SHORT STORY FEATURES AND ELEMENTS AND FORERUNNERS, TYPES OF MODERN SHORT STORY, FEATURES, AND ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

FLAT PERSONALITY

it is the character that reveals conventional traits; who remains the same throughout the story.

RISING ACTION

This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

SPECTACLE

This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, costumes, special effects, etc. Spectacle is everything that the audience sees as they watch the play.

FLASH FICTION

A genre of fiction where all of the stories are very brief. We're talking under 100 words in some cases, although there's no agreed-upon length for what constitutes a flash fiction story.

EN MEDIAS RES

A kind of plot where the story commences in the middle part of the action. Latin phrase "in the midst of things".

ANECDOTE

A short account of something interesting and amusing, which usually tells a story about a real person and/or incident. Often used to illustrate or support a point in an essay, article, or chapter.

MINI-SAGA

A short story told in exactly 50 words. It is a test in brevity—about saying lot with a little.

VIGNETTE

A short, impressionistic piece that focuses on a single scene, character, idea, setting, or object. There is little emphasis on adhering to conventional theatrical or literary structure, or story development. It can be a stand-alone piece or part of a larger work.

SKETCH STORY

A shorter than average piece containing little or no plot. It can be merely a description of a character or a location. Character sketches are common, and a good way to build a character that will eventually be part of a longer piece.

STORY SEQUENCE

Also called a short story cycle or a composite novel, a story sequence is a group of short stories that work together to form a longer piece, while still functioning as complete short stories on their own

MUSIC

Everything the audience hears from the play, including the words, music and sound effects.

WEATHER CONDITIONS

Is it rainy, stormy, sunny, etc.

DRAMATIC PREMISE

It is the most basic foundation of a writer's work—in fiction, it supports the plot; in non-fiction, its role is to support the information and/or research that will be presented. the main idea behind a story or other writing project.

THEME

Refers to the main idea of the drama or play. It is the over-all sense or implication of the action

CHARACTERS

The people portrayed by the actors in the play

TRUE

The term "vignette" originally comes from a decorative device appearing on a title page or at the opening chapters.

MOOD OR ATMOSPHERE

What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright or cheerful or dark and frightening?

SOCIAL CONDITIONS

What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc of a particular place?)

TIME

When is the story taking place? (Historical period, time of day, year, and etc.)

ROUND PERSONALITY

a character that displays different/ multiple personalities throughout the story.

DYNAMIC

a character that exhibits noticeable development.

CHARACTERISTICS

a person or sometimes even an animal, who takes part in the action of short story or a piece of literary works.

HINTS

are statement that have deeper meanings.

PLACE

geographical location. Where the action of the story take place

FORESHADOWING

means exactly what the world implies, a hint of things to come.

MINOR CHARACTERS

usually static or unchanging.

INTERNAL CONFLICT

A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

FRAME STORY

Also known as a frame tale or a nested narrative, a frame story is a literary technique of placing a story within a story, for the purpose of introducing or setting the stage for the main narrative or a series of short stories.

DRABBLE

An exceptionally short piece of fiction, usually of exactly 100 words in length — not Including the title.

FEGHOOT

An interesting short story type also known as a story pun or a poetic story joke or a shaggy dog story. It is a humorous piece ending in an atrocious pun. The term feghoot is derived from Ferdinand Feghoot

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW

The author is narrating a story about the characters and refers to them with the third person pronouns "he/she." ("He was hungry.")

CLIMAX

this is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. the reader wonders what happen next.

INTRODUCTION

The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

FALLING ACTION

The events and complications begin to resolve themselves

DICTION

The language used by the playwright, including the style, dialect, rhythm, and the actual words used by the characters

MAIN CHARACTERS

those who are important in the story. For example, the Protagonist and Antagonist.

STATIC

a character who exhibits no changes or development.

ALLEGORY

a fictional literary narrative or artistic expression that conveys a symbolic meaning which is more distinct and important than the literal meaning. Related forms are the fable and the parable, which are didactic, comparatively short, and simple allegories.

ROMANCES

a literary genre popular in the Middle Ages (5th century to 15th century), dealing, in verse or prose, with legendary, supernatural, or amorous subjects and characters. concerned with knights, chivalry, and courtly love.

CIRCULAR PLOT

a non-linear plot that progresses more or less chronologically and ends with its protagonist returning to a situation similar to the one at the beginning of the story. Example: mice and men

SHORT STORY

a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. THE MODERN SHORT SHORT STORY DEVELOPED IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY

FABLES

a short literary composition in prose or verse, conveying a universal cautionary or moral truth. generally tells of conflict among animals that are given the attribute of human beings.

PARABLES

a short, fictitious narrative, designed to illuminate a spiritual truth; it has been used similarly by later writers to convey a moral point.

EXTERNAL CONFLICT

a struggle with a fore outside one's self.

LEGENDS

a traditional narrative or collection of related narratives, popularly regarded as historically factual but actually a mixture of fact and fiction. The Medieval Latin word legenda means "things for reading."

MAN VS. SOCIETY

a type of conflict where a character has a conflict or problem with some element of society- the school, the law, the accepted way of doing things and so on

MAN VS. NATURE

a type of conflict where a character has a problem with some natural happening: snowstorm, typhoon, avalanche etc.

MAN VS. SELF

a type of conflict where a character has trouble deciding what to do in a particular situation

MAN VS. MAN

a type of conflict where one character in the story has a problem with one or more of the other characters

DRAMA

comes from the Greek word dran, meaning to do or to act. DEFINED AS ANY STORY TOLD IN DIALOGUE FORM THAT IS PERFORMED BY ACTORS FOR AN AUDIENCE.

LINEAR PLOT

consists of a series of events that have a clear beginning, middle and end. The story unfolds in a chronological order, which means they are told in the order they happened.

FAIRY TALES

contains supernatural events. a simple narrative dealing with supernatural beings (such as fairies, magicians, ogres, or dragons) that is typically of folk origin and written or told for the amusement of children.

SYMBOLISM

is something that represent or suggest a relationship or association.

SECOND PERSON POINT OF VIEW

is structured around the "you" pronoun, and is less common in novel-length work. ("You thought you could do it.") allow you to draw your reader into the story and make them feel like they're part of the action because the narrator is speaking directly to them. It is also called stream of consciousness.

FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW

one of the characters is narrating the story. This is generally revealed by the "I" sentence construction and relies on first person pronouns. ("I went to work.")

POINT OF VIEW

refers to the relationship between a narrator and the events she or he narrates

MYTHS

tales involving gods of old. e broadly defined as a narrative that through many retellings has become an accepted tradition in a society. They may deal with a conflict among the gods themselves, or ways in which the gods would reveal themselves as unique characters unto lowly creatures of the Earth, including of course, man

TONE AND MOOD

the attitude a writer takes toward a subject.

PROTAGONIST

the character of whom the readers empathize.

ANTAGONIST

the character that goes against the protagonist.

CHARACTERIZATION

the method used by the author to reveal the personality of the character/s.

CONFLICT

the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move

PLOT

the sequence of events in the story.

SETTING

the time and place in which the story happens. Authors often use descriptions of landscape,Scenery, buildings, and seasons or weather to provide a strong sense of setting.

DENOUEMENT

this is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story

FOLK TALES

various kinds of narrative prose literature found in the oral traditions of the world. An essential trait of folktale is their Diffusion (Transmitted through culture), and their passage from one generation to another, by word of mouth.