eName: ___________________________________________ Hour: _______

Short Story Structure / Elements of Style Guided Notes

LEARNING TARGET: Determine a theme of text and analyze in details its
development over the course of text; provide an objective summary.
What is a short story?
 A brief work of fiction containing characters, plot, conflict, and suspense which leads to a climax and a
conclusion.

THE 5 ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY

1. PLOT
2. SETTING
3. CHARACTER
4. CONFLICT
5. THEME

#1. PLOT:
The chain of ____________________ in a story.
Consists of 5 main components:
1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling Action
5. Resolution

PLOT GRAPH
An excellent way to ____________________ out a story.

Exposition
Introduces the reader to the _________________________ information of a story:
 Character (who / personality)
 Setting (when? / Where?)

Rising Action
Details of the story _____ ____________to the turning point. Authors often include literacy devices to add interest:
 Foreshadowing  Symbolism
 Flashback  Hyperbole
 Irony  Imagery

Foreshadowing A __________ or __________ about events that may occur later in the plot.
Flashback An __________in story to insert _________events in order to provide background to the current.
events.
Irony: When something is _____________________ than what is expected.
Symbolism: An object that ________________not only itself but a bigger idea too.
Hyperbole: A huge _______________.
Imagery: The author uses vivid details that appeal to the reader’s ___________.
#2. SETTING
 The ___________________ and ___________________ of story.
 Point of view: __________ the author decides to tell the story.
 Helps to create the _________________ and ___________________ of the text (both deal with emotions).

Tone
 The authors___________________ toward the subject.

Mood
 Mood is the ______________ a story produces in a reader.
 NOT the mood of the characters!

#3. CHARACTERS
 The writer reveals the __________________________of the characters.

Protagonist
 The ____________________character.
 Usually the “good guy” or ________________ in the story
 The character that strives to ______________________ the conflict.

Antagonist
 Usually the character _______ _____________________ with the main character
 The “bad guy” or _________________in the story.

#4. CONFLICT
 The___________________ in the story
 There are 2 categories of conflicts: ______________________and ___________________

Internal Conflict
PERSON VS. SELF
 A personal struggle ___________________a character’s own mind.

External Conflict: A struggle between two separate entities.

PERSON VS. PERSON
External Conflict
PERSON VS. NATURE
External Conflict
PERSON VS. SOCIETY
Climax
 The _____________________________ of the story.
 The ___________________ point of interest.
 The most ______________________________moment.
Falling Action
 The details immediately ___________________ the story’s turning point.
 How the characters ________ the conflict.
Resolution
 How the conflict of the story is_________________________.
 All of the loose ends are tied up (usually).

#5. THEME
The underlying ____________________ of a story.