Introduction to Short Stories Essential Question

Point of View

As you read a piece of fiction think about these things:

• How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters?
• How is your response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is?
• First person narrators are not always trustworthy.
• It is up to you, the reader, to determine what is the truth and what is not.

Theme

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4qME64SkxM&feature=related

Theme

• the theme is the central message of the story
• ask yourself, “what is the author trying to teach me through this story?”
• most often, it will be inferred rather than directly stated

Theme

Theme Topic

• One or two broad words.
• Examples:
• Choices
• Regret
• Journeys
• Adventure
• Love
• Happiness
• Empathy
• Isolation

Theme Statement

• A lesson the reader learns from the text; a universal truth
• Always written as a statement.
• Examples:
• Life decisions can be hard.
• Regret can stifle life.
• Courage can be seen in unlikely people.

Identify Short Story Elements

• Characters?
• Setting?
• Plot?
• Conflict?
• Point of view?
• Theme?

The Rosa Parks Story

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tuCAAPOZQQ&index=1&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9

Against the Wild

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoDAB_vDnAQ&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9&index=12

Disney’s Maleficent

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-XO4XiRop0&list=PLC4ACF44761DF90F9&index=13

Additional Short Story Elements

Short stories also have these elements:

• Dialogue
• Flashback
• Foreshadow
• Suspense
• Tone/Mood