Short Story Template
Title and Author
What is the title of the work? Who wrote the work?
Narrator (Point of View)
1st person
the narrator is a character in the story, usually but not always the main character. They typically use I, me, our, we, or my. not a part of the story’s action. Uses he, she, and they. knows everything about all characters in the story.
3rd Person
Omniscient
Setting
The where and the when. Both time and place.
Protagonist
The main character of a literary work. He or she typically encounters some problem or obstacle early in the plot.
Antagonist
Can be a person, a group of people, a force of nature (hurricane, etc.), or something within the protagonist’s personality (jealousy, etc.).
Irony
Verbal Irony
The difference between what a character says and what he or she means.
When events are opposite of what is expected.
Situational Irony
Dramatic Irony
When the audience or reader knows more about a character’s situation than the character does.
Mood
Refers to the atmosphere or feeling expressed by a work.
For example: joyous, gloomy, depressing, peaceful, suspenseful, serious, etc.
Ambiguity
Allows something to be understood in many different ways. Stories that have no ending are often called ambiguous. When reading, if you don’t know how some event turns out, it’s probably ambiguous.
Imagery
Language that appeals to a reader’s five senses, as well as those senses that are felt inside: hunger, pain, sadness, fear, or joy. Imagery helps the reader feel as if they are there, inside the story hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, smelling the same things as the characters.
Author’s Purpose
What is the reason the author wrote this piece? To explain/inform To entertain To persuade
Theme
The main idea in a literary work.
Step 1: Identify the “big ideas” or central topics
Themes appear as ideas throughout the story and are expressed through what different characters do, think, or say. They are views about life and how people act. Look at the title; it often gives clues. Common topics for themes
Common Topics for Themes
Ambition Change Childhood Choices Courage Culture Differences Faith Family Freedom Friendship Future Growing up Hope Human needs
Identity Independence Justice Loss Love Loyalty Money Power Prejudice Relationships Revenge Secrets Success Trust Truth War
Step 2: Find out what the characters do or say that relates to the central topics.
Once you identify a topic, see what the author says about it and how the characters’ actions relate to the idea. Clues:
Repeated words, ideas, or symbols Images and metaphors Important plot events or dialogue Changes in characters’ actions, beliefs, or values
Step 3: State what the author says about life that relates to the C.T.
List the big idea or main topic, Tell the details of what the characters say or do that relates to that topic, Write what is important to learn about this topic in the form of a theme statement.
Tips for making theme statements
1.
State your idea.
Do not summarize the story. Complete the following sentence: “The point the author makes is that…” Do use simple words like good, bad, important. These words make it hard to get your point across.
2.
Use precise words.
3.
Do not use characters’ names
Theme Statements
One sentence to sum up work. A complete sentence. Should describe the general meaning of the work, not the specific events, actions, or characters. It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.