Introduction to Short Stories
Plot triangles, literary terms and
reading strategies
What is a plot triangle?
A plot triangle shows the typical
progression of events in a story.
There are five parts of a plot triangle:
exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, and resolution.
Also known as Freytag’s Pyramid
Freytag’s Pyramid (Plot Triangle)
Climax
Rising
Action
Exposition
Falling
Action
Resolution
Exposition (introduction): The beginning of
a story that introduces characters, setting
and conflict.
Rising Action: Conflict is established and
intensifies.
Climax: Highest point of action in story or
turning point in the story.
Falling Action: Conflict is in process of
being resolved; all action following climax
Resolution: Conflict is resolved and “loose
ends” are tied up.
Assignment
Choose a fairy tale: “Little Red Riding
Hood,” “Three Little Pigs” or “Hansel and
Gretel.”
As a group, retell the story.
Create a plot triangle for your group’s fairy
tale.
Literary Terms
Definitions and Examples
Setting
 The time and place a
story takes place
 Example: Monster
takes place in a
prison/courtroom in
New York City around
2000.
Simile
 A comparison of two
unlike objects using
like or as.
 Example: The water
hit me like a bull
running a full speed.
Metaphor
 A direct comparison
of two unlike objects.
 Example: The sun is
a bright yellow beach
ball floating in the sky.
Personification
 Giving a non-human
object human
characteristics.
 Example: The tree
limbs waved hello to
me from the distance.
Protagonist
 The main character of
the story (not always
the good guy)
 Example: The
protagonist of
Monster is Steve.
Antagonist
 The character who
causes problems or
opposes the main
character (not always
the bad guy)
 Example: The
prosecutor, Petrocelli,
is the antagonist in
Monster.
Conflict
 A struggle or clash
between opposing
characters or
opposing forces.
 Example: Two
students arguing over
who is right.
Two types of conflict
 Internal Conflict
 External Conflict
 A struggle within the mind
of a character. Person vs.
himself
 Example: A character
cannot decide whether to
skip school or go to class.
 A struggle with an outside
opposing force. Person
vs. person, person vs.
nature, person vs. society
.
Alliteration
 Repetition of the
same consonant
sounds at the
beginning of words
that are close
together in a passage
or poem.
 Example: The
beautiful baby boy
waved bye-bye to his
brother.
Onomatopoeia
 A word whose sound
imitates its meaning.
 Examples: The bee
buzzed my ear.
 The thud of the book
landing on the carpet
scared me.
Theme
 Central idea of a work
or literature (moral of
the story)
 Example: The theme
of Monster was to be
careful who you hang
around because you
will be judged by the
company you keep.
Hyperbole
 A gross or extreme
exaggeration of a
truth to show strong
emotion or for humor.
 Example: When my
mom saw my report
card, she was so mad
I thought her head
would explode.
Foreshadowing
 Hints and clues to
events that will
happen later in the
story.
Pun
 A play on words
using
1. Two words that
sound the same but
have different
meanings.
2. A word with more
than one meaning.