English 9Short Story NotesA review of all the terminology from the last two years...you remember, don’t you?

How to Properly Write/Type Titles

“Short Stories” “Magazine Articles” “Newspaper Articles” “Poems” “Songs” “Essays” “Chapters in Books”

<- The following titles are placed in quotation marks.

When writing the following underline:When typing the following italicize:

NovelsPlaysMagazinesMoviesTelevision Shows

Structural Elements Plot: series of related events that

make up a story.

Inciting Incident

Plotline Exposition: Introduces the reader to

the characters, places, and situations of the story.

Inciting Incident (Narrative Hook): The place where the author catches the reader’s attention; establishes conflict.

Rising Action: Increase in action/suspense, consists of the conflicts in the story.

Plotline continued... Climax: Highest point of interest, the

point of no return, the plot must move forward.

Denouement (Falling Action): Relates the events that are a result of the climax.

Resolution: The outcome of the story: how the conflicts are resolved or not resolved.

Conflict: Struggle or clash between opposing

characters, forces, or emotions.

Types of Conflicts

External Conflict A character

struggles against an outside force

Internal Conflict A character

struggles with forces from within

(emotions, desires, needs)

Types of Conflict:

External A character

struggles against an outside force.

Internal A character

struggles with forces from within (emotions, desires, needs).

Examples of Conflict Man vs. Man: Two (2) opposing human

forces.

E.g. – Two people boxing

Examples of Conflict: Man vs. Nature: Man opposing any

force other than human.

E.g. – A person climbing a mountain.

Examples of Conflict Man vs. Himself: Inner conflict;

struggle with conscience.

E.g. – Someone who feels guilty because he stole money.

Examples of Conflict Man vs. Society: Man vs. Laws,

Customs, Beliefs.

E.g. – People protesting city hall.

Examples of Conflict Man vs. Fate: Man vs. His Destiny.

E.g. – Someone who, in normal circumstances would be dead, survives or overcomes an obstacle regardless of what happens to him.

Examples of Conflict Man vs. Machine/Technology: Man vs.

something mechanical.

E.g. – Someone who battles a robot.

Setting: time and place of the story Time: time of day, day of the week,

month, year, season, future, past, present.

Place: town, city, state, country, planet; particular area, house or room.

Narrator: who is telling the story.Point of View: Vantage point

from which a writer tells a story.

First Person: The main character is telling the story;

only his thoughts are known; uses “I”

Second Person: The story tells someone else what they

are doing; uses “you”

E.g. – Choose Your Own Adventure Novels

Omniscient (“All-Knowing”): The narrator plays no part in the story

(third person) but can tell the reader what ALL the characters are thinking and feeling as well as what is happening in other places.

Limited Omniscient: Told in third person by someone in the

story; only his thoughts are revealed.

Told in third person; none of the characters have their thoughts revealed; reader analyzes characters from actions and words only.

Objective:

Characterization Method through which the author

reveals facts about the characters.

Direct

Tells the reader what the personality of the character is

IndirectShows what a character is like:

SpeechThoughtsEffect on othersActionsLooks

Characterization Continued...

Dynamic A character that

changes in some way

Static A character that

stays the same

Characterization Continued...

Protagonist The leading

character or “hero” of a literary work. Moves the plot forward.

Antagonist The one opposed

to the protagonist; opponent; adversary

Examples

Protagonists Melinda Sordino Harry Potter Bella Swan Percy Jackson

Antagonists Andy Evans Lord Voldermort Vampire James The Gods

Literary DevicesWhat’s the difference?

Elements Always found in a

story Characters Setting Point of view Conflict Plot Theme

Techniques Sometimes found

in story Foreshadowing Irony Flashback Allusions Symbolism

Theme What the author wants you to

remember; the moral of the story; what we were to learn.

Theme is usually expressed in a complete sentence.

Mood

The author’s attitude or feeling toward the writing.

The feeling the reader gets from a piece of literature.

Tone

Situational Irony The character believes something will

happen and the opposite occurs.

E.g. – The bank robbers were about to cross the state line when their car was hit by a train and killed them.

Verbal Irony The character makes a statement but

the opposite is meant; sarcasm.

E.g. – “I love doing homework!”

Dramatic Irony When the audience has important

information that the characters do NOT have.

E.g. – We know the killer is behind the door; the lady about to open the door does not.

The End!