Word of the Day

Excoriate: criticize, berate, attack

February 5 & 6, 2014

Essential Question: What are the components of a short story? Warm-Up: What was your favorite story as a child? Why was it your favorite?

 Be on time. If you are late, you will have to get a pass. You may have a beverage but it MUST be in a plastic bottle w/ a cap. No snacks. Your electronic device must be powered off and put away. You arent that important. Teacher workspaces/cabinets are off limits to students unless you have SPECIFIC permission. Respect your self and your classmates that includes keeping your hands to yourself. During direct instruction (in other words, if Im talking), stay in your seat. No, you may not throw away your trash, go to the bathroom, your locker, your counselor, or anywhere else.

The Short Story

The genre of the short story is considered an indigenous American art form.
Edgar Allan Poe is most often credited with its creation.
Established rules to govern the writing of the genre

A short story is NOT defined by the number of pages it contains rather by the amount of time it takes to read. In general, a story is considered short when it can be read in about 1-2 hours.

The Short Story

Regarding the length of a short story:

usually, less than 10,000 words 15 -20 typed, double-spaced pages on average longer works (50-60 pages) are called novellas, novelettes, or short novels.

 Characters

Parts of the Whole

The people involved in the story Created through physical description, actions, speech, the opinions and responses of other characters, and, where narrative point of view allows, through their own thoughts.
This is INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

Setting
The place(s) and time(s) in which the storys action occurs. This is created largely by sensory detail
This is IMAGERY

Plot
The sequence of events which makes up the story Plot is not always chronologically presented.
Flashbacks and flashforwards can be used for emphasis and clarification

Focus tends to be on one major event

Parts of the Whole

Point of View
The angle from which the writer presents the story
1st person (I, me, we, us) the narrator is a character involved in the story 2nd person least used POV (you, your, yours, yall) 3rd person (he, she, it, they, them) the narrator is external and does not take part in the story

POV can be
limited (no access to characters thoughts and feelings) omniscient (total access to characters thoughts and feelings) semiomniscient (access to thoughts and feelings of selected characters)

Parts of the Whole

Scenes
Parts of the story in which the writers attention is tightly focused on a particular point in the progression of events. Sensory detail (imagery) is key so readers feel that they see/hear/feel/taste/smell all that they would if actually witnessing the actions presented.

Dialogue
The written approximation of speech

Parts of the Whole

Theme
The insight or concern that the writer hopes to convey through the story. Not stated outright, it should be absorbed by the reader almost subconsciously

Exercise
Write a story that ends with the following sentence: Kendra brushed the sand from her blouse, took a last look at the burning SUV, and stepped into the hot-air balloon.