Short Story Flashcards
Characteristics of short stories in 1900’s (20th century)
Story moves away from plot,character,theme and setting
Slower paced
Not as structures: can begin in middle or end conclusion often left to the reader
Emphasizes realism
Experimentation with style
Colloquial style(informal)
Antecedent action
Events occurred before the story begins
Characteristics of short stories in the 1800’s (19th century)
Emphasizes plot Croon moves quickly Plot emphasizes surprise ending Beginning,complication,climax,resolution is definite Climax near end and unexpected Formal style
Atmosphere(mood)
Tone an author gives to the story( often set at beginning) (cheerful,angry…)
Characters
People Given traits by the author
Can learn about them through: dialogue, action, thoughts, others say about the character and author’s direct statement about character
Must be consistent in behaviour, clear motivations, plausible
Character motivations
Reason why a character acts the way they do
Character presentation
Direct: author tells reader
Indirect: author shows reader what charac is like an leaves reader to make judgements
Flat type characters
Built around a single quality or idea, not much detail, described in single phrase or sentence
Round characters
Opposite to flat characters: as complex as real people. Motivations are complicated. Describe in longer composition
Static character
Remain the same from beginning to end
Dynamic characters
Opposite to static: undergo a change from beginning to end
Plausible characters
Believable characters/ imperfect
Can’t behave another way without reason
Dilemma
Refers to two undesirable choices a character faces
Escape literature
Written for entertainment
Interpretive literature
Provide entertainment but also to deepen reader’s awareness of life, usually has a theme
Flashback
Plot often begins in present and moves back to an earlier point in time
Rewind in past
In media res
No beginning and the reader is plunged into the action background information provides explanations m, flashbacks or illusions in dialogue
Initial incident
First event in a story which rest of story depends on
Irony
Show something different from what reader expects
Verbal irony
Statement where what is said is opposite of what is meant (similar sarcasm)
Situational irony
Unexpected ending
Dramatic irony
Speaker is unaware that he is being ironic l, reader understands the irony but not the narrator, unintentional by the speaker.
Plot
Plan or main action of a story
Protagonist
Main character in a story not necessarily a hero or good guy
Antagonist
Opposing force of main character. Not essentially a bad guy
Plot manipulation
Unmotivated action in order for author to control the story. Outcome is manipulated by writer. Change plot, modify story anytime
Conflict
Complication which builds and reaches a climax
Point of view(3 types)
Three types: mental,physical,emotional
Mental point of view
Mental point of view: who is telling the story
Two types: First person (participant pov): Uses I, me, my, mine, we , us.
Subdivided into two categories:
Narrator as major character in story
Innocent eye narrator: Charac telling story is child or mentally challenged individual. Narrator is naive+ironic effect produces between what narrator says and what sophisticated reader understand
Narrator minor character: Tells story focuses on someone else in story. Less important than protagonist.
Third Person (non-participant pov)
Third personal pronouns( he,him,she,her,they,them…)
Subdivided into 3 categories
Omniscient narrator: Knows all
Selective (limited) omniscient narrator: limits omniscience to minds of 1 or 2 characs
Objective narrator: does not enter minds of characs and acts like camera.
Physical pov
Refers or the setting: Places narrator in specific place form which story is told. Reader able to visualize position persona tell story.
Emotional pov
Involves tone (mood) of story. Author wishes to create many moods in minds of readers, may change as story progresses.
Satire
Make fun of important matters
Does not criticize directly
Effective way of communication an opinion
Stream of consciousness narration
Puts on paper what is going on in the mind of a particular character
Style
How a writer has what he says
Maybe analyzed in terms of word choice (diction), sentence structure (syntax), types figurative language used, patterns of sound and rhythms. Can be classified as being high(grand), middle(mean) or low (pain)
Symbolism
Somethings that stands for another
Theme
What the story is about (love,hate,revenge…)
Types of short stories (4 ways)
Examine whether plot,character, setting or theme has been emphasized. (Character type story)
Unity
Story makes sense
Various stages of the story are linked together in cause and effect relationship
Verisimilitude
Appears to be real or true
If a story is versimiltitude it’s true to life
