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Universidad Metropolitana de Puerto Rico Programa Estudios Profesionales Ahora

ENG 201 Workshop #1

Pedro J Negrn S00708260

Vocabulary of a Short Story

The Title: Is the name of the Story. This may give some clue to the writer purpose or it may point to the basic idea or to a symbol. Sometimes the title is related to the story or it may be ironic as well. Plot: This is a general structure found in many short stories that consist in Introductions, sequence of events that leads to a climax and the solution. Not all short stories have this, but they do have a conflict. Conflict: Consider as a basic element of the story, is the struggle between opposing forces. Conflict may be physical, mental, emotional or moral and the character may face more than one conflict. Settings: Its the place or environment in which the story takes place. In a short story, this is established at the beginning, however, most of the time is a brief description or in piece between here and there in phrases. Action: Its determinate by the conflict, is what the characters are doing, saying or thinking. Suspense: Created by curiosity, this is a device to keep the reader interested in the story. Very often the mystery is solved by a surprise ending. Ending: The ending of story brings the solution of the conflict, with a sad or happy ending but not in all cases. This may lead the reader to think that there is a larger conflict involved for which there is no solution yet. Characterization: Divided in good and bad, this are the characters of the short story divided as protagonist (central characters) and antagonist (opossing forces). Characters are generally described from three point of view, the external, or the visibile characteristics, and the character's relationships with other ones. You can get details of the story, studing the characters. Point of View: defined as the angle from which the story is told. Writer may tell the story using the third person narrator, explaining everything about the characters, this is called Omniscience point of view. Also is the objective Omniscience , It appears as though a camera is following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard. There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts. No interpretations are offered. The reader is placed in the position of spectator without the author there to explain. The reader has to interpret events on his own.

Theme: The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature. Short Story: Is a Brief piece of fiction aiming at unity of characterization, theme and effect with a quick ending. Novel: a fictitious prose narrative of considerable length and complexity, portraying characters and usually presenting a sequential organization of action and scenes.

Difference between Both: A novel is a long literary form, whereas a short story is a short literary form. A novel is usually divided into various chapters; The story is usually spread for a good number of years of the main character of the novel. Many other characters that are associated with the main character appear and go in a novel. A short story is not characterized by many characters. The main character of course is supported by a few other characters that add importance to the short story. It will be easy for the reader to remember the characters that appear in a short story.

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