Story Elements
Brave Irene – By William Steig
Forest Lake Elementary Library
Every story has a beginning, a
middle, and an end.
• Beginning
– Mrs. Bobbin finished the dress she was making for
the duchess, but was too sick to take the dress to the
palace.
• Middle
– Irene went out in a blizzard to deliver the dress to the
palace. She had a lot of trouble with the wind.
• End
– Irene delivered the dress to the palace and got to go
to the ball. The next day, she returned home with a
doctor for her mother.
The Introduction
(the beginning of the story)
• Who?
– Irene and her mother, Mrs. Bobbin
• Where?
– At their house
• What?
– They had to deliver the dress to the duchess
for the ball
The Problem
(what’s wrong?)
• Mrs. Bobbin was sick and couldn’t deliver
the dress.
• Irene decided to deliver the dress.
The Complication
(the “but”)
• But, it was snowing out and Irene would
have to walk to the palace.
The Climax
(the turning point - the exciting part!)
• Irene fell and got buried in the snow. But,
the thought of never seeing her mother
again gave her the strength to go on. She
got an idea!
The Resolution
(how the problem was solved!)
• Irene rode the box down the hill like a sled,
and when she got to the bottom, she found
the dress in a tree! She went to the
palace, and everyone lived happily ever
after!
Hooray!