elements of a short story

Sagot :

ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

--------------------------------

1. Setting

  • 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.
  • There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):

a) place

- geographical location

- Where is the action of the story taking place?

b) time

- When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)

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?

2. Character

  • There are two meanings for the word character:

1) The person in a work of fiction.

2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction

- Antagonist and Protagonist

  • Short stories use few characters.
  • One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character- he/she is the PROTAGONIST.
  • The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.
  • Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

3. Plot

  • The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; It is the sequence of events in a story or play.
  • The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end.
  • There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction

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

b) 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).

c) Climax

- This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.

- The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action

- The events and complications begin to resolve themselves.

- The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement

- This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

4. Conflict

•  Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot

• There are four kinds of conflict:

a) Man vs. Man/ Character vs. Character (physical)

- The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.

b) Man vs. Circumstances/ Character vs. Nature (classical)

- The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

c) Man vs. Society/ Character vs. Society (social)

- The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.

d) Man vs. Himself / Herself / Character vs. Self (psychological)

- The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

5. Theme

  • The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
  • The theme of a story is what the author is trying to convey — in other words, the central idea of the story.
  • Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:

            - things are not always as they appear to be

            - Love is blind

            - Believe in yourself

            - People are afraid of change