English "The Short Story" Flashcards
Any writing which contains a series of events; tells a story
Narrative
A brief piece of writing narrative prose fiction from 500-20,000 words long
Short story
Writing that is not poetry
Prose
An invented story
Fiction
How were stories told before written language
Word a of Mouth
Pictures
When did short stories and magazines become popular
Early 1800s
What is considered to be the first American short story
Rip Van Winkle
Who wrote Rip Van Winkle
Washington Irving
Who is the father of the short story
Edgar Allen Poew
What nationality is the development of the short story
American
What are some characteristics of the short story
Written in prose
Its purpose is to entertain
Can usually be read in one sitting
Often produces a single impression on the reader
Enough happens to keep the reader curious and interested
It is centered on some problem/conflict that triggers the action
What are the five types of conflict
Man vs Man Man vs Nature Man vs Himself Man vs Society Man vs Fate
The events of a story; what happens in a story
Plot
The time, place, and background of the story
Setting
The individuals who appear in the story
Characters
The basic idea of the story; the center of interest; what the story is about; the author’s message
Theme
Background information given by the author, usually at the beginning of the story, which sets the stage for the conflict(s) and helps the reader to understand the situation or the setting of the story
Exposition
The series of complications that build to story up to the climax
Rising Action
the highest point of action in the story. The reader may feel that the conflict is about to be resolved
Also called crisis
Climax
The action of the story that works out the decision arrived at during the climax
It ends with the resolution
Falling action
The portion of the story where the problem or conflict is solved
It comes after the climax and talking action and is intended to bring the story to a satisfactory end
Tells how everything ends up at the story’s end
Resolution (Dénounment)
The graphic display of the action in a story
Plot Line
story line
climax / \
/ \
rising action / \ falling action
/ \
/ \
exposition____________/ \ ___________resolution
