2. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
Short Story Elements
Short stories will have these elements.
⢠Characters
⢠Setting
⢠Plot
⢠Conflict
⢠Point of view
⢠Theme
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I24S72Jps
4. The Daring English Teacher
Characters
⢠a character is a person (or animal) in a literary
work that takes part in the action
â Protagonist: The leading character or one of the
major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or
other fictional text
â Antagonist: a person who actively opposes or is
hostile to someone or something; an adversary
5. The Daring English Teacher
Characters
Static 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
Dynamic Characters
⢠characters that change
throughout the course of
the narrative
⢠a dynamic character
experiences a
transformation and/or
learns a valuable life lesson
6. The Daring English Teacher
Characters
Round Characters
⢠characters that display
multiple character traits
⢠a complex character
⢠a character the audience
know a lot about
⢠a relatable character
Flat Characters
⢠characters that are two-
dimensional and are
relatively uncomplicated
⢠usually a side-kick
⢠oftentimes included in
fiction as comedic relief
7. The Daring English Teacher
Characterization
Direct
⢠The writer makes direct
statements about a
characterâs personality and
tells what the character is
like.
⢠Think adjectives.
⢠Character descriptions.
⢠What has the author told
you?
Indirect
⢠The writer reveals information
about a character and his/her
personality through that
characterâs 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
characterâs actions and
interactions with others?
8. The Daring English Teacher
Setting
⢠The setting of a short story is the time and
place in which it is set.
â When: time (hour of the day, day of the week,
year, time period, season, etc.)
â Where: location
9. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
10. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
Introduces background
information about events,
settings, characters etc. to the
audience or readers.
11. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
The event that sets the
central conflict in motion.
12. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
A related series of incidents
in a literary plot that build
toward the point of greatest
interest.
13. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
The point in a narrative at
which the conflict or tension
hits the highest point.
14. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
The part of a literary plot that
occurs after the climax has
been reached and the conflict
has been resolved.
15. The Daring English Teacher
The Plot
⢠Plot - the events take make up a storyline
â Exposition
â Inciting Incident
â Rising Action
â Climax
â Falling Action
â Resolution
the conclusion of the story
where the conflict is fully
resolved.
16. The Daring English Teacher
Conflict
⢠the conflict is a literary element that involves a
struggle between two opposing forces usually a
protagonist and an antagonist
â 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
â Internal: a struggle happening within a characterâs mind.
⢠character vs. self
17. The Daring English Teacher
Conflict
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_10OfdEss&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9&index=8
18. The Daring English Teacher
Point of View
⢠the point of view is the narrator's position in
relation to the story being told
â 1st person: The narrator is in the story
⢠EX: I woke up that morning and wanted to buy some ice
cream.
â 3rd person: The narrator is an outsider telling the
story
⢠EX: He woke up that morning and wanted to buy some
ice cream.
19. The Daring English Teacher
3rd Person Point of View
Limited Point of View
⢠the outside narrator has
limited knowledge about
the characters
⢠the outside narrator only
knows the thoughts and
feelings of one character
Omniscient Point of View
⢠the outside narrator knows
everything
⢠the outside narrator knows
the thoughts and feelings of
all of the characters
20. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
Theme
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4qME64SkxM&feature=related
22. The Daring English Teacher
Theme
⢠the theme is the central message of the
story
⢠ask yourself, âwhat is the author trying to
teach me through this story?â
⢠most often, it will be inferred rather than
directly stated
23. The Daring English Teacher
Theme
Theme Topic
⢠One or two broad words.
⢠Examples:
â Choices
â Regret
â Journeys
â Adventure
â Love
â Happiness
â Empathy
â Isolation
Theme Statement
⢠A lesson the reader learns
from the text; a universal
truth
⢠Always written as a
statement.
⢠Examples:
â Life decisions can be hard.
â Regret can stifle life.
â Courage can be seen in
unlikely people.
24. The Daring English Teacher
Identify Short Story Elements
⢠Characters?
⢠Setting?
⢠Plot?
⢠Conflict?
⢠Point of view?
⢠Theme?
25. The Daring English Teacher
The Rosa Parks Story
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tuCAAPOZQQ&index=1&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9
26. The Daring English Teacher
Against the Wild
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDAB_vDnAQ&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9&index=12
27. The Daring English Teacher
Disneyâs Maleficent
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-XO4XiRop0&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9&index=13
28. The Daring English Teacher
Additional
Short Story Elements
Short stories also have these elements:
⢠Dialogue
⢠Flashback
⢠Foreshadow
⢠Suspense
⢠Tone/Mood
29. The Daring English Teacher
Dialogue
⢠Dialogue is a conversation between two or
more characters.
⢠Dialogue is when a character speaks to
another character.
⢠Dialogue is conversation.
30. The Daring English Teacher
Dialogue
⢠New speaker = new paragraph
⢠Always use quotation marks
⢠Example:
âNo,â she told me. âItâs a Fitbit. You synch it
with your computer, and it tracks your physical
activity.â
âOh!â I exclaimed. âItâs sort of like a
pedometer.â
31. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
Foreshadow
⢠The use of hints or clues in a narrative to suggest what
action is to come as well as give insight into characterâs
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. The Daring English Teacher
Hint: Foreshadow
⢠Now try breaking the word FORESHADOWING
apart.
⢠FORE means ahead.
⢠A SHADOW is a glimpse of something without
the complete details.
35. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
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. The Daring English Teacher
Tone vs. Mood
Tone
⢠The overall emotions or
âfeelâ of the book.
⢠The authorâs use of
words to create feelings
within the reader.
⢠The authorâs attitude in
words in the story.
Mood
⢠Emotions within the
reader as he/she reads.
38. The Daring English Teacher
TONE IS NOT MOOD
Tone
The tone could be
serious, but the
mood could be
ridiculous.
Mood
39. The Daring English Teacher
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.
TONE IS NOT MOOD
40. The Daring English Teacher
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 authorâs descriptions, what is the tone?
Serious, Intense, Formal, Focused
TONE
41. The Daring English Teacher
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
MOOD
42. The Daring English Teacher
On the following slides identify the authorâs tone OR the
readerâs mood. Be sure to explain how you knew.
Remember:
Tone is determined by
DESCRIPTION or DIALOGUE
Mood is determined by
SETTING or ATMOSPHERE
You Try!
43. The Daring English Teacher
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!
The TONE of the passage is _________
The authorâs ______________ relays the tone.
44. The Daring English Teacher
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!
The TONE of the passage is FRUSTRATED.
The authorâs DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone.
45. The Daring English Teacher
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.
The TONE of the passage is _____________
The authorâs _______________ relays the tone.
46. The Daring English Teacher
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.
The TONE of the passage is INSPIRING
The authorâs DESCRIPTIONS relay the tone.
47. The Daring English Teacher
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.
The MOOD of the passage is ______________
The ______________ relays the MOOD.
48. The Daring English Teacher
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.
The MOOD of the passage is SCARY/SUSPENSEFUL.
The ATMOSPHERE/SETTING relays the MOOD.
49. The Daring English Teacher
Tone vs. Mood
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XubM62q9nlw
50. The Daring English Teacher
âCharlesâ and âThe Lotteryâ
by Shirley Jackson
Shirley Jackson, 1916-1965, 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 âThe Lotteryâ and the best-selling novel âThe
Haunting of Hill House.â
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 â
August 9, 1965
51. The Daring English Teacher
Dialogue
⢠Conversation between two or more
characters.
⢠Set aside by the use of quotation marks and a
short explanation of who spoke the words.
â May also include a descriptive word used to show
how the words were spoken.
⢠Every time a speaker changes, a new
paragraph should begin.
â Therefore, it wonât always include âsaid.â
52. The Daring English Teacher
How dialogue is used in Charles:
⢠Dialogue is used to show the relating of a
story from Laurie to his mother.
â 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?
53. The Daring English Teacher
Dramatic Irony
⢠Occurs when the reader knows something
that a character does not.
⢠Where do we find dramatic irony in the story,
Charles?
54. The Daring English Teacher
âThe Lotteryâ ~ Vocabulary
ď Boisterous: noisy and lively; unrestrained or unruly
ď Reprimand: harsh criticism from an authority figure.
ď Interminably: endless or seemingly endless because
of monotony or tiresome length
ď Petulantly: easily annoyed, complaining rudely,
impatient irritation
55. The Daring English Teacher
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.
56. The Daring English Teacher
âHarrison Bergeronâ 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). Biography
November 11, 1922 - April 11, 2007
57. The Daring English Teacher
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.
58. The Daring English Teacher
Story Elements to focus onâŚ
⢠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 authorâs choice of words
cause the reader to feel shocked?
59. The Daring English Teacher
âThe Betâ 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: http://chekhov2.tripod.com/
1860 - 1904
60. The Daring English Teacher
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
61. The Daring English Teacher
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:
1. Does the lawyer stay for the entire 15 years?
2. Why did the lawyer leave 5 minutes early?
62. The Daring English Teacher
Motive
⢠The reason a character takes a specific course
of action.
â Not all motives are bad.
â Some motives can help lead the character to a
resolution.
63. The Daring English Teacher
Story Elements to focus onâŚ
ď Falling action - How does the author wrap up
our questions about the lawyerâs action? Does
the authorâs explanations satisfy you?
ď Motive/conflict - What was the conflict in the
beginning and what was the lawyerâs motive
for leaving early?
ď Suspense - What is the question the reader
has throughout the story? How is finally
answered?
64. The Daring English Teacher
âTell-Tale Heartâ 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. Poeâs best
known fiction are Gothic (horror and
romance ) in order to appeal to the publicâs
tastes at the time.
January 19, 1809 â October 7, 1849
Biography
65. The Daring English Teacher
Vocabulary
⢠Resembled â looked like
⢠Distinctly â clearly
⢠Cunning â slyly, carefully, cautiously
⢠Hideous â very ugly or frightful
âI 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.â
66. The Daring English Teacher
.
âThe Tell-Tale Heartâ is a fun little horror story where the
narrator is driven insane because of his obsession with an
old manâs creepy eye!
The narrator thinks heâs perfectly sane and tries to convince
the reader throughout the story. He is suffering from
extreme paranoia and mental health issues.
Ask yourself:
1. What point of view is the story in?
2. Whose heart does he really hear
beating?
67. The Daring English Teacher
Suspense
⢠The quality that is created when the reader is
uncertain about what will happen next.
⢠In âThe Bet,â readers are left wondering if the
man will stay the whole time or if the banker
will win the bet.
⢠In âThe Tell-Tale Heart,â readers are left
wondering if the man will confess his crime.
68. The Daring English Teacher
Flashback
⢠When the author interrupts the action of the
story to give us information that occurred
before the story began.
⢠At the beginning of âThe Tell-Tale Heartâ and
âThe Betâ, both authors tell us that the story
they are about to tell has already occurred.
69. The Daring English Teacher
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 âinsanityâ means something more specific than when
we use it in everyday speech. You canât say that someone on trial is âinsaneâ just
because he did something that most of us would consider âcrazyâ (like killing someone,
chopping up the body, and hiding the pieces under the floorboards.)
Thatâs because, in a trial, when we say someone is insane, weâre saying that the
person didnât fully understand what he or she was doing and therefore shouldnât be
held responsible for his or her actions. Read the following legal definition of insanity:
âInsanity 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.â
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: www.USLegal.com)
70. The Daring English Teacher
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, âHearken! and observe how healthily,
how calmly, I can tell you the whole storyâ (1). A person who is legally insane
cannot distinguish fantasy from reality, so he probably wouldnât 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 werenât really there. In his confession,
the man claimed that he had a very acute sense of hearing. He says, âI heard all
things in the heaven and in the earth. I heard many things in hellâ (1). It sounds as
if this man canât tell the difference between things heâs actually hearing and
things that heâs just imaginingâyou canât 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.
71. The Daring English Teacher
âSeventh Gradeâ 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 âSeventh Gradeâ by Gary Soto, the protagonist, Victor, likes Teresa. On
page 36, lines 10-11, the narrator refers to Teresa as âa girl he had liked
since catechism classes at St. Theresaâs.â On page 39, lines 73-74, Victor
admired how Teresa walked down the hall, âone foot in front of the other.â
On page 42, line 177, the narrator says that âThe rosebushes of shame on
[Victorâs] face became bouquets of love.â It is clear through Victorâs
actions that he likes Teresa and wanted her to be âhis girlâ.
You will use the handout to help you structure a paragraph citing text
evidence to support the above thesis.
Editor's Notes
Additional Conflict videos found at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9