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GREAT BOOKS/short story

Hello Ka-Edu!
Here is an episode for Great Books for Module 3: The Short story
What is a short story?
A short story is a form of a brief fictional work usually written in prose. The
earliest examples of short stories can be found in the oral storytelling tradition as
well as the episodes of ancient Mediterranean epics like The Epic of Gilgamesh and
the Homer’s Iliad. Other examples also include anecdotes, fables, fairy tales and
parables. Aesop’s fables may have been the first anthology of short stories in Western
literature in the 4th Century BC.
A short story is a fictional work of prose that is shorter in length than a novel.
In his essay The Philosophy of Composition, Edgar Allan Poe said that a short story
should be read in one sitting and focuses on one plot, one main character (with few
additional characters) and one central theme.
Characteristics of a short story
Length: Short stories typically range from 1,600 to 20,000 words. Edgar Allen
Poe suggested that a short story should take 30 minutes to two hours to read.
Subject: Short stories usually focus on a single subject or theme. Subjects or themes
may range variedly. A single, easily contained plot is one of the hallmarks of the short
story and helps shape its other characteristics.
'In medias res': Short stories usually take place in a single setting and begin 'in medias
res', which means 'into the middle of things' in Latin. In general, short stories tend to
begin and end abruptly, with little to no prior information and no major lapses in
time.
Limited number of characters: Due to the limitations of the genre, short stories
typically focus on just one or a couple characters.

What are the elements of a short story?

1.Characters. Every story need characters. Your protagonist is your main character,
and they are the primary character interacting with the plot and the conflict. You
might have multiple protagonists or secondary protagonists. An antagonist works
against your main character’s goals to create conflict. Most short stories have several
characters.

2. Setting. Your story must take place somewhere. Setting is where and when the
story takes place, the physical location and time period. Some stories have only one
setting, while others have several settings. Setting also includes time periods. This
might be a year or an era. You can be less specific in your time period, like “modern-
day” or “near future,” but it is still an important component of your setting.

3. Theme. Think of theme as the “why” behind the story. What is the big idea? Why
did the author write the story, and what message are they trying to convey? Some
common themes in stories include: Good versus evil, love, life, success and others.
Themes can also be warnings, such as the dangers of seeking revenge or the effects of
war. Sometimes themes are social criticisms on class, race, gender, or religion.

4.Tone. Tone might be the most complicated of all the story elements. Tone is the
overall feeling of your story. A mystery might be foreboding. A women’s literature
story might feel nostalgic. A romance might have an optimistic, romantic tone. Tone
should fit both your genre and your individual story. Create tone with writing
elements such as word choice, sentence length, and sentence variety. Aspects of the
setting, such as the weather, can contribute to tone, as well.

5.Point of View. Every story needs a point of view (POV). This determines whether
we’re seeing something from the narrator’s perspective or a character’s perspective.
There are four main points of view in creative writing and literature.
First person tells the story from a character’s perspective using first person pronouns
(I, me, my, mine, we, our, ours). The POV does not have to be from the perspective
of the main character. For example, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the
narrator, Nick, is mostly an observer and participant in Gatsby and Daisy’s story.

The third person limited can be used to show the story through the eyes of one
character. This point of view uses third person pronouns (he, him, his, her, hers,
their, theirs). If your story features alternating points-of-view, third person limited
only shows one character’s perspective at a time.

First person and third person limited points of view are sometimes referred to as deep
POV.

If the story is told from the narrator’s perspective, the POV is typically third person
omniscient. Omniscient means all-knowing: the narrator sees all and knows all.

Rarely, stories are written in second person (you, yours). This point of view is more
common in short stories than novellas or novels. Fanfiction and choose-your-own-
adventure stories use second person more often than traditional creative writing
does.

6.Conflict. Conflict is the problem that drives a story’s plot forward. The conflict is
what is keeping your characters from achieving their goals. There are internal
conflicts, in which the character must overcome some internal struggle. There are
also external conflicts that the character must face.
There are seven major types of conflict in literature. They are Man vs. Man, Man vs.
Nature, Man vs. Society, Man vs. Technology, Man vs. Supernatural, Man vs. Fate and
Man versus. Self.

Typically, a story has several small conflicts and a large, overarching internal
or external conflict. While all the elements of a story are crucial, conflict is the one
that makes your story interesting and engaging.

7.Plot. The plot is the series of events that occur in a story. It’s the beginning,
middle, and end. It’s easy to confuse conflict and plot. Plot is what happens, while
conflict is the things standing in the way of different characters’ goals. The two are
inextricably linked.
Plot is one of the seven elements of a story, but there are also different elements of
plot. We’ll cover this in greater detail in the next section.

What Are the Elements of Plot?

Everything, from a short story to a novel, requires not only the basic elements of a
story but also the same essential elements of a plot. While there are multiple types of
plot structure (e.g. three-act structure, five-act structure, hero’s journey), all plots
have the same elements. Together, these form a story arc.

1. Exposition sets the scene. It’s the beginning of the story where we meet our
main character and see what their life is like. It also establishes the setting and
tone.
2. Rising Action. The exposition leads to an event known as the inciting incident.
This is the gateway to the rising action. This part of the story contains all of
the events that lead to the culmination of all the plot points. We see most of
the conflict in this section.
3. Climax. The climax is the height of a story. The character finally faces and
usually defeats whatever the major conflict is. Tension builds through the
rising action and peaks at the climax. Stories have more than one climax,
depending on the plot structure, or if there are two different character arcs.
4. Falling Action. The falling action is when all the other conflicts or character
arcs begin resolving. Anything that isn’t addressed in the climax will be
addressed in the falling action. Just because the characters have passed the
most difficult part of the plot doesn't mean everything is tied up neatly in a
bow. Sometimes the climax causes new conflicts!
5. Resolution or Denouement. The end of a story is called the resolution or
denouement. All major conflicts are resolved or purposely left open for a cliff-
hanger or sequel. In many stories, this is where you find the happily ever after,
but a resolution doesn’t have to be happy. It’s the ending of a story arc or plot,
and all the questions are answered or intentionally unanswered.
How to analyze a short story?
 1. Read the short story multiple times. Take down important concepts.
2. Analyze the plot
• Does the plot hold your interest from beginning to end?
• What are the most important events, and why?
• Is plotline realistic?
• Are there any parts of the plotline that seem irrelevant to the main
story?
• Does the plot deal with external conflict, internal conflict, or both?
• What is the moral of the story?
3. Analyzing Characterization
 Wondering how to analyze characters in a short story? The best way is to ask
these questions:
 Who is the protagonist?
 How effectively does the author describe the characters’ actions, appearance,
and thoughts?
 What are your feelings towards the characters?
 Does the way the characters speak give you any information about their
personality?
 Do the characters change throughout the story?
 If the story contains minor characters, are they necessary and effective?
4. Analyzing the setting
• How does the author describe the location of the events?
• Does the story take place in the past, the present, or the future (or all three)?
• What are the broader circumstances surrounding the story’s setting?
• Does the setting play an essential role in the story?
• Do the place and time in which the author lived and worked affect the location
and period in which the story is set?
• Has the author successfully given you a feeling of really being in the story’s
setting?
5. Analyzing Themes
 Analyzing a theme is your chance to stand out. While some themes are
apparent and intended by the author, it is also possible to find more obscure
ones. Even the author may not have been aware of them.
 Answer these questions, and you’ve nailed the theme:
 What is the central theme? Are there any others?
 How is the theme conveyed?
 If the author is using the story to deliver a particular message, are you
convinced by it?
 What does the theme reveal about the author?
6. Analyzing the Point of View
  Analyzing the point of view will give a more in-depth insight into all of the
previous aspects you have dealt with. So ask yourself:
 Who is narrating the story?
 Does the author use a consistent point of view?
 Is the narrator telling the truth?
 Does the author have the same mindset as the narrator?
 Would the story be different if it were narrated from another point of view?

7. Analyzing the Style

 What is the author’s tone? Humorous? Serious? Sarcastic? Sentimental?

 Does the author use any unusual words or phrases? What effect do they have?
 Is there anything in the story – an object, for example – that has any special
meaning?
 Does the author’s use of literary devices affect your enjoyment of the story in
any way?
 What would the story be like if the author used a different style?

8. Put It All Together

To get how to write a short story analysis step by step, you have to keep in mind the
two golden rules:
• Your essay must be focused on the set question.
• Your opinions are only valid if you can support them with evidence.
Divide your work into three sections:
• Introduction (about 10% of the total word count)
• Main body (about 80% of the total word count)
• Conclusion (about 10% of the total word count)
Yes, that is it! You are ready to read and analyze the first example of a short story,
The Cask of Amontillado as our next episode. Check our Google classroom for the
quiz.:-)