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.
