How to Discuss A Short Story

A mini-workshop for Student Support Services participants Troy University SPRING 2010

Short Story . . . What is it?

Tells about a single event or experience Fictional (not true) 500 to 15,000 words in length Has a beginning, middle, and end Creates an impression on the reader Prose (Written in sentence and paragraph form, not in verse)

Slide Source: http://www.worldofteaching.com/powerpoints/english/how%20to%20write%20a%20short%20story.ppt#257,2,Definition of a Short Story

Keys to Discussing a Short Story

Learn the Lexicon (Language, Vocabulary). Learn about the authors background and motivations.

Make the story (even fiction) relevant to real life.

The Main Literary Elements of a Story . . .

1.Setting 2.Plot
Click on the
video link

BELOW for
an audio PowerPoint about Five Aspects of any Story:

3.Character
4.Conflict

5.Point of
View

http://www.yout be.com/watch? v=ADFCzrseP4o &feature=relate d

Memorable Short Stories make an important thematic statement.

The theme, another key element of a Short Story . . . Is
The storys main ideas. The message the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.
Slide Source: http://www.worldofteaching.com/powerpoints/english/how %20to%20write%20a%20short%20story.ppt#263,10,Short Story Vocabulary

Ambition Beauty Betrayal Courage Duty/honor Fear Freedom/ Liberty Happiness/Joy

Jealousy Loneliness Love Loyalty Perseverance Prejudice Suffering

Family Race/Ethnicity Religion Spirituality Coming of Age

(Rites of Passage)

Key terms in some common Literary Themes

Change Life Death

Truth

Identity

Apply the Literary Lexicon to. . .

A Discussion of "The Story of An Hour" by Kate Chopin (1894) Here is a List of the Major and Supporting Characters: Mrs. Mallard (Louise Mallard) -- Main Character and Protagonist)

Josephine Louise Mallards very concerned sister

Brently Mallard Louise Mallards husband

Richards Brently Mallards friend who delivers the tragic news

Kate Chopin (1850-1904)

Kate Chopin . . . an American author of short stories and novels, is often viewed as an early feminist writer. Strong women were often the protagonists in her stories. Note that Chopins grandmother was one of the first women in Missouri to ever file and receive a writ of divorce.1 Chopin significantly wrote about identify and race. The New Orleans Creole culture of the Southern U. S. influence her writings.
1. Source: http://www.lpb.org/programs/enhanced_kc/transcripts/trans2b.htm Images: yahoo.com

Summary of The Story of an Hour

"The Story of An Hour" is a short story by Kate Chopin, published in 1894. It is an ironic story about one-hour of time in the life of Mrs. Louise Mallard, a woman with a serious heart ailment. Readers learn about the heart problem at

the beginning of the story and learn also of the central conflict of the story. Note
that Louise is married to Brently Mallard who has reported as among the dead following a train wreck. Josephine, who is Louises sister, and Brentlys friend,

Richards, become quite worried about Louise after Richards tells Louise that
Brently has been killed in a train accident.

Audio of the Story

Now, Listen to an audio rendition of "The Story of An Hour" / Kate Chopin (1894) at LibriVox.org, while reading the accompanying text.
at http://librivox.org/short-storycollection-003/
google images

Apply these Five Elements to Chopins The Story of an Hour

1. Setting -- When and Where (A) Time, (B) Place, (C) Environmental Descriptions, (D) Social/Historical Context 2. Plot -- The sequence of events (A) Introduction; (B) Rising Action or complication; (C) Climax; (D) Falling Action; (E) Conclusion/Denouement 3. Character Main Characters; Supporting Characters; Protagonist; Antagonist; Authors Characterization of the Characters (Dialogue; Actions; Visual Descriptions)

4. Conflict (What is the Protagonist Battling?) What is the purpose of the Story
5. Point of View (Who is the narrator?) (A) First person?; (B) Third Person Omniscient; (C) Third Person Limited Omniscient?

THEME
Now, what Theme(s) can you deduce from your reading of the story? Think about these Thematic Topics or Subjects and then

come up with sentences in which you use each one of

these words as the focus of a theme: (A) Freedom, (B) Life, (C) Death, (D) Change, (E) Love, (F) Joy

What is the Joy that Kills?

What do you think that the author means when she writes A joy that kills as the last phrase in the story?

THE END
Please complete the academic seminar evaluation form to receive your workshop credit. Return form to SSS staff in 109 Shackelford Hall Annex. Please recommend workshop ideas. Thank you for your participation.
Rebecca Money, SPR 2010