How many of you have ever told a story before?

• Told your mom about a movie you saw.

• Told your friends about something you did or saw.

• Told your dad about what your brother or sister did

What you have been doing is telling a story!

STORY

• Story is…– the events and experiences that make up who

we are

OR– the events and experiences that an author

creates for his or her characters

Fiction

• One type of story is called…– FICTION

• Fiction is:– Works of writing that come from a writer’s imagination

– The writer may be inspired by true events, but everything written is made up in his/her mind

» One type of fiction is…

SHORT STORY!

Elements of a Story

Every story must have certain elements, or parts, in order to be a

good and entertaining story.

Setting

• The setting of a story is the TIME and PLACE that the story occurs.

• Oftentimes there will be many settings within a story; however, we can always come up with a general statement about the setting by asking ourselves these questions:– When in time is the story taking place? How do we

know?– Is there a main location for the story? What is it, and

how do we know?

Characters!

Another main element of a story

Characters

• Every story needs characters, or people/animals/mystical creatures to relate to

• The better we can relate to the characters, the easier it is for the author to pull us into his/her story!

• There are different types of characters within a story

Protagonist• The main character of any story is called the

protagonist. The protagonist is who we follow throughout the story. S/he is who we try to relate to. S/he is who we see in conflict with someone or something.– Let’s see…Who are the protagonists in the following

books or stories:• The Outsiders

– Ponyboy

• Twilight– Bella

• “The Landlady”– Billy Weaver

• The Amazing Life of Mrs. Merriman– Mrs. Merriman (of course )

Antagonist• The antagonist of a story is the person or thing

that the protagonist is in conflict with (AKA “The BAD Guy”).

• Sometimes the antagonist doesn’t have to be a specific person.

• Who are the antagonists for the following books or stories?– Twilight– Holes

• The Warden

– The Harry Potter series• Voldemort

– “The Landlady”• The landlady…that crazy people stuffing woman!

Other Characters

• Usually a book will be filled with other characters that the protagonist comes in contact with. This is to add detail and keep our interest in our main character.

• Oftentimes meeting other characters will help to develop the protagonist and make him/her more relatable.– Why is it important for the author to make a

protagonist that is relatable to the reader?

THEME

Another main element to a story

Theme

• Theme is an idea about life or human nature that the writer tries to share with the reader.– Example: In the Twilight series, the theme is

that love can conquer all obstacles.– In the short story “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,”

the theme is that one shouldn’t ask for help unless you truly need it.

– What was the theme in “The Landlady?”

Types of Theme

• The theme of a story can either be STATED or IMPLIED.– If a theme is stated, then the author includes the theme

within the story itself.

– If a theme is implied, then the author expects the reader to understand the theme or message based on the story itself.

• In most short stories and books, the theme is going to be implied.

• With fables, the theme is often stated at the end of the story.

PLOT

Another extremely important element to a story

Plot

• The plot of a story is the sequence of events in a story (AKA “The Play by Play).

• The plot has a basic format that most stories follow…but you already know that!

Quickie Reminder!• The Exposition, or Introduction, starts out the plot. During

this part of the story, the setting, characters, and basic situation is introduced. Also during this time the main conflict is introduced.

• The Rising Action comes next in a story. This is when the conflict increases in intensity until it reaches a high point, which means it becomes super suspenseful or interesting.

• The Climax occurs next. This is when the conflict reaches its most suspenseful moment. (Who’s going to win the conflict? How is everything going to work out? Is our protagonist going to make it?)

• Then comes the Falling Action. During this time, the main conflict ends.

• Finally comes the Resolution, or Denouement, where any

other events that occur after the main conflict end (and all is well with the world).

The Plot’s Format in a Diagram

Exposition or Introduction

Conflict Introduced

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution or Denouement

Conflict

The last main element of a story

Conflict

• A conflict is a struggle that occurs within the story.

• Often stories will have a main conflict and then smaller conflicts to overcome

• The main conflict is what the main character is trying to overcome throughout the story.

Why is conflict important?

• Would Twilight be an interesting book if Edward wasn’t a vampire and Bella could easily date him?

• Would the Harry Potter books be fun to read if Harry didn’t have to struggle trying to kill Voldemort in each book?

• Would “The Landlady” have been an interesting short story if the landlady let Billy Weaver walk away?

• Conflict is what makes stories exciting and interesting. It keeps us interested in the book or story!

4 Main Types of Conflict• Man vs. Man: When two

people/animals/characters are in conflict or fighting/struggling with each other– Example: Billy Weaver vs. the landlady (although Billy

doesn’t really realize it until the end)

• Man vs. Self: When the main character is in conflict or struggling with her/himself and how s/he feels– Ex. How often have you struggled with trying to

decide whether or not to do something? That is you struggling with yourself!

– In the Twilight series, Bella is often struggling with trying to decide what is the right thing for her.

4 Types of Conflict cont’d• Man vs. Society: When the main character is

in conflict with what society says is right or the way to go or what the law says.– Ex. Have you ever had pressure from your friends to do

something you know is wrong? That is a man vs. society conflict.

– Ex. Knowing that the speed limit is 65mph but wanting really badly to go 80mph because you are late.

• Man vs. Nature: When the main character is in conflict or struggling with the natural world.– Ex. Have you ever been on a walk and it started to downpour

and you still had to get home? You were probably pretty upset because you were getting soaked but you still had to get home. You were in conflict with nature.

– Ex. Man vs. Wild (the tv show) is a great example of man in conflict with nature.

Internal vs. External Conflict

• The 4 types of conflict fit into 2 different categories:– Internal (when a character is struggling mentally…it’s

in his/her head)– External (when a character is struggling with an

outside force)

• In which category does each type of conflict go?– Internal: man vs. self– External: man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs.

nature

Conflict

• Conflict is necessary to make stories interesting and exciting!

• Conflict is a struggle between at least two things/people/ideas/etc.

• Without conflict, STORIES WOULD BE BORING!!!!!!!!!!