Short Stories
What is a short story?
A short story is any work of narrative prose fiction, shorter than a novel. It usually involves one unified episode, or a sequence of related events. It was developed as a distinct literary form after the 18th century.
Setting: Manmade
Houses- the interior, exterior, size and type of house - farm, shack, hut, apartment, estate, or condominium Possessions - toys, books, jewelry, cars, clothing, furniture, television, computer, radio and carpet
Setting: Nature
Landscaping, which includes hills, mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, valleys, and trees Conditions of weather like snow, rain, sunny, and tornado Animals like dogs, cats, horses, alligators, snakes, dinosaurs, grizzly bears, polar bears, and wholly mammoth
Characteristics of Short Stories
Plot Point of view Characterization Setting Style Theme
Style
Style is the distinctive and recognizable way an author uses language to create a work of literature.
Setting: Cultural Expectations
The expectations of society dictate the behavior of the characters. Characters behave according to what is considered normal or appropriate for their race, culture, class, or gender.
protagonist
The main character in a story
Plot
The plot is the sequence of events in a story and their relation to one another.
Point of View
The point of view refers to the author's choice of a narrator for the story. Who is speaking or telling the story?
Setting
The setting is the physical details of the place, time, weather, and social context that influence the actions of the characters of the story. Setting is created by language. The degree of details that is learned about the setting is determined by the author. Many authors leave a lot of the detail up to the reader.
Voice
a projection the author uses that enables you to hear the story instead of reading it
Metafiction
a work of fiction that explores its own nature as a literary creation
Theme
an abstract statement of the meaning of a story.
Round characters
are complex and described in detail.
Dynamic characters
are contradictory and changes in some way during the story.
Stock characters
are one-dimensional and exhibit only stereotypical features.
Flat characters
are simple and one-dimensional.
Characters
are the people who are involved in what happens in a story.
Static characters
are unsurprising and unchanging, they remain the same throughout the story.
Dramatic irony
helps make you aware of a reality that differs from the reality the characters perceive
Tone
helps you understand the author's attitude in a story, the emotional sound of the voice you hear in the narrative, the way the author conveys the unstated attitudes toward the story
secondary character
is the antagonist, this person usually opposes the protagonist
First person narration
is when the author uses the pronoun I
Second person narration
is when the author uses the pronoun you, but this is a less common narration
Third person narration
is when the author uses the pronouns he, she, and they
Figurative Language
language that is inaccurate but helpful in creating a vivid effect
Dialect
nonstandard English diction
Conventional Symbol
objects that convey an idea that is accepted by everyone (red, white, and blue flag is a symbol of the United States)
Syntax
putting the words into sentences
Diction
the exact words used
Verbal irony
the literal meaning of the author's words
Personal Symbol
used to depict ordinary objects so vividly in a story that they suggest powerful abstract ideas
Irony
using language that normally signifies the opposite
Symbolism
when the author uses anything in a story's setting, plot, or characterization that suggests an abstract meaning to the reader in addition to its literal meaning.