short story theory Flashcards
colloquial
more casual than formal- how you would speak out loud
`
antecedent action
events that have occurred before the story begins
atmosphere (mood)
the tone an author gives to the story. atmosphere is the changing moods a reader is put into while reading
readers learn about characters in what 5 ways?
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
motives/ character motivations
the reason why a particular character behaves the way he does
direct presentation of character
author tells the reader about the character
indirect presentation of character
author shows read what they’re like; reader left to make judgements
2 ways the author can present characters
direct and indirect
flat (type) character
built around a single quality or idea (not much detail)
round characters
as complex as real people. motives are complicated
static characters
remain essentially the same from beginning to end of the story
dynamic/ developing characters
undergo a change from the start to end of story
plausible characters
believable for the reader
stock (stereotypical) characters
occur repeatedly in literature (eg. humble hero)
dilemma
character faces 2 choices, both are undesirable
escape literature
written purely for entertainment (magazine)
interpretive literature
written to provide entertainment but also serve to deepen a reader’s awareness of life. has a theme, while escape lit. does not
flashback
story moves back to an earlier point in time
foreshadowing
clues in story which warn reader about the ending
In Medias Res
story with no introduction (“in the middle of the action”)
initial incident
1st event in a story upon which the rest of the story depends
irony and 3 types
shows something different from what the reader expects
- verbal irony
- situational irony
- dramatic irony
verbal irony
the opposite of what is said is actually meant. eg sarcasm
situational irony
most common- a situation appears to be developing to its natural conclusion and then it takes an opposite turn
dramatic irony
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)
plot
plan or main action of the story
protagonist
central or main character in story
* doesn’t have to be ‘good guy’
antagonist
opposing force to main character
doesn’t have to be bad guy
plot manipulation
unmoitvated action in order for the author to manipulate the story
eg overuse of coincidence to make the situation work out
conflict and 3 types
conflict builds to reach climax (peak of conflict), which is then resolved
- man vs man (physical)
- man vs nature (elemental)
- man vs self (mental)
denouement
french for unknotting- resolution
3 types of point of view
mental (first person, third person), physical, emotional
Mental POV
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
- 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)
physical POV
places narrator in some specific place from which the story is told (eg wild west)
emotional pov
involves tone of the story. creates many moods (may change)
satire
author criticizes something such as religion, politics. does not ridicule directly
setting
time and place in which a story occurs (circumstance)
stream of consciousness narration
author attempts to duplicate the unbroken flow of thought and awareness in character’s mind
style
HOW a writer says whatever he says- reflects their personality showing through
theme
controlling idea/ insight. It’s a generalization about life that’s implied by the story
the 4 ways a short story can be classified
plot, character, setting, or theme
which has been emphasized most
unity
author uses his material in the best arrangement and order
verisimilitude
appearance of being real or true
if a story has verisimilitude, it is true to life
