Short Story Elements Flashcards

1
Q

Five parts of setting

A
  • Place
  • Time
  • Weather conditions
  • Social conditions
  • Mood or atmosphere
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2
Q

The characteristics of a person

A

Individual, developing, or static

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3
Q

Individual characteristic

A

Round, many sided and complex personalities

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4
Q

Developing characteristic

A

Dynamic, many sides personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story e.g. Scrooge

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5
Q

Static characteristic

A

Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized

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6
Q

Two types of conflict

A

External - a struggle with a force outside one’s self
Internal - a struggle within one’s self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

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7
Q

Four kinds of conflict

A

Man vs. Man (physical)
Man vs. Circumstances (classical)
Man vs. Society (social)
Man vs. Self (psychological)

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8
Q

Man vs. Man (physical)

A

The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other characters, forces of nature, or animals

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9
Q

Man vs. Circumstances (classical)

A

The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/ her

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10
Q

Man vs. Society (social)

A

The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people

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11
Q

Man vs. Self (psychological)

A

The leading character struggles with himself/ herself; his/ her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

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12
Q

Lead In (opening)

A

The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.

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13
Q

Rising Action

A

This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the
story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

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14
Q

Climax

A

This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

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15
Q

Falling Action

A

The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).

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16
Q

Resolution

A

This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

17
Q

Five types of Point of View

A
  1. Innocent Eye
  2. Stream of Consciousness
  3. First Person
  4. Second Person
  5. Third Person Omniscient
18
Q

Innocent Eye

A

Through the eyes of a child (his/her judgment being

different than that of an adult)

19
Q

Stream of Consciousness

A

Inside the head - knows all thoughts and reactions

20
Q

First Person

A

Told by the protagonist or one of the characters (using pronouns I, me, we, etc). Reader sees story through this person’s eyes as he/she experiences it, BUT only knows what he/she knows or feels

21
Q

Second Person

A

Addresses the reader (using pronouns such as you, your, yours, etc)

22
Q

Third Person Omniscient

A

Author can move from character to character, event to event, having free access to the thoughts, feelings and motivations of characters; author introduces information where and when he or she chooses (using pronouns they, she, he, it, etc)

23
Q

There are two main types of omniscient point of view:

A

a) Omniscient Limited - We know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us.
b) Omniscient Objective - It appears as though a camera is following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard. There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts. The reader interprets and infers.

24
Q

Theme

A

The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight - the author’s underlying meaning or main idea that he/she is trying to convey. The theme may be the author’s thoughts about a topic or view of human nature (ex: chaos and order, death, everlasting love, motherhood, the superciliousness of youth, good vs. evil, etc.)

25
Q

Symbolism

A

Something that is itself and yet also represents something else, like an idea (ex: skull symbolising death).

26
Q

Pathos

A

Pathos occurs when the author expresses thoughts and feelings in a way that evokes pity or compassion.

27
Q

Mood

A

The prevailing emotions of a work or of the author in his or her creation of the work. The mood of a work is not always what might be expected based on its subject matter.