ELEMENTS FOUND IN SHORT STORIES AND NOVELS BY Grisel Cano, Ed. D. 2018 1
NARRATION: MOVING THROUGH TIME Goal: Discuss each of the elements found in short stories Assignment: 1. Choose a topic from the ones in the syllabus 2. Brainstorm about the experience you want to write about 3. Fill out a Narrative Worksheet to highlight the key elements of your story Class Objectives 1. To teach the basic properties of narration Description of setting Description of situation Conflict (beginning of plot) Struggle (continuation of plot) Conflict resolution (continuation of plot) Outcome (end of plot) 2. Character description 4. Verb tense 5. Point of view (General point you want to make) 6. Message or philosophical lesson Definition and Uses of Narration The act of narration involves giving an account of an incident or a series of events that have occurred in the past. Narration can function as the major structure for an essay or as a support element for other structural modes. Examples of narratives are jokes, short stories, incidents, trip reports, case studies, or novels. Narratives follow a basic pattern. 2
(Please note that not all writers follow each of these steps in the order presented; however, these guidelines provide an excellent way to understand narratives). 2. Basic Properties The type of narratives that will be written in this class must follow the pattern of short stories. The pattern includes the following elements: Setting (First paragraph + introduction to your first character) A setting has to do with place and time. The introduction should include a thick description of when and where the story takes place. The idea is for the reader to be able to visualize a particular place without being there. One example from Gabriel Garcia Marquez s award winning One Hundred Years of Solitude shows his skill at letting the reader know where the story takes place: The mythic village of Macondo lies in northern Colombia, somewhere in the great swamps between the mountains and the coast. Description of Situation 2 nd paragraph (Introduce other pertinent characters) Before the Plot - Situation is the background to action. What was going on before the action took place? Do not confuse the situation with the plot (series of events). Imagine one point in time and 3
describe it before it changes. Explain the state of affairs at that point. An example is provided in Franz Kafka s famous piece Metamorphosis. As Grefor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect. He was lying on his hard, as it were armor-plated, back and when he lifted his head a little he could see his dome-like brown belly divided into stiff arched segments on top of which the bed quilt could hardly keep in position and was about to slide off completely. Conflict (Plot) (3 rd, 4 th, 5 th paragraphs.) Conflict means a problem with other individuals, a situation, or surroundings. The following example is from Italo Calvino s short story Wormwood: Over and over it has been told that once upon a time there was a king and queen. Every time this queen had a baby, it was a girl. The king, who wanted a son, finally lost patience and said. If you have one more girl, I shall kill it. Struggle Part of Plot Struggle means violent acts with other people which could be physical, psychological, or political and results in conflict. The example provided is from Mary Shelley s Frankenstein. He struggled violently. Let me go, he cried; monster! Ugly wretch! You wish to eat me and tear 4
me to pieces. You are an ogre. Let me go, or I will tell my papa. 2.5 Outcome (Final paragraph) Outcome is the result of a struggle. In Kafka s Metamorphosis, it is stated at the end of the story. They grew quieter and half unconsciously exchanged glances of complete agreement, having come to the conclusion that it would soon be time to find a good husband for her. And it was like a confirmation of their new dreams and excellent intentions that at the end of their journey their daughter sprang to her feet first and stretched her young body. Character Description Characters should be fully described in terms of their physical and psychological traits. They should take different roles and be dynamic (they change throughout the story) or static (did not learn anything). Do not provide all the description at once and mention only those traits that are important for the reader to know in order to get an idea of his/her role in the story. Famous writers, such as Henry Adams, find names for his characters that reflect their personality and their destiny in the story. For example in the novelette Daisy Miller, Daisy refers to a common, white flower who is easily destroyed, and Miller to a person who works in the mills. She is represented as a fragile, working class girl. 5
Verb Tense Some people like to tell their stories in the present tense. In this exercise use the past tense of verbs. Once upon a time, there were two sisters who hated each other. Point of View Some stories are narrated from a narrator s perspective that may or not be a character in the story. If you are conveying a personal experience, you may use the first person, I. If not, the point of view will usually be the third person, such as Ms. Smith, he, she, or they. In this exercise use the third person singular. Symbols Words or phrases in a literary work which serve as metaphors for emotions, situations, etc. It could take many forms, such as a figure of speech where a person, animal, object or situation has a much deeper meaning than its literal (dictionary) meaning. For example: A rose can be a symbol of love, thorns can be a symbol of pain, a cross can be a symbol of martyrdom, such as the cross of Christ, etc. 6. Message (Meaning, lesson learned) The best short stories are those that move the reader emotionally. A reader may learn about different ways of viewing a situation. What is the 6
lesson that can be learned from the way you presented your story? 7
YOUR NAME: CLASS: NARRATIVE WORKSHEET Short Story Title: Author: Year and place written: CHARACTERS PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION 1. 2. 3. 4. SETTING: TIME PLACE PLOT (WRITE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES IN YOUR OWN WORDS) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 8
10. Symbols: (find 3) Theme: (Google 3 themes from Internet 1. 2. 3. Message (Philosophical lesson) (Google from Internet Do not plagiarize) 9