Short Story

Character, Setting, Conflict, Plot, Theme

Understanding a Story’s Plot

Plot

• Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story

• It shows how events and actions occur within a story

• It’s a way to understand how a story develops from beginning to end

Plot Basic Parts: Beginning, Middle, End

• Plot is a crucial element in storytelling

• It helps us understand how a story moves forward

Freytag’s Pyramid

• Freytag’s pyramid uses five main parts to describe a story’s plot

• It is a visual representation that shows how stories can be constructed

• Each part has a specific role in shaping the story’s development

• The Freytag’s Pyramid provides a useful framework to study the story effectively

• Its main parts are; exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution

Gustav Freytag

• He developed Freytag’s Pyramid

• German Novelist

• Playwright

• In mid-19th century

Exposition

• Introductory Part of the story

• Where essential background information is provided

Rising Action

• Refers to series of conflicts and crises in the story that lead to the climax

Climax

• Turning point of the story

• Can be the most intense moment, either in action or how characters feel

Falling Action

• Events that occur after climax

• Leads to resolution

Resolution

• Conclusion of the story

• Often Provides a sense of closure

Characters

• Any person, animal, or figure represented in a literary work

• Antagonist - Protagonist

Author may depict or describe a character by disclosing the following information:

1. His / Her physical appearance

2. What the person feels, says, and even dreams

3. What this person does or does not do

4. What the other say about this person and how others react to him or her

Three Kinds of Character in a Story:

1. Individual

2. Developing

3. Static

Point of View

The perspective used in telling the story

First Point of View

Told from the perspective of a character in a story

Second Point of View

Uses the pronoun “you”

Third Point of View

Told by the narrator who is not part of the story

Theme: The controlling ideas or central insight which the author tries to convey in the story.

Modals

“Modal verbs and their meaning” (n.d.) describes modals as special verbs which behave irregularly in the English language.

In addition, they are used to indicate modality allow speakers to express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity, ability.

Must

• Show strong obligation

• Logical conclusion / certainty

• Suppose something to be with strong evidence

Can

• Shows ability, permission

• Informal, “yes” is the expected answer

• Possibility (what the speaker believes as general fact)

Could

• Shows ability in the past,

• Permission (polite),

• Possibility (slim chance of happening)

May

• Shows permission (more polite),

• Possibility (same as could)

Might

• Shows permission (Polite, rarely used)

• Possibility (same as could and may)

Will

• Shows of promise of action,

• Predictions (better chance of happening)

Shall

• Shows future action (used with I/you)

• Possibility (something that will definitely happen)

Would

• Shows condition (wishful thinking),

• Past of “will”,

• Repetition in the past

Imagery

• Imagery is a visual symbolism, or figurative language that evokes a mental image or other kinds of sense impressions, especially in a literary work.

• Imagery refers to language that stimulates the reader’s senses.

• By evoking those senses through touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight, the writer imparts a deeper understanding of the human experience, connecting with the reader through a shared sensory experience.

• Take a moment to conceptualize something in your mind: an object, a sound, a scent.

• Transcribe whatever you think about into language, transmitting to the reader the precise experience you had in your brain. This is imagery in literature—a powerful literary device that communicates our everyday sensory experiences.

Various Types of Imageries

Vinan

• Visual Imagery

• Graphics, Visual Scenes, Pictures, or the sense of sight

Aunan

• Auditory Imagery

• Sounds, Noises, Music, or the sense of hearing

Oinan

• Olfactory Imagery

• Odors, Aromas, Scents, or the sense of smell

Gunan

• Gustatory Imagery

• Flavors or the sense of taste

Tanan

• Tactile Imagery

• Physical textures or the sense of touch

Orgnan

• Organic Imagery

• Personal Experiences of a character’s body, including emotion and the senses of hunger, thirst, fatigue, and pain

Context Clues

Definition / Explanation Clue

• Meaning of a word is revealed by an explanation immediately following

Contrast / Antonym Clue

• Meaning of a word is revealed by an statement of the opposite meaning

Tone and Setting Clue

• Meaning of a word is revealed by the actions or setting

Inference / General Clue

• Meaning of a word is revealed elsewhere in the test. Relationships inferred or implied

Restatement Clue

• Meaning of a word is revealed by a simple restatement or synonym