英美文学常识 (小说)Short Story Elements

1、Short Story Elements,1st lecture 2nd part,SIX major elements,Setting Conflict Point of View Plot Character Theme,Setting,The time and location in which a story takes place For some stories the setting is very important for others it is not Several aspects to consider how setting contributes to a sto

2、ry (some, or all, may be present in a story):,Place Time Weather conditions Social conditions Mood or atmosphere,The Functions of a Setting,To make action seem more real To show a reader a different way of life To be the source of conflict or struggle To create a mood or atmosphere To symbolize an i

3、dea,Example of a setting,We left the home place behind, mile by slow mile, heading for the mountains, across the prairie where the wind blew forever. At first there were four of us with one horse wagon and its skimpy load. Pa and I walked, because I was a big boy of eleven. My two little sisters rom

4、ped and trotted until they got tired and had to be boosted up to the wagon bed.,Plot,How the author arranges events to develop his basic idea The sequence of events in a story or play A planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end Short stories usually have one plot so it ca

5、n be read in one sitting There are five essential parts of plot,PLOT LINE,1 - Intro 2 - Rising Action 3 - Climax 4 - Falling Action 5 - Resolution,Special Techniques of Plot,Suspense- excitement or tension Foreshadowing- hint or clue about what will happen in story Flashback- interrupts the normal s

6、equence of events to tell about something that happened in the past Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not expect,Conflict,Essential to the plot Without conflict there is no plot It is the opposition of forces ties one incident to another makes the plot move Is not merely limited to open a

7、rguments It is any form of opposition that faces the main character Within a short story there may be only one central struggle there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.,Types of Conflict,There are two types of conflict: 1) External - A struggle with a force outside ones self. 2) Inte

8、rnal - A struggle within ones self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.,Kinds of Conflict,There are four kinds of conflict: Man vs. Man (physical) leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men forces of nature animals.

9、2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) leading character struggles against fate circumstances of life facing him/her.,3) Man vs. Society (social) leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people. 4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) leading character struggles wit

10、h himself/herself with his/her own soul ideas of right or wrong physical limitations choices, etc.,Character,Persons in a work of fiction Antagonist and Protagonist Short stories use few characters One character is clearly central to the story all major events have some importance to this character,

11、Character,The Characteristics of a Person In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters The author may reveal a character in several ways: his/her physical appearance what he/she says

12、, thinks, feels and dreams what he/she does or does not do what others say about him/her how others react to him/her Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people),Characters are.,Individual round, many sided and complex personalities Developing dy

13、namic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story. Static Stereotype have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized brilliant detective Drunk Scrooge cruel stepmother,Point of View,Innocent Eye story told through the eyes of a child (his/

14、her judgment being different from that of an adult) Stream of Consciousness story told so that the reader feels as if they are inside the head of one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions. First Person story told by the protagonist or one of the characters who interacts closely with t

15、he protagonist or other characters using pronouns I, me, we, etc reader sees the story through this persons eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels.,Omniscient P.O.V.,Omniscient author can narrate the story using the omniscient point of view moves from character to ch

16、aracter, event to event, having free access to the thoughts, feelings and motivations of his characters and introduces information where and when he chooses There are two main types of omniscient point of view: Omniscient Limited author tells story in third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it,

17、etc). We know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us. Omniscient Objective author tells story in the third person It appears as though a camera is following the charact

18、ers, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts No interpretations are offered The reader is placed in the position of spectator without the author there to explain The reader has to interpret events on his own.,Theme,is the controlling idea or central insight is the authors underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey may be the authors thoughts about a topic or view of human nature title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying author may use various figures of speech to