Introduction to Short Stories

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1 Introduction to Short Stories
Essential Question: What drives a story?

2 What is a Short Story? a short story is a brief work of fiction
fiction is literature in the form of prose, especially short stories and novels, that describes imaginary events and people

3 Short Story Elements Short stories will have these elements.
Characters Setting Plot Conflict Point of view Theme URL:

4 Characters a character is a person (or animal) in a literary work that takes part in the action Protagonist: The leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text Antagonist: a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary

5 Characters Static Characters Dynamic Characters
characters that do not change throughout the course of the narrative a static character does not go through a transformation or learn an important life lesson characters that change throughout the course of the narrative a dynamic character experiences a transformation and/or learns a valuable life lesson

6 Characters Round Characters Flat Characters
characters that display multiple character traits a complex character a character the audience know a lot about a relatable character characters that are two-dimensional and are relatively uncomplicated usually a side-kick oftentimes included in fiction as comedic relief

7 Characterization Direct Indirect
The writer makes direct statements about a character’s personality and tells what the character is like. Think adjectives. Character descriptions. What has the author told you? The writer reveals information about a character and his/her personality through that character’s thoughts, words, and actions, along with how other characters respond to that character, including what they think and say about him/her. Think verbs. Character actions. What can you infer from the character’s actions and interactions with others?

8 Setting The setting of a short story is the time and place in which it is set. When: time (hour of the day, day of the week, year, time period, season, etc.) Where: location

9 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution

10 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution Introduces background information about events, settings, characters etc. to the audience or readers.

11 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution The event that sets the central conflict in motion.

12 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution A related series of incidents in a literary plot that build toward the point of greatest interest.

13 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution The point in a narrative at which the conflict or tension hits the highest point.

14 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution The part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved.

15 The Plot Plot - the events take make up a storyline Exposition
Inciting Incident Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution the conclusion of the story where the conflict is fully resolved.

16 Conflict the conflict is a literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces usually a protagonist and an antagonist External: a struggle between a character and an outside force (another character or nature) character vs. character character vs. nature character vs. society character vs. unknown character vs. technology character vs. supernatural Internal: a struggle happening within a character’s mind. character vs. self

17 Conflict Additional Conflict videos found at: URL:

18 Point of View the point of view is the narrator's position in relation to the story being told 1st person: The narrator is in the story EX: I woke up that morning and wanted to buy some ice cream. 3rd person: The narrator is an outsider telling the story EX: He woke up that morning and wanted to buy some ice cream.

19 Omniscient Point of View
3rd Person Point of View Limited Point of View Omniscient Point of View the outside narrator has limited knowledge about the characters the outside narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character the outside narrator knows everything the outside narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters

20 Point of View As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:
How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is your response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is? First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is up to you, the reader, to determine what is the truth and what is not.

21 Theme URL:

22 Theme the theme is the central message of the story
ask yourself, “what is the author trying to teach me through this story?” most often, it will be inferred rather than directly stated

23 Theme Theme Topic Theme Statement One or two broad words. Examples:
Choices Regret Journeys Adventure Love Happiness Empathy Isolation A lesson the reader learns from the text; a universal truth Always written as a statement. Examples: Life decisions can be hard. Regret can stifle life. Courage can be seen in unlikely people.

24 Identify Short Story Elements
Characters? Setting? Plot? Conflict? Point of view? Theme?

25 The Rosa Parks Story URL:

26 Against the Wild URL:

27 Disney’s Maleficent URL:

28 Additional Short Story Elements
Short stories also have these elements: Dialogue Flashback Foreshadow Suspense Tone/Mood

29 Dialogue Dialogue is a conversation between two or more characters.
Dialogue is when a character speaks to another character. Dialogue is conversation.

30 Dialogue New speaker = new paragraph Always use quotation marks
Example: “No,” she told me. “It’s a Fitbit. You synch it with your computer, and it tracks your physical activity.” “Oh!” I exclaimed. “It’s sort of like a pedometer.”

31 Flashback Taking us back to an event that happened before the action of story. Think about: What events from before the action in the book have you learned about? Why do you think it was important to learn about this event? How does the author use this information to keep you interested in the story?

32 Hint: Flashback Try breaking the word FLASHBACK apart.
FLASH: a quick glimpse. BACK: a look back in the story at something that previously happened.

33 Foreshadow The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is to come as well as give insight into character’s motives. Think about: Has the author given you any hints about upcoming events? Is there a change happening in the weather, the setting, or the mood? Are there objects or scenic elements that suggest something happy, sad, dangerous, exciting, etc.? Do characters or the narrator observe something in the background that might be a hint about something to come later?

34 Hint: Foreshadow Now try breaking the word FORESHADOWING apart.
FORE means ahead. A SHADOW is a glimpse of something without the complete details.

35 Suspense The quality that is created when the reader is uncertain about what will happen next. Bits of information along the way that leads us to the climax.

36 Suspense Think about: What information has the author given you about the conflict in the story? How has the author used new conflicts to build excitement in the story? Are you still waiting on information to be revealed? If so, what information are you waiting on? Suspense Example: TV shows building up to a big moment and then cutting to commercials.

37 Tone vs. Mood Tone The overall emotions or “feel” of the book.
The author’s use of words to create feelings within the reader. The author’s attitude in words in the story. Mood Emotions within the reader as he/she reads.

38 The tone could be serious, but the mood could be ridiculous.
TONE IS NOT MOOD Tone The tone could be serious, but the mood could be ridiculous. Mood

39 TONE IS NOT MOOD FOR EXAMPLE:
He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school.

40 TONE According to the author’s descriptions, what is the tone?
FOR EXAMPLE: He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school. According to the author’s descriptions, what is the tone? Serious, Intense, Formal, Focused

41 MOOD According to the setting, what is the mood?
FOR EXAMPLE: He approached the task with sheer determination. He had studied his plans carefully, spent hours preparing and was sure of his approach. The hours he spent practicing were grueling and exhausting but he was ready. This was the year he would win the pie eating contest at school. According to the setting, what is the mood? Playful, informal, silly, exciting

42 DESCRIPTION or DIALOGUE
You Try! On the following slides identify the author’s tone OR the reader’s mood. Be sure to explain how you knew. Remember: Tone is determined by DESCRIPTION or DIALOGUE Mood is determined by SETTING or ATMOSPHERE

43 The TONE of the passage is _________ The author’s ______________ relays the tone.
My annoying brother likes to drive me crazy. There is no other who is that lazy. He whines to Mom and Dad night and day Until he eventually gets his way. What is a sister to do When he screams 'til he's blue? There is no way to win, For he gets under your skin. He does his best to kill all joy. Oh, how my brother does annoy!

44 The TONE of the passage is FRUSTRATED
The TONE of the passage is FRUSTRATED. The author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone. My annoying brother likes to drive me crazy. There is no other who is that lazy. He whines to Mom and Dad night and day Until he eventually gets his way. What is a sister to do When he screams 'til he's blue? There is no way to win, For he gets under your skin. He does his best to kill all joy. Oh, how my brother does annoy!

45 The TONE of the passage is _____________ The author’s _______________ relays the tone.
There is no one That can be better Because you are brilliant. There is nothing That you cannot you do Because you are unbeatable. There is no place That you cannot go Because you are always welcomed. There is no person That can hold you back Because you are unstoppable.

46 The TONE of the passage is INSPIRING The author’s DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone.
There is no one That can be better Because you are brilliant. There is nothing That you cannot you do Because you are unbeatable. There is no place That you cannot go Because you are always welcomed. There is no person That can hold you back Because you are unstoppable.

47 The MOOD of the passage is ______________ The ______________ relays the MOOD.
The night it happened was one we will never forget. The wind was screeching outside as rain pounded against the window. We had lost electricity hours ago and had nothing but candles to light the house. The battery powered radio we had was broadcasting a warning to lock your doors and stay inside; there was a killer on the loose.

48 The MOOD of the passage is SCARY/SUSPENSEFUL
The MOOD of the passage is SCARY/SUSPENSEFUL. The ATMOSPHERE/SETTING relays the MOOD. The night it happened was one we will never forget. The wind was screeching outside as rain pounded against the window. We had lost electricity hours ago and had nothing but candles to light the house. The battery powered radio we had was broadcasting a warning to lock your doors and stay inside; there was a killer on the loose.

49 Tone vs. Mood URL:

50 Slides for Stories

51 “Charles” and “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson, , one of the most brilliant and influential authors of the twentieth century, is widely acclaimed for her stories and novels of the supernatural, including the well-known short story “The Lottery” and the best-selling novel “The Haunting of Hill House.” Shirley Jackson wrote in two styles. She could describe the delights and turmoil's of ordinary domestic life with detached hilarity; and she could, with cryptic symbolism, write a tenebrous horror story in the Gothic mold in which abnormal behavior seemed perilously ordinary. *Excerpt from her obituary published in the New York Times on August 10, 1965. December 14, 1916 – August 9, 1965

52 Dialogue Conversation between two or more characters.
Set aside by the use of quotation marks and a short explanation of who spoke the words. May also include a descriptive word used to show how the words were spoken. Every time a speaker changes, a new paragraph should begin. Therefore, it won’t always include “said.”

53 How dialogue is used in Charles:
Dialogue is used to show the relating of a story from Laurie to his mother. His mother becomes increasingly concerned about the environment her son is being taught in. What do we find out about Charles at the end of the story?

54 Dramatic Irony Occurs when the reader knows something that a character does not. Where do we find dramatic irony in the story, Charles?

55 Pre-reading for Lottery
Kids can’t see this slide…. Before reading the lottery. Tell kids that we are going to have a lottery. Let them pick a piece of paper out of a hat. One of them has a black dot on it. Have kids open it, and tell the kid who gets it he won the lottery…. Discuss what a lottery is… tell them in the story, the lottery is a bit different than what our culture’s definition is. irony

56 “The Lottery” ~ Vocabulary
Boisterous: noisy and lively; unrestrained or unruly Reprimand: harsh criticism from an authority figure. Interminably: endless or seemingly endless because of monotony or tiresome length Petulantly: easily annoyed, complaining rudely, impatient irritation

57 Story Elements to focus on:
Rising Action - How does the author increase our tension throughout the story? Point-of-View - Why does the author choose to tell the story in third person? Foreshadowing - How does the author foreshadow the outcome of the story? Symbolism - How were the symbols of the rocks and the color black used in the story? Irony - When something is the opposite of what you think it should be.

58 “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, born on November 11, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana, is considered one of the most influential American novelists of the twentieth century. He blended literature with science fiction and humor, the absurd with pointed social commentary. Vonnegut created his own unique world in each of his novels and filled them with unusual characters, such as the alien race known as the Tralfamadorians in Slaughterhouse-Five (1969). Other novels/stories: The Sirens of Titan (1959), Mother Night (1961), Cat's Cradle (1963), Breakfast of Champions (1973), Jailbird (1979), Deadeye Dick (1982), Palm Sunday: An Autobiographical Collage (1981), and Timequake (1997). November 11, April 11, 2007 Biography

59 Vocabulary Vigilance: (noun) watchful especially to avoid danger
Luminous: (adjective) bathed in or exposed to steady light Doozy: (noun) something that is unusually good, bad, big, severe, etc.

60 Story Elements to focus on…
Climax - Why does the author spend so much time on the climax? Motive/Conflict - What is it about the main conflict that causes Harrison to behave the way he does? Theme/Symbolism - How does the symbol of the handicaps help the reader understand theme? Tone - How does the author’s choice of words cause the reader to feel shocked?

61 “The Bet” by Anton Chekhov
One of Russia's greatest writers, Chekhov began his career writing jokes and anecdotes for popular magazines to support himself while he studied to become a doctor. Between 1888 and his death he single-handedly revolutionized both the drama and the short story. Near the end of his life he married an actress, Olga Knipper. He died from tuberculosis in 1904, age 44. *Biography taken from:

62 Vocabulary Rubles: the basic unit of money of Russia
Stake: something that you could win or lose in a game, contest, etc.   Haphazardly: having no plan, order, or direction   Contempt: a feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval Emitted: produced or released Lackadaisical: careless and lazy Stealthy: secretly, below the radar Prominent: noticeable or famous

63 Factual vs. Interpretive Questions
Factual Questions Have only ONE correct answer Address only ONE specific part of the story Interpretive Questions Have MORE THAN ONE possible answer Apply to MORE THAN ONE part of the story Practice: Does the lawyer stay for the entire 15 years? Why did the lawyer leave 5 minutes early?

64 Motive The reason a character takes a specific course of action.
Not all motives are bad. Some motives can help lead the character to a resolution.

65 Story Elements to focus on…
Falling action - How does the author wrap up our questions about the lawyer’s action? Does the author’s explanations satisfy you? Motive/conflict - What was the conflict in the beginning and what was the lawyer’s motive for leaving early? Suspense - What is the question the reader has throughout the story? How is finally answered?

66 “Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe
Poe was born in Boston. He was a poet, writer, editor, and literary critic. His short stories were his main type of writing, and today they are considered some of the best American short stories in history. His tales usually are a mix of mystery and macabre (grim and dealing with death). Poe married his 13-year old cousin, Virginia Clemm. Her early death may have inspired some of his writing. Poe’s best known fiction are Gothic (horror and romance ) in order to appeal to the public’s tastes at the time. January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849 Biography

67 Vocabulary Resembled – looked like Distinctly – clearly
Cunning – slyly, carefully, cautiously Hideous – very ugly or frightful “I think it was his eye. Yes, it was his eye! One of his eyes was pale blue and dull. It resembled the eye of a vulture.”

68 . “The Tell-Tale Heart” is a fun little horror story where the narrator is driven insane because of his obsession with an old man’s creepy eye! The narrator thinks he’s perfectly sane and tries to convince the reader throughout the story. He is suffering from extreme paranoia and mental health issues. Ask yourself: What point of view is the story in? Whose heart does he really hear beating?

69 Suspense The quality that is created when the reader is uncertain about what will happen next. In “The Bet,” readers are left wondering if the man will stay the whole time or if the banker will win the bet. In “The Tell-Tale Heart,” readers are left wondering if the man will confess his crime.

70 Flashback When the author interrupts the action of the story to give us information that occurred before the story began. At the beginning of “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Bet”, both authors tell us that the story they are about to tell has already occurred.

71 Insanity Plea: Use specific evidence from the story to support whether the protagonist is guilty or innocent by reason of insanity. Legal Definition of Insanity: In a criminal trial, the word “insanity” means something more specific than when we use it in everyday speech. You can’t say that someone on trial is “insane” just because he did something that most of us would consider “crazy” (like killing someone, chopping up the body, and hiding the pieces under the floorboards.) That’s because, in a trial, when we say someone is insane, we’re saying that the person didn’t fully understand what he or she was doing and therefore shouldn’t be held responsible for his or her actions. Read the following legal definition of insanity: “Insanity is a mental illness of such a severe nature that a person cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, cannot manage his/her own affairs, or is subject to uncontrollable impulsive behavior. In criminal cases, a plea of "not guilty by reason of insanity" will require a trial on the issue of the defendant's insanity (or sanity) at the time the crime was committed.” In this context, "not guilty" does not mean the person did not commit the criminal act for which he or she is charged. It means that when the person committed the crime, he or she could not tell right from wrong or could not control his or her behavior because of severe mental defect or illness. Such a person, the law holds, should not be held criminally responsible for his or her behavior (INTERNET SOURCE:

72 Example First Piece of Evidence for the PROSECUTION:
First of all, the killer remembers everything about the crime and can talk about it calmly. In his confession, the killer says, “Hearken! and observe how healthily, how calmly, I can tell you the whole story” (1). A person who is legally insane cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, so he probably wouldn’t have such an accurate memory of everything that happened. If he remembers all the facts about what he did, this proves that he was aware of reality and was not insane. Example First Piece of Evidence for the DEFENSE: First of all, the man was hearing things that weren’t really there. In his confession, the man claimed that he had a very acute sense of hearing. He says, “I heard all things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hell” (1). It sounds as if this man can’t tell the difference between things he’s actually hearing and things that he’s just imagining—you can’t actually hear sounds coming from heaven or hell. If a person who is legally insane has a hard time distinguishing between fantasy and reality, this man is clearly insane.

73 “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto
How did Gary Soto show the reader how much Victor liked Teresa? Provide text evidence to support your answer. EXAMPLE OF CITING TEXT EVIDENCE In “Seventh Grade” by Gary Soto, the protagonist, Victor, likes Teresa. On page 36, lines 10-11, the narrator refers to Teresa as “a girl he had liked since catechism classes at St. Theresa’s.” On page 39, lines 73-74, Victor admired how Teresa walked down the hall, “one foot in front of the other.” On page 42, line 177, the narrator says that “The rosebushes of shame on [Victor’s] face became bouquets of love.” It is clear through Victor’s actions that he likes Teresa and wanted her to be ‘his girl’. You will use the handout to help you structure a paragraph citing text evidence to support the above thesis.

74 “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury is one of those rare individuals whose writing has changed the way people think. His more than five hundred published works -- short stories, novels, plays, screenplays, television scripts, and verse -- exemplify the American imagination at its most creative. Once read, his words are never forgotten. His best-known and most beloved books, THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES, THE ILLUSTRATED MAN, FAHRENHEIT 451 and SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, are masterworks that readers carry with them over a lifetime. August 22, 1920 – June 05, 2012

75 Watch video: All Summer in a Day
Vocabulary Slackened - to become less active Surged - a strong wavelike forward movement Tumultuously - highly agitated Watch video: All Summer in a Day

76 Story Elements to focus on…
Resolution - Why do you think the author ends the story so quickly? Motive/Conflict - Why do you think the other characters react to Margot in a negative way? How does that reaction contribute to Margot’s main conflict? Tone - How does the author use word choice to make the reader feel stunned in the end?

77 Foreshadowing The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what action is to come.

78 “The Marble Champ” by Gary Soto
Gary Soto is a man who writes from experience. He grew up in one of the many barrios (poor Mexican American neighborhoods) of Fresno, California, and since the mid-1970s he has borrowed from that community to create an astonishing number of works. Soto, however, does not see himself as strictly a Chicano author. True, in his over twenty books of poetry and prose for adults and in over thirty books for younger readers, he focuses on the daily trials and tribulations of Spanish-speaking Americans. But, through crisp, clear imagery and his true-to-life characters, Soto connects with readers of all ages and backgrounds. *AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission. April 12,

79 Vocabulary Slivers - small, slender, often sharp piece, as of wood or glass, split, broken, or cut off Reluctantly - unwilling Entranced - to fill with delight or wonder

80 Theme What are some of the lessons that Lupe learns from her experience? How can these lessons be found in your own life?