short story theory

Question 1

colloquial

Answer 1

more casual than formal- how you would speak out loud

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Question 2

antecedent action

Answer 2

events that have occurred before the story begins

Question 3

atmosphere (mood)

Answer 3

the tone an author gives to the story. atmosphere is the changing moods a reader is put into while reading

Question 4

readers learn about characters in what 5 ways?

Answer 4

dialogue (what they say), action (what they do), what they thinks, what others say about the character, and the author’s direct statements about the character

Question 5

motives/ character motivations

Answer 5

the reason why a particular character behaves the way he does

Question 6

direct presentation of character

Answer 6

author tells the reader about the character

Question 7

indirect presentation of character

Answer 7

author shows read what they’re like; reader left to make judgements

Question 8

2 ways the author can present characters

Answer 8

direct and indirect

Question 9

flat (type) character

Answer 9

built around a single quality or idea (not much detail)

Question 10

round characters

Answer 10

as complex as real people. motives are complicated

Question 11

static characters

Answer 11

remain essentially the same from beginning to end of the story

Question 12

dynamic/ developing characters

Answer 12

undergo a change from the start to end of story

Question 13

plausible characters

Answer 13

believable for the reader

Question 14

stock (stereotypical) characters

Answer 14

occur repeatedly in literature (eg. humble hero)

Question 15

dilemma

Answer 15

character faces 2 choices, both are undesirable

Question 16

escape literature

Answer 16

written purely for entertainment (magazine)

Question 17

interpretive literature

Answer 17

written to provide entertainment but also serve to deepen a reader’s awareness of life. has a theme, while escape lit. does not

Question 18

flashback

Answer 18

story moves back to an earlier point in time

Question 19

foreshadowing

Answer 19

clues in story which warn reader about the ending

Question 20

In Medias Res

Answer 20

story with no introduction (“in the middle of the action”)

Question 21

initial incident

Answer 21

1st event in a story upon which the rest of the story depends

Question 22

irony and 3 types

Answer 22

shows something different from what the reader expects

1. verbal irony
2. situational irony
3. dramatic irony

Question 23

verbal irony

Answer 23

the opposite of what is said is actually meant. eg sarcasm

Question 24

situational irony

Answer 24

most common- a situation appears to be developing to its natural conclusion and then it takes an opposite turn

Question 25

dramatic irony

Answer 25

similar to situational- but the speaker is unaware that he is being ironic (reader understands irony but narrator does not- reader knows something that the speaker doesn’t)

Question 26

plot

Answer 26

plan or main action of the story

Question 27

protagonist

Answer 27

central or main character in story

* doesn’t have to be ‘good guy’

Question 28

antagonist

Answer 28

opposing force to main character

doesn’t have to be bad guy

Question 29

plot manipulation

Answer 29

unmoitvated action in order for the author to manipulate the story
eg overuse of coincidence to make the situation work out

Question 30

conflict and 3 types

Answer 30

conflict builds to reach climax (peak of conflict), which is then resolved

1. man vs man (physical)
2. man vs nature (elemental)
3. man vs self (mental)

Question 31

denouement

Answer 31

french for unknotting- resolution

Question 32

3 types of point of view

Answer 32

mental (first person, third person), physical, emotional

Question 33

Mental POV

Answer 33

involves the idea of who is telling the story to the reader
1. first person(participant): I, me, us, we, my
narrator can be A) major character in the story or B) minor character in the story- then focuses on someone else

2. third person(non participant): pronouns he, she, they
   A) ominicent narrator: can enter minds of all the characters
   B) selective (limited) ominicent narrator: limits his omniscience to minds of 1 or 2 characters
   C) objective narrator: does not enter minds of characters (fly on the wall)

Question 34

physical POV

Answer 34

places narrator in some specific place from which the story is told (eg wild west)

Question 35

emotional pov

Answer 35

involves tone of the story. creates many moods (may change)

Question 36

satire

Answer 36

author criticizes something such as religion, politics. does not ridicule directly

Question 37

setting

Answer 37

time and place in which a story occurs (circumstance)

Question 38

stream of consciousness narration

Answer 38

author attempts to duplicate the unbroken flow of thought and awareness in character’s mind

Question 39

style

Answer 39

HOW a writer says whatever he says- reflects their personality showing through

Question 40

theme

Answer 40

controlling idea/ insight. It’s a generalization about life that’s implied by the story

Question 41

the 4 ways a short story can be classified

Answer 41

plot, character, setting, or theme

which has been emphasized most

Question 42

unity

Answer 42

author uses his material in the best arrangement and order

Question 43

verisimilitude

Answer 43

appearance of being real or true

if a story has verisimilitude, it is true to life