英美文学常识-(小说)Short-Story-Elements

ShortStoryElements1stlecture2ndpartSIXmajorelementsSettingConflictPointofViewPlotCharacterThemeSettingThetimeandlocationinwhichastorytakesplaceForsomestories–thesettingisveryimportant–forothersitisnotSeveralaspectstoconsiderhowsettingcontributestoastory–(some,orall,maybepresentinastory):PlaceTimeWeatherconditionsSocialconditionsMoodoratmosphereTheFunctionsofaSettingTomakeactionseemmorerealToshowareaderadifferentwayoflifeTobethesourceofconflictorstruggleTocreateamoodoratmosphereTosymbolizeanideaExampleofasettingWeleftthehomeplacebehind,milebyslowmile,headingforthemountains,acrosstheprairiewherethewindblewforever.Atfirsttherewerefourofuswithonehorsewagonanditsskimpyload.PaandIwalked,becauseIwasabigboyofeleven.Mytwolittlesistersrompedandtrotteduntiltheygottiredandhadtobeboosteduptothewagonbed.PlotHowtheauthorarrangeseventstodevelophisbasicidea–Thesequenceofeventsinastoryorplay–Aplanned,logicalseriesofeventshavingabeginning,middle,andend–Shortstoriesusuallyhaveoneplotsoitcanbereadinonesitting–TherearefiveessentialpartsofplotPLOTLINE1-Intro2-RisingAction3-Climax4-FallingAction5-ResolutionSpecialTechniquesofPlotSuspense-excitementortensionForeshadowing-hintorclueaboutwhatwillhappeninstoryFlashback-interruptsthenormalsequenceofeventstotellaboutsomethingthathappenedinthepastSurpriseEnding-conclusionthatreaderdoesnotexpectConflictEssentialtotheplotWithoutconflictthereisnoplotItistheoppositionofforces–tiesoneincidenttoanother–makestheplotmoveIsnotmerelylimitedtoopenarguments–Itisanyformofoppositionthatfacesthemaincharacter–Withinashortstorytheremaybeonlyonecentralstruggletheremaybeonedominantstrugglewithmanyminorones.TypesofConflictTherearetwotypesofconflict:1)External-Astrugglewithaforceoutsideone'sself.2)Internal-Astrugglewithinone'sself;apersonmustmakesomedecision,overcomepain,quiettheirtemper,resistanurge,etc.KindsofConflictTherearefourkindsofconflict:Manvs.Man(physical)–leadingcharacterstruggleswithhisphysicalstrengthagainstothermenforcesofnatureanimals.2)Manvs.Circumstances(classical)–leadingcharacterstrugglesagainstfatecircumstancesoflifefacinghim/her.3)Manvs.Society(social)–leadingcharacterstrugglesagainstideas,practices,orcustomsofotherpeople.4)Manvs.Himself/Herself(psychological)––leadingcharacterstruggleswithhimself/herselfwithhis/herownsoulideasofrightorwrongphysicallimitationschoices,etc.CharacterPersonsinaworkoffiction–AntagonistandProtagonist–Shortstoriesusefewcharacters–OnecharacterisclearlycentraltothestoryallmajoreventshavesomeimportancetothischaracterCharacterTheCharacteristicsofaPerson––Inorderforastorytoseemrealtothereaderitscharactersmustseemreal–Characterizationistheinformationtheauthorgivesthereaderaboutthecharacters–Theauthormayrevealacharacterinseveralways:his/herphysicalappearancewhathe/shesays,thinks,feelsanddreamswhathe/shedoesordoesnotdowhatotherssayabouthim/herhowothersreacttohim/herCharactersareconvincingiftheyare:–consistent,motivated,andlife-like(resemblerealpeople)Character’sare….Individual–round,manysidedandcomplexpersonalitiesDeveloping–dynamic,manysidedpersonalitiesthatchange,forbetterorworse,bytheendofthestory.Static–Stereotype–haveoneortwocharacteristicsthatneverchangeandareemphasizedbrilliantdetectiveDrunkScroogecruelstepmotherPointofViewInnocentEye–storytoldthroughtheeyesofachild(his/herjudgmentbeingdifferentfromthatofanadult)StreamofConsciousness–storytoldsothatthereaderfeelsasiftheyareinsidetheheadofonecharacterandknowsalltheirthoughtsandreactions.FirstPerson–storytoldbytheprotagonistoroneofthecharacterswhointeractscloselywiththeprotagonistorothercharactersusingpronounsI,me,we,etcreaderseesthestorythroughthisperson'seyesashe/sheexperiencesitandonlyknowswhathe/sheknowsorfeels.OmniscientP.O.V.Omniscient–authorcannarratethestoryusingtheomniscientpointofviewmovesfromcharactertocharacter,eventtoevent,havingfreeaccesstothethoughts,feelingsandmotivationsofhischaractersandintroducesinformationwhereandwhenhechoosesTherearetwomaintypesofomniscientpointofview:–OmniscientLimitedauthortellsstoryinthirdperson(usingpronounsthey,she,he,it,etc).Weknowonlywhatthecharacterknowsandwhattheauthorallowshim/hertotellus.Wecanseethethoughtsandfeelingsofcharactersiftheauthorchoosestorevealthemtous.–OmniscientObjectiveauthortellsstoryinthethirdpersonItappearsasthoughacameraisfollowingthecharacters,goinganywhere,andrecordingonlywhatisseenandheardThereisnocommentonthecharactersortheirthoughtsNointerpretationsareofferedThereaderisplacedinthepositionofspectatorwithouttheauthortheretoexplainThereaderhastointerpreteventsonhisown.Themeisthecontrollingideaorcentralinsightistheauthor'sunderlyingmeaningormainideathatheistryingtoconveymaybetheauthor'sthoughtsaboutatopicorviewofhumannaturetitleoftheshortstoryusuallypointstowhatthewriterissayingauthormayusevariousfiguresofspeechtoemphasizehistheme,–SymbolAllusion–SimileMetaphor–HyperboleironyExamplesofThemeSomesimpleexamplesofcommonthemesfromliterature,TV,andfilm–things