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Elements of the Short Story

When we complete the Elements of the Short Story Unit, students will be quizzed over the notes they took during the PowerPoint presentation.  Posted below are all the answers to the fill-in the blank worksheet.  An e-Assessment at QuizStar give students an opportunity to see how much they know about the elements. To access the e-Assessment, register and then access the quiz by teacher.

Plot:

Introduction/Exposition – Characters, Setting, and  Conflict are introduced

Complication – Rising Action – The Protagonist takes steps to resolve the conflict

Climax – The peak of suspense.

Denouement – Falling Action –The consequences of the conflict are played out

Resolution – The conflict is resolved

 

Conflicts:

Man vs. Man; Man vs. Society; Man vs. Himself; Man vs. Nature; Man vs. Machine; Man vs. Supernatural

 

 Characterization:

·       What a character says – speech

·       What a character does – actions

·       What a character looks like – appearance

·       What a character thinks – private thoughts

·       What others in the story think of the character

 

 Point-of-View (simplified)

First Person –  Narrator tells the story “I”

Third Person Limited –  The author only reveals what one character in the story is thinking

Third Person Omniscient – The author reveals more than one character’s thoughts

 

 Functions of Setting:

1. Gives background information: establishes time and place

2. Creates mood or atmosphere

3. Reveals character (assists in showing off a character’s personality)

4. Establishes conflict (or contributes to the conflict)

 

 

Theme:

A message the author wants to get across in his/her story.

It is always in a complete sentence

  It represents a universal “truth”

 

Antagonist: Who or what is causing the conflict

Protagonist: The main character

Flat Character: A character who only has one or two personality traits

Round Character: A character who demonstrates three or more personality traits

Dynamic Character: A character who goes through a change in his/her character during the story.

Static Character: A character who does not change in any significant way during the story.