Story Arc and Conflict

Story Arc and Conflict

index

Conflict

What is a short story?

Setting

10

Conflict Diagram

Short Story vs. Novel

Time

Plot Diagram

Elements of Story

Theme

11

Title

Plot Explanatoin

What makes a short story?

What is a Short Story?

• Prose Fiction
• 7,000 – 10, 000 words
• It can be read in one sitting.
• It is a distinct art form, a genre.
• Every word counts. The author carefully selects every word and action.

Novel

Short Story

Complex Plot

Simple Plot

Many Emotions

Single Emotions

VS

Covers longer periods of time

Covers a short time span

Focuses on many characters

Focuses on relatively few characters

Elements of Story

The Title

• Sets the mood
• Arouses interest
• Suggests the setting
• Names the main character or important object.

The Setting

Where the story takes place

Socio-economic

Specific location

Where

When

For example: 1865, during WWII, today

For example: a prep school, a log cabin, a bus, a military base

For example: London, Cairo, Halifax, Vancouver

For example: wealthy suburbs

Time

Flashbacks

In Media Res

Chronological

Flashforward

• Story begins with a look into the past and then goes back into the present timeline of the story.

• Story begins with a look into the future and then goes back into the present timeline of the story.

• Story has no introduction and begins in the middle of a scene or action.

• Normal sequence of events.
• Events are told in the order in which they happen

The Plot

Turning Point

The Plot Continued

Introduction: The start of the story, the situation before the action starts Turning Point: The start of the main conflict that propels the story. Rising Action: The series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax Climax : The most intense moment – either mentally or in action – the reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not? Falling Action: The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. (The events between the climax and the resolution) Resolution: The conclusion, the untangling of events in the story

Conflict

• Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces
• Every story must contain some kind of conflict
• Stories can have more than one conflict

Conflicts can be external or internal: External conflict: Outside force may be person, group, animal, nature, or a nonhuman obstacle Internal conflict: Takes place in a character’s mind

Internal Conflict

• A character has a problem deciding what to do in a particular situation. (Feelings & emotions)
• Character finds inner strength despite poor odds.
• Character must develop moral compass.
• Character must discover self-worth.

Person vs. Person

• One character has a problem with one or more of the other characters.
• One character must battle another character to gain power, true love, freedom, justice or acceptance.
• One group of characters must free themselves from another.
• One character must confront another to survive.

Person vs. Society

• A character has a problem with some element of society: the school, the law, the accepted way of doing things, etc.
• Character falsely accused by society.
• Character feels apart from society and discovers own values.

Person vs. Nature

• A character has a problem with some natural occurrence: a snowstorm, an avalanche, the bitter cold, or any other element of nature.
• A person trying to survive in hostile natural conditions

Person vs. Fate

• A character has to battle what seems to be an uncontrollable problem.
• Whenever the problem seems to be a strange or unbelievable coincidence, fate can be considered the cause of the conflict.

Theme

Theme—the central idea, message or insight, about life or human behavior that a story reveals. It often reveals the author's opinion on the main topic of the story.

Theme

Topic

What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger

Strength

Love is a two way street - both people have to work at it

Love

VS

Revenge is an empty pursuit - it does not satisfy anyone

Revenge

How to find the theme

1) Through the characters' experiences2) Through the emotions explored in the story 3) Through the main story and how it is resolved