Basic Definnition
A story, can be spoken or written. It is simple an
account of events, either real or imagined. Stories
always have a purpose of any story can be divided
into two basic categories:
Stories that entertain the reader;
Stories that are meant to teach the reader, or
explain a worldly concept.
Many traditional stories were designed to teach.
Below are three basic kinds of traditional stories
that were meant to teach or explain a worldly
concept. These three kinds of stories are not the
only types of stories. In fact, most modern stories
do not fit into any of these three categories
.
Three types of traditional short stories:
Myths
Fables
Parables
Myths - single stories without basis in fact or
history. Myths, also known as legends, express
spiritual or religious aspects of existence (the world
around you / the character
In ancient times people told these stories to provide
order and meaning to their world
.
For example, Greek and Roman mythological stories
of goods, goddesses, love, war, and famine are
myths.
Folk tales, folklore, fairy tales and fables- stories
that originated in different cultures, usually during
a time when religion was dominant in the lives of
the people. Often their purpose was to give a
lesson. Such stories can touch a deep psychological
truth about human nature and emotional growth.
Paul Bunyan and his blue ox named Babe, herbal
remedies, midwives` tales, and the brothers
Grimm Fairy Tales are all examples of stories
.
Parables- very short fictional stories that teach a
moral or religious concept. Parables compress
ideas and actively involve critical thinking skills.
These brief concise stories are the favorites of Zen
masters. These are many parables in the Bible;
these are often taught to children because of their
simple plots and moral lessons.
Analyzing Stories
We analyze fiction in order to
.Enjoy the art of reading
.Understand subtle meaning
.Learn to form an opinion
.Gain knowledge
.Become a better reader
To become adept at analyzing a story, long or
short, the reader needs to become familiar with
:The Elements of Storymaking
*structure
*plot
*setting
*character
*characterization
*theme
*point of view
*social and economic factors
*symbolism
*irony
- Structure: the “shape” of the plot line. The
way the action is organized. The structure gives
the internal and external framework for each story
framework- marked by change of seasons,
passage of time, yearly cycle, time of day, life
cycle, changes in weather, phases of social
relationships, and changes in location
.
external framework- marked by chapter divisions or
sections with numbers or subtitles.
- Plot: the sequence of action or events in the
story. There are four basic components to plot:
Introduction- this is the beginning of the story,
where information is given to the reader about the
story`s characters, location and time period
.
Conflict- this is generally introduced near the
beginning of the story we learn that the major
character has a problem or conflict, either personal
(internal) or with someone or something else
(external).
Climax- this occurs when the conflict is pushed to
its limits, something intense, important, or climactic
occurs, usually near the end of the story
.
Resolution- this is the continuation of the story after
the climax. The resolution may answer questions
you are left with after the climax, or it may leave
questions intentionally unanswered.
Setting – describes the scene for you by telling you
where and when the story`s action occurs. Setting
generally includes the time, place , and social
environment that frames the action. The setting
can be useful in creating a mood or evoking an
emotion that will prepare the reader for what is to
come (Meyer 113).in this way , the setting helps
you to gain insight into the character`s emotions,
conflicts and motives.
Example
Young Goodman Brown
“He had taken a dreary road, darkened by all the
gloomiest trees of the forest, which barely stood
aside to let the narrow path creep through, and
closed immediately behind. It was all as lonely as
could be…” (National Hawthorn)
This description is in the beginning of the story; the
reader does not yet know where Goodman Brown
is going. Although Hawthorn does not specify an
exact location in the setting, it is clear that this
action takes place at night in the forest. More
importantly , there is a definite sense of evil and
foreboding in his description. The fact that it is a “
dreary road” and the trees are “gloomy” leads the
reader to believe that this road will likely lead to a
dangerous or evil place.
Character- the character(s) is the person (or
people) presented by the writer. There are two
main types of characters
Protagonist- the hero or heroine, the main
character in the story.
Antagonist- the character who opposes the
protagonist, the person that helps cause conflict
for the protagonist
Example:
In the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, Cinderella is the
protagonist and her wicked step-mother is the
antagonist. In other words, Cinderella is the main
character, and her step- mother is the character
who causes conflicts for Cinderella (i.e. conflicts
such as not allowing Cinderella to go to the ball)
.
Characterization- the way that the author marks
that character seem real; the way the author
presents the character`s personality, behavior,
motives, values and conflicts. It is the author`s
characterization, or how the author characterizes a
specific character, that tells the reader which
character is the protagonist and which is the
antagonist.
Theme- the central idea of the story. The theme is
the unifying element of the story; the rest of the
literary aspects are organized in a way that
supports and defines the theme. The theme can be
plainly written, or implied
Example:
The theme of the book of the movie, The Wizard of
Oz could be stated as: the problem solving
techniques and resources that you need in order to
defeat adversity are already within your reach and
control. If you believe that you have the strength
and ability to accomplish a goal , then you do have
that strength and ability.
Point of view- the perspective from which a story is
told, i.e. who tells story and how it is told. What we
know and how we react to the action and events in
the story is directly influenced by the perspective of
the narrative voice, or point of view. Some common
point of view are:
First person- the narrator uses/ to tell the story and
can either be a major or minor participant in the
action.
Third person- the narrator uses he, she ,or they to
tell the story and does not participate in the action.
This narrator can have different levels of
information regarding the characters’ inner thoughts
Third person omniscient- the narrator uses third
person view point, but knows all of the characters’
thought
Third person limited- third person view point, but
the narrator only has access to the thoughts of one
or a few of the characters.
Objective- this is still a third person view point (
uses he, she, or they), but the narrator does not
see into the mind of any particular character. The
narrator reports action impartially, without telling
us what the characters think or feel.
Social and economic factors- these factor include
gender, age, class, race and ethnicity. They
influence the way a character behaves and may be
the source of conflict in a story.
