Unit+2

=Elements of a Story= A short story is a brief fictional narrative that can usually be read in one sitting. Although it is short, it is a complete work featuring the same basic elements as longer works of fiction.

[|Vocabulary Review]

=Point of View= [] Who is the narrator? Does the narrator tell the story in first person or third person? How much of the world can the narrator perceive (omniscient or limited)? How does the vantage point of the narrator affect the meaning of the story? How would the story change if the narrator changed?

The story has an author, a narrator, and characters, not to be confused with each other. If the narrator and a character in the story are one and the same, you have a story told in first person. If they are separate, you have a story told in third person, of which there are three different types, depending on the amount of knowledge the narrator has about the inner feelings and thoughts of the characters.

Literature provides a lens through which readers look at the world. Point of view is the way the author allows you to "see" and "hear" what's going on. Skillful authors can fix their readers' attention on exactly the detail, opinion, or emotion the author wants to emphasize by manipulating the point of view of the story.

In the first person point of view, the narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting.
 * First Person Point of View **

Example: As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.

In this case, the author uses // you // and // your //, is rare; authors seldom speak directly to the reader. When you encounter this point of view, pay attention. Why? The author has made a daring choice, probably with a specific purpose in mind. Most times, second-person point of view draws the reader into the story, almost making the reader a participant in the action.
 * Second Person ** ** Point of View **

Example: As you walk up the hill, you realize that the atmosphere's just too quiet. There's no sound from the cardinal you know is almost always singing from the top of the maple tree. You think you see a shadow move high up on the slope, but when you look again it's gone. You shudder as you feel a silent threat pass over you. You feel cold, like a cloud just passed over the sun.

Here the narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.
 * Third Person Point of View **

__ **Omniscient:** __ __A__ narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient.

Example: As the girl walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet.

The cardinal tipped his head back and drew breath to sing, but just as the first note passed his beak he heard the crack of a dead branch far below his perch high in the maple tree. Startled, he looked down, cocking his head to one side and watching with great interest while the man rattled the blades of grass as he tried to hide himself behind the tree.

As the man saw her start up the hill, he moved quickly into the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined.

She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone.

The man thought if he could stay hidden until she came within range, she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she?

The girl shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.


 * __Limited:__ ** A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of view.

Example: As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. Nevertheless, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.

__**Objective:**__ The narrator can only relate to the reader what is seen or heard. A good writer can tell a completely objective story in such a way that the reader is able to determine the feelings and sometimes even the thoughts of the characters through what those characters say and do, even though the thoughts and feelings are never described.

Example: > She arrived panting at the bus stop when the bus was already long gone. She looked at her watch and swore. "Damn warm blankets," she said. "Damn warm, purring cat." She sighed and walked along the sidewalk in the direction of her office building.

=Setting= In literature, the word ‘setting’ is used to identify and establish the time, place and mood of the events of the story. It basically helps in establishing where and when and under what circumstances the story is taking place.

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? The setting often can symbolize the emotional state of characters. Example – In Poe’s //The Fall of the House of Usher//, the crumbling old mansion reflects the decaying state of both the family and the narrator’s mind. We also see this type of emphasis on setting in Thomas Mann’s //Death in Venice//. Check out this story of [|Cinderella]to help you review the elements of a story.



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=Plot= **// What does Plot mean? //** The plot is the struggle between two things. It could be a conflict between two characters, or even a conflict between the character and nature.

The plot is the meat of the story. It is connected to the "big" events that happen to the characters. There are several parts to the plot in a story. The __exposition__ establishes the main characters and setting for the story. The __conflict__ is explained, which can be either internal or external. The __ rising action __ which relates to the character's problem, the __ climax __ which is the most intense moment in the story or turning point, and the __ falling action __ that wraps up the story events which leads to a __resolution__.

**// Why is understanding plot an important reading strategy? //** The plot is the reason we want to read a story. It is what makes the story interesting and emotional. We need to understand the plot in order to understand what is happening throughout the story.

**// How do we find the plot to help us understand what we are reading? //** To find the plot ask yourself, What are the characters struggling with in the story? As you read, think about when the "AH-HA" moment was. This is the climax. Look for the story elements. All of these elements make up the plot of the story. =** Exposition **= This includes a description of the setting (time and place), the main characters and their relationships to each other, and an explanation of what is happening at the beginning of the story. After the characters and main problem have been established, the main problem or conflict is dealt with by some kind of action. In this part of the story, the main character is in crisis. This is the place for tension and excitement. The complication can arise through a character's conflict with society, nature, fate, or a number of themes. In this part of the story the main character is aware a conflict has arisen and takes some kind of step to battle this crisis.
 * Rising Action **

=** Climax **= The climax is the high point of the story. It is the main event or danger that the character faces. This is the darkest moment, the worst challenge the character must oppose. At this point it looks as if the character will fail, and will never get what he/she wants. The turning point may be either physical or emotional. In a romance, the girl may turn the hopeful lover down, in an action story, the character may be surrounded by enemies with no chance of escape.

=** Falling Action **= Following the climax, the story begins to slowly wind down. Falling action, one of the two final story elements, shows the result of the actions or decisions the character has made. This eventually leads to the final part of the novel, the crisis resolution.

The resolution, also often called denouement, which is French for "to untie" or "unraveling", is the conclusion of the story. Here, the conflicts are resolved, all loose ends are tied up, and the story concludes with either a happy or sad ending.
 * Resolution **

=Conflict= Study associated vocabulary [|here].

Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot. It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move. Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character. Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones. > __There are two //types// of conflict__: > 1) **External** - A struggle with a force outside one's self. > 2) **Internal** - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc. __There are four //kinds// of conflict__: > 1) **Man vs. Man** (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals. > 2) **Man vs. Circumstances** (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her. > 3) **Man vs. Society** (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people. > 4) **Man vs. Himself/Herself** (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

=Characters=

**Character -** representation of a person, place, or thing performing traditionally human activities or functions in a work of fiction

 * **Protagonist** - The character the story revolves around.
 * **Antagonist** - A character or force that opposes the protagonist.
 * **Minor character** - Often provides support and illuminates the protagonist.
 * **Static character** - A character that remains the same.
 * **Dynamic character** - A character that changes in some important way.

Characterization

 * Characterization** is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Characterization is revealed through **direct characterization** and **indirect characterization**.


 * Direct Characterization** //tells //the audience what the personality of the character is. Example: "The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother." Explanation: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is "patient" and the girl is "quiet.

S peech What does the character say? How does the character speak? T houghts What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? E ffect on others toward the character. What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character? A ctions What does the character do? How does the character behave? L ooks What does the character look like? How does the character dress?
 * Indirect Characterization** //shows //things that reveal the personality of a character. There are five different methods of indirect characterization:

Character Traits
Traits are the qualities of a certain person, whether they are physical or emotional. You determine some traits by observing the way a character looks. You infer other traits by paying attention to the way the character behaves or by things the characters say. The traits that make up a character are not always stated in a story; you will have to determine each character's qualities as you read, by thinking about that person's actions. Here are a few traits we can infer from actions:
 * //Jesse had no idea how deep the river was. He just jumped.// Trait:
 * //Amanda had no idea why everyone else was laughing as she strolled around the room in mismatched shoes.// Trait: **clueless**
 * //Susan jumped every time the door opened.// Trait: **jittery**

=Theme= A theme is the idea or general lesson (sometimes called the 'moral') of the story. That moral was a **message** that you could glean from the overall story. For instance, from //The Three Little Pigs// we learned about the importance of planning a project well. We know this, because we learned that building a brick house works, while building a straw house is short-sighted.

In a book report, you could state that one theme for //The Three Little Pigs// is that good planning can lead to success. But we could also say the theme was about making smart choices.

As you can see, a theme isn’t something that's stated outright; it often appears as a lesson or **message** that the reader understands by reading between the lines.

A book of fiction can have many themes. Why? Because different people can find different meanings in books. You may [|find a lesson] that others don’t see.

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 - Don't judge a book by its cover

Examples:

1. Several students consistently arrive at school out of dress code. Though parents have come to school with a change of clothing and many students have repeatedly been sent home, a group persists in dressing inappropriately. //Theme: One way to protest rules is to repeatedly break them//.

2. At a party, Sue, an outstanding citizen and student, is urged to drink. She refuses, saying that she has a headache and doesn’t want any. Her peers insist she’s a baby and afraid of what her parents will say. Sue gives in. //Theme: Peer pressure can make people do things they don’t want to do.// 3. Brenda and Ellie whine about going to Millsburg for school shopping. When Mama says there’s no money, they insist they want to just look around. They end up getting $5.00 by insisting their daddy promised it to them. //Theme: Some children can easily manipulate parents and get their way.// 4. Jess denies Leslie drowned when his father tells him. He gets angry and insists it’s a lie. Then he thinks about things Leslie said and things they did together. //Theme: When you love someone, accepting an unexpected death is tough. First there’s denial, then anger.//