Plot

The vehicle in which other elements of the story are transported. What? and Why?

· In a short story the plot is simple and believable.

· Classic Plot Pattern:

o Introduction, Development, Conflict, Climax & Conclusion (with possible dénouement)

Structure

• The key to a great short story is brevity.

• The writer has to decide what to leave out.

• It must be neat, concise & tidy.

Setting

• Time & Place

• Never discussed in detail (no “space”)

• Creates atmosphere and mood

• Setting sometimes is used to reveal character or provides a reason for a characters’ behaviour

Character

• People who act out the plot

• Only a few characters in the short story

• Characters are described through their behaviour.

• Dynamic character (round character): undergoes a change (usually because of the crisis in the story)

• Static character (flat character): stays the same

Point of view

• First Person (I, me, we, us):

• Authentic, action is limited to narrators experience

• Unreliable narrator is used for effect because his interpretaion of people and events might be incorrect

• Third person (he, she, it, they, them):

• Direct observer, not bound to the story but doesn't know everything

• Omniscient narrator: can reveal anything

Style

The way a story is told.

• An important point here is he writer’s use of language:

• Is it conversational?

• Is it emotionally disconnected?

• Is it plain or verbose?

• Diction (choice of words) is important

Theme and Intention

• Theme:

• The lasting impression that remains after the story is done.

• A thread that runs through a story in the form of a pattern of images.

• The message, or “point” of the story.

• Intention:

• Closely related to theme.

• The writer’s objective with the story.

Always begins with “to” e.g. to amuse, to inform, to criticize.