The Short Story
Short Story vs Novel Meant to be read in one sitting Tend to be less complex Usually focus on one incident Fewer characters Tend to follow similar pattern
The Pattern
The Pattern Where does this come from?
Aristotle’s Poetics
The Pattern Plot is “the first principle” Consists of
Exposition Incentive moment or “inciting incident” Rising action Crisis Climax Denouement
The Pattern Exposition: does not further plot but is essential
information for reader Inciting incident: starts cause and effect chain Rising action: continues cause and effect chain Climax: elements of story should have inevitably
led here. Resolution and denouement: caused by
preceding events, but don’t lead to outside incidents
The Pattern Must be “unified” No deus ex machina Aristotle didn’t like episodic plots
Some more Greek terms A complex plot is better because they have:
Peripeteia: reversal of fortune Anagnorisis: turn upon surprise--change from
ignorance or knowledge.
This leads to Catastrophe Catharsis
The other “principles” Character Diction Theme Melody Spectacle
Conflict Person vs person Person vs society Person vs self Person vs nature Person vs fate (God)
Character Protagonist vs hero Dynamic Static Flat Round Foil
Theme Statement General but not too general Should account for all major details Avoid sweeping generalizations. No clichés Helpful to mention topic title and author in a
theme statement
Narrative Point of View
First Person Advantageso reader more involvedo narrator as character
=more complex story
Disadvantageso Only see through eyes
of one charactero Trust?o What are we not
seeing?
Third Person Advantageso Fly on wall perspectiveo Understand
perspectives of multiple characters
o No judgment
Disadvantageso Sometimes author
intentionally limits our view for specific purpose
o Distancingo May appear to not
have bias
(Intrusive Narrator) An omniscient narrator who, in addition to
reporting events of story: Offers further comments Sometimes reflects generally upon significance
of story. Common with 19th century novelists.