Short Story Characteristics 2

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 Short Stories

Which tools do we need to analyse a short story?

Narration

• I-narrative
• Third Person Narrative
• All-knowing/Omnicient narrative 

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly
normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you’d expect to be involved in anything
strange or mysterious, because they just didn’t hold with such nonsense.

1. First person
2. Third person
3. Omnicient

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago—never mind how long precisely—having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world.

1. First person
2. Third Person
3. Omnicient

Margaret, the eldest of the four, was sixteen, and very pretty, being plump and fair, with large eyes, plenty of soft brown hair, a sweet mouth, and white hands, of which she was rather vain. Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall, thin, and brown, and reminded one of a colt … Elizabeth, or Beth, as everyone called her, was a rosy, smooth-haired, bright-eyed girl of thirteen, with a shy manner, a timid voice, and a peaceful expression, which was seldom disturbed … “

1. First person
2. Third person
3. Omnicient

Title

• The explanation of the title may help you understand the theme of the story. 
• The author will want to make you think 
• For example: One Flew over the cuckoo's nest, the catcher in the rye. 

The Way Up To Heaven
What would this story be about?

Irony

• Think of sarcasm. When it is raining and someone tells you: "What a lovely day to be outside."
•  What you hear or see does not match with reality.
  
• Often used in cases of misfortune:
  Win the lottery and die the next day
  Being hit by an ambulance

What is the Irony here? 

What is the irony here?

What is the irony here?

Symbolism

• A symbol stands for something else, bigger, universal.
  
• It is a literary technique that adds meaning to a short story by using an event or object as a symbol to represent something else. 
• For example, a gravestone may be a symbol of death since gravestones are associated with death.
• Many authors use symbolism to subtly allude to the meaning of something without being obvious.

When using symbolism, the following would stand for?
Black

When using symbolism, the following would stand for?
Snow

When using symbolism, the following would stand for?
Butterfly

Flashback

• The author jumps back in time. 
•  it oftens contradicts or proves something in the present. 
• For example: From Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone: 
• when Aunt Petunia makes Harry get a haircut, he wakes up the next morning to find his hair has grown back to where it was. Rowling uses these flashbacks to foreshadow what we soon find out—that Harry has inherited wizarding powers from his parents.

Foreshadowing

•  is a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story.
•   is an excellent device in terms of creating suspense and dramatic tension for readers.
• For example: In Game of Thrones: "Winter Is Coming"