Short Story Elements Flashcards
What is a short story?
A brief, imaginative narrative containing few characters, simple plot, a suit, and suspense which lead to a climax.
What are the main elements of plot?
- Introduction
- Exposition
- Inciting Incident
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution
What is the purpose of the narrative hook?
To grab the reader’s attention with a question or statement.
Define conflict in a story.
What prevents the main character from getting what they want.
What types of conflict exist in a narrative?
- Internal
- External
What is the inciting incident?
The first major action in the story that sets the plot in motion.
What is rising action?
The incidents which carry the plot along.
What is foreshadowing?
A literary device used to give an indication or hint of what is to come later in the story.
What is a flashback?
A scene set in a time earlier than the main story.
What is the climax of a story?
The point of greatest tension or drama, which is the turning point of the narrative.
What is falling action?
The part of the story that follows the climax and leads to the resolution.
What is the resolution in a narrative?
The conclusion of the story where conflicts are resolved.
Fill in the blank: The chain of events in a story is called the _______.
[plot]
What is the climax in a story?
The highest point of interest in the story when characters solve their struggles
The climax is often associated with the highest point of emotions in the narrative and can be subjective in nature.
What occurs during the falling action of a story?
The character completes the action of their decision
This phase follows the climax and leads towards the resolution.
Define resolution in the context of a story.
The final work of a story’s conflict where all loose ends are tied up
This is the part of the narrative that concludes the story.
What is the setting of a story?
The time and location where the action occurs
The setting helps create the mood and atmosphere of the text.
What does atmosphere refer to in a literary context?
The feeling the setting evokes
Examples of atmosphere include mysterious, happy, or eerie feelings.
Differentiate between mood and atmosphere.
Mood is the author’s emotional attitude toward the subject matter
Mood is not the mood of the characters but rather the overall feeling conveyed by the author.
What are characters in a story?
Any personalities who are involved in the plot of the story
Typically, there are fewer than six characters in a short story, which may include people, animals, or fantasy characters.
Who is the protagonist?
The good guy or hero in the story who is the main character we follow
The protagonist tries to solve the conflict within the narrative.
Define the antagonist.
The bad guy or villain in the story who usually creates conflict for the main character
The antagonist opposes the protagonist’s goals.
What are secondary characters?
Other characters who contribute to moving the plot but may not be involved with the central conflict
They add depth to the story without being the main focus.
What are character traits?
Physical and personality traits revealed through:
* What the character does
* What the character says
* What other characters say or do about the character
* What the author states directly
* What the author infers
Character traits help to develop the character’s role in the story.
What is the theme of a story?
The central idea about life that the story highlights
The theme is the main idea or message the author is conveying and determines the specific conflict.
How does the theme relate to conflict?
It decides what side of the conflict the story represents and how the conflict is resolved
The theme addresses who wins and who loses in the narrative.
True or False: The theme is the moral of the story.
False
The theme is not the same as the moral of the story; it is a broader concept.
What does the theme indicate about a work of art?
It is the general subject matter of the work
The theme may contain a message that the author wishes to communicate.
What is the climax in a story?
The highest point of interest in the story when characters solve their struggles
The climax is often associated with the highest point of emotions in the narrative and can be subjective in nature.
What occurs during the falling action of a story?
The character completes the action of their decision
This phase follows the climax and leads towards the resolution.
Define resolution in the context of a story.
The final work of a story’s conflict where all loose ends are tied up
This is the part of the narrative that concludes the story.
What is the setting of a story?
The time and location where the action occurs
The setting helps create the mood and atmosphere of the text.
What does atmosphere refer to in a literary context?
The feeling the setting evokes
Examples of atmosphere include mysterious, happy, or eerie feelings.
Differentiate between mood and atmosphere.
Mood is the author’s emotional attitude toward the subject matter
Mood is not the mood of the characters but rather the overall feeling conveyed by the author.
What are characters in a story?
Any personalities who are involved in the plot of the story
Typically, there are fewer than six characters in a short story, which may include people, animals, or fantasy characters.
Who is the protagonist?
The good guy or hero in the story who is the main character we follow
The protagonist tries to solve the conflict within the narrative.
Define the antagonist.
The bad guy or villain in the story who usually creates conflict for the main character
The antagonist opposes the protagonist’s goals.
What are secondary characters?
Other characters who contribute to moving the plot but may not be involved with the central conflict
They add depth to the story without being the main focus.
What are character traits?
Physical and personality traits revealed through:
* What the character does
* What the character says
* What other characters say or do about the character
* What the author states directly
* What the author infers
Character traits help to develop the character’s role in the story.
What is the theme of a story?
The central idea about life that the story highlights
The theme is the main idea or message the author is conveying and determines the specific conflict.
How does the theme relate to conflict?
It decides what side of the conflict the story represents and how the conflict is resolved
The theme addresses who wins and who loses in the narrative.
True or False: The theme is the moral of the story.
False
The theme is not the same as the moral of the story; it is a broader concept.
What does the theme indicate about a work of art?
It is the general subject matter of the work
The theme may contain a message that the author wishes to communicate.
