Q Instructions: These notes should be about a page long and demonstrate that you are reading the story carefully 1. How does this story relate to your life or the world around you? That is, what connection can you make to it? How is relevant for reader’s today? (Write about 4-6 sentences). 2. Make notes about the plot and structure of the story. Identify the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution of the story. 3. Choose two short passages from the story (one important sentence, for example and put quotation marks around each). Write a few sentences about each in which you draw some conclusions about the significance and meaning. 4. What do you think is a major theme of the story? Write this out as a complex idea about the story, about its significance a meaning. (One complex sentence.) Helpful Guiding Questions for Plot and structure The plot is the main sequence of events that make up the story. In short stories the plot is usually centered around one experience or significant moment. Consider the following questions: • What is the most important event? • How is the plot structured? Is it linear, chronological or does it move around? • Is the plot believable? • Is there and exposition? How does it prepare you for the rest of the story? Exposition • The exposition is the beginning of the story and prepares the way for upcoming events. In the exposition, the author introduces the major characters (Links to an external site.), establishes the setting and reveals major conflicts in the story. The author often discusses the characters' backstory, so readers gain insight as to why characters act or respond as they do. Conflict Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle. • How would you describe the main conflict? • Is it an internal conflict within the character? • Is it an external conflict caused by the surroundings or environment the main character finds himself/herself in? Climax The climax is the point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story. It can also be the point where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion. Ask yourself: • Is there a turning point in the story? • When does the climax take place? PreviousNext