and symbols for peace usually have universal meaning – they apply and are the same everywhere in the world.

Literary or Personal Symbol: This symbol takes meaning from the context of a literary work – it means something special because of how it is used in the story.

These pictures are examples of UNIVERSAL symbols – Do you know what they mean?

CHARACTERS

Main Character: (protagonist) Action centers around this personMinor Character: Less prominent character or characters

Flat Character: Minor character, one that we see only as a presenceRound Character: Fully developed major character; one we see as a complete person.

Static Character: Characters who remain the same throughout the plot.

MOTIVATION: Something (a need or desire) that causes a person to act, change, or get moving.

Dynamic Character: A character who changes as the plot goes on.

CHARACTERIZATION – Four techniques used to bring characters to life and describe who they are

Physical Description: Appearance, the way a character looks

From the Character: Speech and thoughts of that character or another character

From Other Characters: Feelings and actions of a character or toward another character

Narrator’s Comments: The narrator can also tell us about who the characters are, their motivations, and

descriptions.

POINT OF VIEW

Point of View: The relationship of the storyteller to the story.

First Person: The story is told by one of the characters, referred to as “I” in the story.

Third Person: The story is told from an outsiders’ perspective using “he” or “she” to refer to the characters.

Third Person Omniscient: The story is told from an all-knowing point of view. (Omniscient means knowing all.)Third Person Limited: The story is seen through the eyes of one

character, but the character is not telling the story as “I.” In this point of view, the narrator zooms in on the thoughts and feelings of just one character in the story.

SETTING

Setting:The time and place of the story.

TECHNIQUES

Time/Historical Period: Past, present, future

Geographic Location: Place – Can be real, fictional, USA, foreign country, land, water, space, etc.

Local Colors: Use of details about the customs and ways of life in a specific geographical region (clothing, manners,

traditions, etc.)

Specific Physical Features: What, exactly, is ON the setting – types of mountains, trees, buildings, lakes, etc. Also, ground cover – grass, sand, desert, water, etc.

Atmosphere: Feelings associated with the setting: gloomy, scary, tense, anxious, etc. Can also be temperature, weather conditions – fog, rain, sun, etc.

THEME

Theme: The underlying idea or message about life or human nature contained in a literary work.

A STATED theme is one the author puts directly into words.

An UNSTATED or IMPLIED theme lets the reader analyze and come up with it.

Theme Expressed Through Setting…

Theme Expressed Through Character…

Theme Expressed Through Plot… All three of the above are places where you will find theme.

Theme is NOT: Plot, the “moral” of the story, plot, a piece of advice, plot, not stated just in terms of the character – it must be in terms of Humankind (everyone), THEME IS NOT PLOT!