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English exam

Terms in this set (8)

Elements of a short story
Theme
Plot
POV
Characters
Symbol
Setting & atmosphere
Theme
• The main idea of literary work, usually expressed as a generalization
• Theme is NOT a moral or a lesson. Rather a truth about life of people as they can be
• to identify the theme in a short story ask yourself "What does the story show about human nature or life?"
• The answer is usually your theme
Characters
• Because shorts stories are short the author should focus on one main character that the story revolves around, the protagonist
• the feelings, actions, and responses of the characters are what intrigues the audience
• other characters can be present but short stories usual belong to one character
...
The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting. For some stories the setting is very important, while for others
it is not.
a) place - geographical location. Where?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year) c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) 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)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
Plot
• Exposition: - Beginning that tells setting and introduces characters
• Rising Action: - where the events become more complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed
• Conflict: The struggle or problem faced by the main character. Types of conflict include - person vs person, person vs self, person vs world, person vs nature
• Falling Action: Events that occur after the climax of the story and after conflict has been resolved
• Resolution: The ending of the story where the conflict is resolved
Symbol
• Adds meaning to a short story by using an event or object to represent something else
• Author's use symbolism to subtly allude to the meaning of something without being obvious
POV
• POV is the angle from which a writer chooses to tell a story
• It is also the perspective from which a reader must observe the action and characters
• Ask yourself the questions : Who tells the story? Through whose eyes do I see the action? What is the position from which the story is told?
• POV can be written in First Person or Third Person
• First Person Narrative: The narrator is an actual participant in the action of the
story
• Third Person Narrative: The narrator is not a participant but an outside observer
• There are sub-divisions to Third Person Narrative...continued
POV examples
• Third Person Omniscient (meaning all-knowing) - Narrator is 'all knowing' and sees and knows everything about the world of the story
• Third Person Limited Omniscient - Narrator focuses on the viewpoint of only one character, usually the protagonist
• Third Person Objective - Narrator describes what the characters look like and reports on what they say and do, but does not look into the thoughts and feelings of the characters
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