Short Stories

Question 1

What does the word plot mean?

Answer 1

Plot is the technical term for the format of a story.

Question 2

What does the word story mean?

Answer 2

The word “story” implies a series of tied-together events.

Question 3

What is the short story plot format?

Answer 3

Exposition (introduction)
Initiating event (inciting incident)
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Resolution

Question 4

What happens in the exposition?

Answer 4

The setting and characters are introduced.

Question 5

What happens in the initiating event?

Answer 5

Conflict it introduced.

Question 6

What happens in the rising action?

Answer 6

The conflict is expanded, complications occur.

Question 7

What happens in the climax?

Answer 7

Point of highest tension. The conflict arrived at a turning point which determines the story’s ending

Question 8

What happens in the falling action?

Answer 8

The resolution of the conflict.

Question 9

What happens in the resolution?

Answer 9

The finale where the author ties up all loose ends.

Question 10

What are the types of characterization?

Answer 10

There are two types of characterization, direct characterization
indirect characterization.

Question 11

Describe how direct characterization occurs in a story.

Answer 11

For direct characterization, the author explicitly states what a certain is like.

Question 12

Describe how indirect characterization occurs in a story.

Answer 12

For indirect characterization, the author gives certain information and lets the reader draw their own conclusions.

Question 13

What are the different types of characters?

Answer 13

There are two types of characters, static and dynamic.

Question 14

Define what a static character is.

Answer 14

A static character is a character that remain the same throughout the course of a story.

Question 15

Define what a dynamic character is.

Answer 15

A dynamic character is a character that changes as a result of the events of a story.

Question 16

What is the setting?

Answer 16

The setting is where and when the story takes place.

Question 17

What does the setting help create?

Answer 17

The setting helps create the mood or atmosphere.

Question 18

Define atmosphere.

Answer 18

The emotional environment of the story.

Question 19

What is a conflict?

Answer 19

The fight or struggle between opposing forces in the story.

Question 20

What are the categories of conflict?

Answer 20

• Internal

- External

Question 21

What are all the types of of conflict?

Answer 21

Character vs. Conscience
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Nature/society/fate/technology

Question 22

What is a theme?

Answer 22

The life lesson about the story.

Question 23

What is point of view?

Answer 23

Point of view if the way the story is told.

Question 24

What are the different types of point of views?

Answer 24

• First person participant
• First person observer
• Third person omniscient
• Third person limited omniscient
• Third person objective observer

Question 25

What is first person participant?

Answer 25

A character involved in the story and so that the view of the situation is limited to what this one character experiences and sees.

Question 26

What is first person observer?

Answer 26

A person, outside the events or situation of the story, narrates, and has limited experience and viewpoint of the situation.

Question 27

What is third person omniscient?

Answer 27

The narrator can move in and out of the thoughts and feeling of any character in the story.

Question 28

What is third person limited omniscient?

Answer 28

The author tells the story but limits knowledge by concentrating on the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Question 29

What is third person objective observer?

Answer 29

The author tells the story as an impartial observer or outsider; often this point of view makes for a surprising ending.