Reading Short Stories
A short story is a fictional
story short enough to be read
in one sitting, which
concentrates on only a few
characters and one important
event.
Hare and
the Tortoise
History of the Short Story
Oral Tradition
•Fables, myths, and legends
•Bible Stories-Parables
Short Stories
•1800s
•Length for magazines
•Edgar Allen Poe
•First American Short
Story Writer
Canterbury
Tales
TWENTY GREAT AMERICAN SHORT STORIES
YOUNG GOODMAN BROWN -BY - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE; BARTLEBY THE
SCRIVNER - BY - HERMAN MELVILLE; AN OCCURANCE AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE BY - AMBROSE BIERCE; THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW - BY WASHINGTON
IRVING; THE CASK OF ALMONTILLADO - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POE; THE PRIVATE
HISTORY OF A CAMPAIGN THAT FAILED - BY - MARK TWAIN; MY KINSMAN,
MAJOR MOLINEUX - BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORN; SCARLET STOCKINGS - BY LOUISA MAY ALCOTT; TO BUILD A FIRE - BY- JACK LONDON; THE PURLOINED
LETTER - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POEREGRET - BY - KATE CHOPINTHE ECLIPSE - BY JAMES FENIMORE COOPER A DARK BROWDOG - BY - STEPHAN CRANE THE IMP OF
THE PERVERSE - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POEON THE GULLS' ROAD - BY - WILLA
CATHER THE LOTTERY - BY - SHIRLEY JACKSON THE MINISTER'S BLACK VEIL BY - NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE THE TELL TALE HEART - BY - EDGAR ALLAN POE
THE MONKEY'S PAW - BY - W. W. JACOBS SPLIT CHERRY TREE - BY - JESSE
STUART
ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY
Plot
Character
Setting
Point of View
Theme
Tone
Person or animal
Characters who takes part in
the action
The action/events centered
Plot around a conflict
Setting The time/place action
occurs
Point of view Through whose eyes
we see the events
THEME
The writer’s...
...message...
...presented through characters and plot.
Writer’s point about life or people.
PLOT
Introduction
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Resolution
Elements of Plot
• Exposition: introduces character, setting,
important background, and conflict (initial
incident)
Rising action: conflict builds as main
character struggles with the conflict
Climax: turning point when the main
character makes a decision that will decide the
outcome of the conflict
Falling Action: shows effects of
the climax
Resolution: how the struggle ends for
character-how it affects character
How does plot hook your
curiosity?
Suspense
External
Conflict
Internal
Conflict
Conflict
How to Read a Short Story?
•Read in one sitting
•Experience the single effect:
humor/mystery/horror
•Become familiar with
characters’ feelings and motives
•Think about the struggle--problem and its solution