Short Story Intro

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

 Short Stories

What are we going to do?

• look at tools and their definitions
• apply them to short stories and poems
• group discussions
• write a review
• a mock test: analyse a poem
• Final literature test 

Let's start with short stories...

What are short stories and how do they work? 

Grab your notebook and write down keywords while watching the following video. 

Short story keywords

Characteristics of a short story

• it started as oral tales and ballads
• 19th century: started to look like the current form, so written down and printed, usually in magazines. 
• It is called short, doesn't mean it's always short. It can be lenghty too. 
• There is usually a twist at the end
• Often reveals a certain aspect of a character 

Characteristics of a short story

• it has all the characteristics of a novel, hence the name short story. 
• Well-known author of short stories: Roald Dahl
• Well-known short stories: the ones we are going to read. 

1. The Way up to Heaven by Roald Dahl
2. Thank you Ma'am by Langston Hughes
3. The Open Window by Saki

How to read short stories? 

There is a lot to look out for, write down keywords while watching the following video. 

What to look for in short stories?

Tools for working on short stories

• Plot and tension
• Status quo - rising action - climax - denouement 
• Character
• Theme 
• Setting
• Narration
• Irony
• Symbolism

What do you already know about plot and tension?

Plot and tension

• The plot is the development in the story. One action or event relates to another action or event.
  

       Example: The King died, and the Queen died of grief.

       The ‘wh-questions’ are a good means to discover the plot.

• Tension (or suspense) relates to the plot. The more (unexpected) things happen, the more tension a reader will experience.
  

Status quo

Rising action

Climax

denouement

the starting point of the situation in the story.

the plot develops

It is the moment all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.

 the story comes to an open or closed end.

So...

• The status quo is the starting point of the situation in the story.
  
• Then the plot develops: rising action, working its way towards the climax.
  
• The climax of the story is usually towards the end of the story, but not necessarily the end itself. It is the moment all the pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
  
• The denouement is the falling action: the story comes to an open or closed end.