Elements of Short Stories

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Short stories

Learning Objective

You can identify:

• setting
• characterization
• plot
• theme
• point of view
• sub-elements of a plot

The elements of a short story

• Setting
• Characters
• Plot (Conflict is part of the plot)
• Point of view 
• Theme

Setting

Where and when?

• physical location
• time of day
• weather
• historical period
• social environment

In Mrs Bixby, where and when does the story take place?

What is the setting in The way up to Heaven?

Characterisation

• Who are the characters? 
• What type of people are they?
• How do we know this?

Who are the most important characters in the story The way up to heaven?

Words to describe Mrs. Foster's character.

Who are the most important characters in Mrs. Bixby and...?

Plot Structure

The plot is the sequence of events in a story. It typically includes exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Answer these questions for either Mrs. Bixby or The way up to heaven. 

• Where in the text is the inciting incident? Be exact.
• Which conflict arises from this incident?
• What happens during the rising action?
• What do you think is the climax? Be exact.
• What is the resolution? What do the characters and readers learn?

Use one word to describe the theme of Mrs. Bixby.

Use one word to describe the theme of The way up to heaven.

First person

One of the characters is telling the story from their point of view. 

"All her life, I had had an almost pathological fear of missing a train, a plane, a boat, or even a theatre curtain. In other respects, I was not a particularly nervous woman, but the mere thought of being late on occasions like these would throw me into such a state of nerves that I would begin to twitch."

Second person

Used in instructions and recipes etc. Not much used in stories.

"You need to find a way to solve this problem, or you won't be able to go on holiday tomorrow."

What's the POV in Mrs. Bixby?

First person

Third person limited

Third person omniscient

Third person objective

What's the POV in The way up to heaven?

First person

Third person limited

Third person omniscient

Third person objective

What are the elements of a short story?

What are the sub-elements of 'plot'?

Please, rate this lesson.

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