1. Short Story Literary
Terms

2. Plot
▪ Chain of related events that take place in a story;
“framework” of the story

3. Parts of the Plot Chart
▪ Exposition
– background information

4. Parts of the Plot Chart
Initiating Event Rising Actions (Complication)
▪ The first event in a story
that triggers a conflict
▪ Develops the basic situation;
the conflict grows

5. Parts of the Plot Chart
▪ Climax
– The most tense or exciting
part of the story
– something happens to
decide the outcome of the
conflict.

6. Parts of the Plot
Falling Action Resolution
▪ Events which occur showing
the effects of the climax
▪ Conflicts are often
resolved; the end

10. Conflict
▪ Struggle between or within
characters or forces

11. Flashback
▪ A scene that takes the
narrative back in time
from the current point
▪ A memory

12. Setting
▪ When and where the story action take place
– Time: time period, time of day, refers to “when?”
– Place: country, state, specific location, refers to “where?”

13. Tone
▪ The emotional attitude an author take toward his subject
or theme
Sarcastic
Naïve
Depressed
Funny
Angry
Romantic
Dark
Gloomy
Playful
Nostalgic
Optimistic
Scary
Suspenseful
Heartbreaking

14. ▪ Think about what the movie trailers for these movies sound like….

15. Mood
▪ The way a story makes the
reader feel

16. Point of View - How a story is told
▪ First Person
– Narrator
– The speaker is “I”
▪ Third Person
– Used “he,” “she,” “they”
– Omniscient
▪ All-knowing; the narrator can see all
action and may be able to show
multiple characters’ thoughts
– Limited
▪ Focuses on a single character; may or
may not include that character’s
thoughts

17. Theme
▪ idea about human life and human nature that gives meaning to a
story; central message in a work of literature

18. Foreshadowing
▪ When the author hints at something that will come later