美国文学课件ChapterEightUnderstandingShortStory.pptVIP

Understanding Short Story Plot Character Setting Point of view Themes Plot the arranging of the events in a story. The traditional plot follows with variations a basic design that may be visualized as a line, which gradually rises, reaches a high point, and then moves downward. It usually manifests certain elements basic to most fictional plots: exposition, conflict, crisis, climax and denouement. Exposition refers to the opening portion of the story that sets the scene, introduces the main characters, tells what happened before the story opened, and provides any other background information that is needed for the reader to understand and care about the events to follow. Conflict clash of ideas, desires or wills that intensified and then resolved during the narrative. The conflict may be physical, mental, emotional or moral, and it may take three basic forms: Man against man (some other person or group of persons), Man against his environment (nature, society or fate), Man against himself (some elements in his own nature). When the characters are caught up in their situation and the conflict intensifies, the rising action begins, the complication occurs and the crisis develops until the conflict peaks at a moment for climax, the point of greatest intensity when the opposing forces interlock or reach a standstill and the outcome is to be decided. Denoue-ment The climax marks the turning point of the narrative. Afterwards the direction of the plot changes, the falling action begins and the denouement (resolution or conclusion) approaches. In the denouement the conflict between the opposing forces that have become entangled during the complication is settled, the loose narrative strands are tied up, and the story is brought to an end. As for the ending: Happy ending; Unhappy ending; Open ending: indeterminate ending Events may be presented in a variety of orders: Chronological arrangement (from beginning to end); In medias res (Latin: