Short Story Terms

Question 1

Escape Literature

Answer 1

-takes us away from the real world
-enables us to forget our troubles
Ex: Horror, sci-fi, fantasy

Question 2

Interpretive Literature

Answer 2

-takes us through our imagination and deeper into the real world
-enables us to understand our troubles
-an interpretive story presents us with an insight into the nature and conditions of our existence
Ex: Adventure, Historical Fic, Romance, Mystery

Question 3

Plot

Answer 3

-The sequence of incidents or events of which a story is composed
-Leaves out description and analysis, concentrating on major happenings

Question 4

Conflict

Answer 4

-Clash of actions, ideas, desires, or wills
-Man vs man
-Man vs environment
-Man vs himself
-Physical, emotional, or moral conflict can occur

Question 5

Protagonist

Answer 5

The central character in the conflict, whether sympathetic or not

Question 6

Antagonist

Answer 6

The character(s) against the protagonist
-The antagonist could be people, things, conventions of society, or even the traits of themself

Question 7

Suspense

Answer 7

-Makes the story suspenseful
-makes reader ask “what’s going to happen next?”

Question 8

Two common devices of suspense

Answer 8

Mystery - an unusual set of circumstances for which the reader craves an exploration
Dilemma - placing the hero in this; where they must choose between two courses of action, both undesirable

Question 9

Surprise

Answer 9

-Surprise becomes pronounced when the story departs from our expectations
-Surprise ending is common where a new turn or twist is reveled

Question 10

Flat Character

Answer 10

-Has 1 or 2 traits
-Personality can be in a sentence
-Minor characters

Question 11

Round Character

Answer 11

-Complex, three-dimensional
-Needs essay for a full-analysis
-A lot of short stories don’t have round characters

Question 12

Stock Character

Answer 12

-the stereotyped character
Example: the strong, silent sheriff, the brilliant detective, the mad scientist, the handsome hero, the cruel stepmother

Question 13

Static Character

Answer 13

-a character that has not developed at the end of the story
-doesn’t undergo any change

Question 14

Developing Character

Answer 14

-undergoes a permanent change in personality or outlook
-change may be big/small for better or for worse

Question 15

Theme

Answer 15

-the controlling idea or central insight in the story
-the central purpose
-not all stories have one

Question 16

Omniscient POV

Answer 16

-story told by the author with third person
-peers inside characters if the author wishes to do so
-interprets behaviour and comments

Question 17

Limited Omniscient

Answer 17

-author tells the story in the third person, but told from the viewpoint of one character
-author looks at events through one character’s eyes
-no knowledge of what anyone else is thinking

Question 18

1st Person

Answer 18

-pretty self explanatory
-no direct intepretation by the author of events or actions, it is only by the character
-I/Me/My

Question 19

Symbol

Answer 19

-something which means more than it is
-an object, person, situation, action, or some item that suggests or represents something as well as its original definition

Question 20

Verbal irony

Answer 20

-the opposite is said from what is intended
-the simplest and least important

Question 21

Dramatic irony

Answer 21

-the contrast between what a character says or thinks and what the reader knows to be true

Question 22

Irony of situation

Answer 22

-most important
-the contrast of what happened and what would have seemed appropriate

Question 23

Short story diagram

Answer 23

Intro, conflict, rising action, suspense, climax, ending

Question 24

3 types of short story endings

Answer 24

1. Surprise or shock ending
2. Unfinished ending
3. Natural ending

Question 25

What does the opening of a short story do?

Answer 25

1. sets the scene
2. presents the situation to the reader
3. arouses the interest of the reader
4. introduces the main characters

Question 26

Complication or Complicating Incident

Answer 26

-intro of a problem which calls for some action on the part of the central character

Question 27

Climax

Answer 27

-highest point of tension in the story
-turning point which reveals the success/failure of the protagonist’s efforts
-resolves conflict

Question 28

What are Poe’s principles in order? (6)

Answer 28

1. A short story should create a single impression.
2. It must be capable of being read at one sitting.
3. Every word should contribute to the planned effect.
4. The effect should be created in the opening sentence and developed throughout the work.
5. The story should end at its climax
6. Only such characters as are essential to the effect should appear.