Elements of a Story

SETTING -- The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting.
For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not. There are
several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes
to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):

a) place - geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
b) time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story
contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs,
etc. of a particular place)?
e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it
bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

PLOT -- The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; it is the
sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events
having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be
read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is
revealed.

b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the
conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).

c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.
The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The
reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events
between climax and denouement).

e) Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

It is helpful to consider climax as a three-fold phenomenon: 1) the main character
receives new information 2) accepts this information (realizes it but does not
necessarily agree with it) 3) acts on this information (makes a choice that will
determine whether or not he/she gains his objective).

CONFLICT-- Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot. It is

the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.
Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition
that faces the main character. Within a short story there may be only one central
struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

There are two types of conflict:

1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision,
overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

There are four kinds of conflict:

1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical
strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.

2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate,
or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices,
or customs of other people.

4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with

himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations,
choices, etc.

CHARACTER -- There are two meanings for the word character:

1) The person in a work of fiction.
2) The characteristics of a person.

Persons in a work of fiction - Antagonist and Protagonist

Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all
major events having some importance to this character - he/she is the
PROTAGONIST. The opposer of the main character is called the ANTAGONIST.

The Characteristics of a Person -

In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real.
Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters
themselves. The author may reveal a character in several ways:
a) his/her physical appearance
b) what he/she says, thinks, feels and dreams
c) what he/she does or does not do
d) what others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble
real people)

Characters are...
1. Individual - round, many sided and complex personalities.
2. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse,
by the end of the story.
3. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are
emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

POINT OF VIEW

Point of view, or p.o.v., is defined as the angle from which the story is told.

1. Innocent Eye - The story is told through the eyes of a child (his/her judgment
being different from that of an adult) .

2. Stream of Consciousness - The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are
inside the head of one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions.

3. First Person - The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who
interacts closely with the protagonist or other characters (using pronouns I, me, we,
etc). The reader sees the story through this person's eyes as he/she experiences it and
only knows what he/she knows or feels.

4. Omniscient- The author can narrate the story using the omniscient point of view.
He can move from character to character, event to event, having free access to the
thoughts, feelings and motivations of his characters and he introduces information
where and when he chooses. There are two main types of omniscient point of view:
a) Omniscient Limited - The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns
they, she, he, it, etc). We know only what the character knows and what the author
allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the
author chooses to reveal them to us.

b) Omniscient Objective – The author tells the story in the third person. It appears as
though a camera is following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what
is seen and heard. There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts. No
interpretations are offered. The reader is placed in the position of spectator without
the author there to explain. The reader has to interpret events on his own.

THEME -- The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight.
It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The
theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature. The title
of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various
figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor,
hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
- things are not always as they appear to be
- Love is blind
- Believe in yourself
- People are afraid of change
- Don't judge a book by its cover
 Wise Old Owl
Edward Hersey Richards

A wise old owl lived in an oak

The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old
bird?
Sinaunang Mapa ng Fertile Crescent Clay Tablet

Kasalukuyang Mapa ng Fertile Crescent Cuneiform

Sinaunang Mapa ng Mesopotamia

Ziggurat

Kasalukuyang Mapa ng Mesopotamia

Imperyong Sumer

Imperyong Babylonian

Imperyong Akkadian Akkadian

Imperyong Assyrian Ziggurat sa Ur

Imperyong Hittite Unang Imperyo sa Mundo

Imperyong Hebrew Babylonian

Imperyong Chaldean Code of Hammurabi

Imperyong Persian Hittite

Sumerian Kagamitang iron

Kagamitang iron Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Lydian Persian

Pinakaunang Barya sa Mundo Royal Road

Hebrew (Jews) Zoroastrianism

Philistines

Ang Bagong Babylonian

The 90/10 Principle

Author: Stephen Covey

Discover the 90/10 Principle

It will change your life (or at least, the way you react to situations)

What is this Principle?

10% of life is made up of what happens to you.

…90% of life is decided by how you react…

What does this mean?

We really have NO control over 10% of what happens to us.

We cannot stop the car from breaking down.

The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.

A driver may cut us off in the traffic.

We have NO control over this 10%.

The other 90% is different.

You determine the other 90%.

How?... By your reaction.

You cannot control a red light.

However, you can control your reaction.

Do not let people fool you.

YOU can control how you react.

Let us use an example…

You are having breakfast with your family.

Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt.

You have no control over what has just happened.

What happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse.

You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over.

She breaks down in tears.

After scolding her, you turn to your wife and you criticize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the
table.

A short verbal battle follows.

You storm upstairs and change your shirt.

Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish her breakfast and getting ready to go
to school.

She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work.

You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.

Because you are late, you drive 40 miles per hour in a 30 mph speed limit zone. After a 15-minute delay and
throwing $60.00 traffic fine away, you arrive at school.

Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye.

After arriving at the office 20 minute late,

You realize you forgot your briefcase.

Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse.

You look forward to coming home. When you arrive home, you find a small wedge in your relationship with
your wife and daughter.

Why?
Because of how you reacted in the morning.

Why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it?

B) Did your daughter cause it?

C) Did the policeman cause it?

D) Did you cause it?

The answer is “D” You had no control over what happened with the coffee.

How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you.

Your daughter is about to cry.

You gently say:

“It’s okay, honey, you just need to be

More careful next time.”

Grabbing a towel you go upstairs and change your shirt.

You grab your briefcase, and you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child
getting on the bus.

She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early a cheerfully greet the staff.

Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios.

Both started the same.

Both ended different.

Why?

Because of how you reacted.

You really have no control over 10% of what happens in your life.

The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 Principle.

If someone says something negative about you, do not be a sponge.

Let the attack roll off like water on glass.

You do not have to let the negative comments affect you.

React properly and it will not ruin your day.

A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, or getting stressed out.

How do you react if someone cuts you off in the traffic?

Do you lose your temper?

Pound on the steering wheel? (a friend of mine had the steering wheel fall off),

Do you curse? Does your blood pressure skyrocket?

Who cares if you arrive 10 seconds later at work?

Why let the cars ruin your drive?

Remember the 90/10 Principle and don’t worry about it.

You are told you lost your job.

Why lose sleep and get irritated?

It will work out.

Use your worrying energy and time to find a new job.

The plane is late. It is going to mangle your schedule for the day.

Why take out your frustration on the flight attendant?

She has no control over what is going on.

Use your time to study, get to know the other passenger, why stress out?

It will just make things worse.

Now you know the 90/10 Principle.

Apply it and you will be amazed at the results.

You will lose nothing if you try it.

The 90/10 Principle is incredible.

Very few know and apply this Principle.

The result?
You will see it by yourself!

Millions of people are suffering from undeserved stress, trials, problems and headaches.

We all must understand and apply the 90/10 Principle.

It can change your life!

…Enjoy it...

It only takes willpower to give ourselves permission to make the experience.

Absolutely everything we do, give, say, or even think, it’s like a Boomerang. It will come back to us...

If we want to receive, we need to learn to give first...

Maybe we will end with our hands empty, but our heart will be filled with love...

And those who love life, have that feeling marked in their hearts …

How to Find Time to Read

By Louis Shores
As the proverb goes, there is time for everything. Indeed, to some people, there seems to
be sufficient time to do a lot of reading. Why? The answer lies in the fact that they know how
to make use of their time. Do you also want to become well read?

If you are an average reader you can read an average book at the rate of
300 words a minute. You cannot maintain that average, however, unless you
read regularly every day. Nor can you attain that speed with hard books in
science, mathematics, agriculture, business, or any subject that is new or
unfamiliar to you. The chances are you will never attempt that speed with
poetry（诗歌） or want to race through some passages in
fiction（小说）over which you wish to linger.1 But for most novels,
biographies（传记）, and books about travel, hobbies or personal interests,
if you are an average reader you should have no trouble at all absorbing
meaning and pleasure out of 300 printed words every 60 seconds.
Statistics（统计数据）are not always practicable, but consider these: If
the average reader can read 300 words a minute of average reading, then in
15 minutes he can read 4,500 words. Multiplied（乘）by 7, the days of the
week, the product is 31,500. Another multiplication by 4, the weeks of the
month, makes 126,000. And final multiplication by 12, the months of the
year gives the total number of words of average reading an average reader
can do in just 15 minutes a day for one year.
Books vary in length from 60,000 to 100,000 words.2 The average is
about 75,000 words. In one year of average reading by an average reader for
15 minutes a day, 20 books will be read. That’s a lot of books. It is 4 times
the number of books read by public-library borrowers in America. And yet it
is easily possible.
One of the greatest of all modern physicians（内科医生）was Sir
William Osler. He taught at the Johns Hopkins Medical School. He finished
his teaching days at McGil University. Many of the outstanding physicians
today were his students. Nearly all of the practicing doctors of today were
brought up on his medical textbooks. Among his many remarkable
contributions to medicine are his unpublished notes on how people die.
His greatness is attributed by his biographers and critics（评论家）not
alone to his profound （渊博的）medical knowledge and insight but to his
broad general education, for he was a very cultured man.3 He was interested
in what men have done and thought throughout the ages. He knew that the
only way to find out what the best experiences of the race had been4 was to
read what people had written. But Osler’s problem was the same as everyone
else’s, only more so. He was a busy physician, a teacher of physicians, and a
medical-research specialist（专家）. There was no time in a 24-hour day
that did not rightly belong to one of these three occupations, except the few
hours for sleep, meals, and bodily functions5.
Osler arrived at his solution early.6 He would read the last 15 minutes
before he went to sleep. If bedtime was set for 11:00 P.M., he read for 11:00
to 11:15. If research kept him up to 2:00 A.M., he read from 2:00 to 2:15.
Over a very long lifetime, Osler never broke the rule once he had established
it. We have evidence（证据）that after a while he simply could not fall
asleep until he had done his 15 minutes of reading.
In his lifetime, Osler read a significant library of books.7 Just do a mental
calculation（计算） for half a century of 15-minute reading periods daily
and see how many books you get. Consider what a range of interests and
variety of subjects are possible in one lifetime. Osler read widely outside of
his medical specialty. Indeed, he developed from this 15-minute reading
habit an avocational（嗜好的）specialty to balance his
vocational（职业的）specialization. Among scholars in English literature,
Osler is known as an authority（权威）on Sir Thomas Browne, seventeenth
century English prose master, and Osler’s library of Sir Thomas is
considered one of the best anywhere. A great many more things could be said
about Osler’s contribution to medical research, to the reform of medical
teaching, and to the introduction of modern clinical（临床的）methods. The
important point for us here is that he answered supremely well for himself
the question all of us who live a busy life must answer: How can I find time
to read?
The answer may not be the last 15 minutes before I go to sleep. It may be
15 minutes a day at some other time. In the busiest of
calendars（日程表）there is probably more than one 15-minute period
tucked away somewhere still unassigned.8 I’ve seen some curious solutions
to the problem of finding time for reading.
During my army days in the last year of the war I discovered a Pfc.9 in my
squadron（装甲连）who seemed unusually well-read. I found in his 201 file
a remarkable civilian and military biography. His four years of service
included two tours of duty overseas, all meritorious（值得赞赏的）but
without heroics（装腔作势的行为）. Had all of his recommendations for
promotion gone through he would have had not only his commission, but
probably the rank of captain.10But here he was, still a private first-class —
because, despite the military emphasis on education, efficiency, loyalty, and
all other criteria（标准）for determining promotion, accident plays a most
important part.11 Every time this Pfc. had been recommended for promotion,
except once, he had been transferred, or come up against a table of
organizational limitations12, or a new change in regulations（条例）, or a
superior officer who had filled out the forms incorrectly or forgotten them in
his third right-hand drawer. So he had remained a Pfc., and had taken his
reward in reading. The amount he did in the army was
prodigious（惊人的）.
I was curious about his method. One day, before I asked him, I found a
partial answer. Every day the enlisted men put in an hour of drill and
formations（队形）. During that time at least one fairly long period of rest
was called. Imagine my surprise on my first visit to the drill field when, at
the command “rest!” I saw one man in the whole long line pull out a paper
pocket book and begin to read, standing up.
When I talked with him, I found that from boyhood he had developed the
habit of carrying a little book in his pocket from which he read every minute
he was not doing something else. He found a book especially useful and
relaxing（使人放松的）during the periods of waiting which all of us
experience daily —waiting for meals, buses, doctors, hair cuts, telephone
calls, dates, performances（演出）to begin, or something to happen. There
were his 15 minutes a day, or more. There were his 20 books a year — 1,000
in a lifetime.
No universal formula（公式）can be prescribed.13 Each of us must find
our own 15-minute period each day. It is better if it is regular. Then all
additional spare minutes are so many bonuses（意外的收获）. Believe me,
the opportunities for reading-bonuses are many and unexpected. Last night
an uninvited guest turned up to make five for bridge.14 I had the kind of
paper book at hand to make being the fifth at bridge a joy.15
The only requirement is the will to read. With it you can find the 15
minutes no matter how busy the day. You must have the book at hand. Not
even a few seconds of your 15 minutes must be wasted starting to read. Set
that book out in advance. Put it into your pocket when you dress. Put another
book beside your bed. Place one in your bathroom. Keep one near your
dining table.
You can’t escape reading 15 minutes a day, and that means you will read half
a book a week, 2 books a month, 20 a year, and 1,000 or more in a reading
lifetime. It’s an easy way to become well read.
 Australopithecus
africanus

Primate Australopithecus
robustus
Anthropoid
Gorilya
Prosimian
Lemur at tarsier
Autralopithecus afarensis
Hominid
Homo
Homo sapiens
Homo Habilis
Bipedal Primate Mammal
Homo Erectus
Ardipithecus ramidus
Java Man (Indonesia)
Australopithecine
Peking Man (China)
Turkana Boy (Kenya, Cro-Magnon
Africa) Homo Neanderthalensis
Homo Sapiens Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Neanderthal

Understanding Modern Culture By following the histories presented throughout English literature, it is possible to understand how
contemporary Western culture has developed into what it is today.

Vocabulary Reading new words and new phrases can increase anyone's lexicon. Literature is also crucial to learning stylistic and artistic
conventions for communication and writing.

Becoming "Cultured" There is a certain satisfaction in understanding literature and being able to pinpoint references to it in contemporary
culture. While it's not highly important, it is always fun to shock to others by making a clean sweep of the "English Authors" category in "Jeopardy."

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The study of literature allows people to develop new ideas and ethical standpoints, and can help individuals to present
themselves as educated members of society. Studying literature can be an enriching, eye-opening experience.

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Literature, besides being an art form used for expression, also preserves cultural ideals, customs, and morals. The
written word gives us a deeper context into the lives and livelihood of people distinct from ourselves – this can be true
of historical literature but is equally true of modern literature, as well. We can learn as much from William
Shakespeare's time through his plays as we can from authors from a different mindset or place.

Besides this detailed and nuanced window into another person's or people's world, literature also challenges the reader
to profoundly ponder the art form itself. Through metaphor, allusions, themes, foreshadowing and other literary
devices, the reader has the opportunity to analyze a work beyond the written words.

It is important to read literature because it can be used as an educational resource to help you become more
knowledgeable and informed! It can also be used for entertainment purposes and inspiration.

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Literature is so important because it's a glimpse of history. Literature tells the story of the centuries before us. We can
learn about other cultures and heritages by reading classic literature.

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The word literature means literally ‘letters’, it is on account of this that learned men are referred to as men of
letters. Reading of literature is important for us, for it gives valuable insights to various facets of life. It inculcates in us
the power of reasoning, as Francis Bacon said, “Read not to contradict and confute nor to believe and take for granted,
nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider.”
 The literary works of great authors have profoundly affected us since times immemorial. The Vedas, The
Ramayana, Gita, Bible and the Koran are all great literary works of noble minds, which have spread the light of wisdom
since ages. While the Ramayana gives insight to human relationship, on how to treat elders, friends and colleagues. The
Gita idolizes Karma (duty) that is the purpose of our lives. These provide strength and inspiration to us, in time of a
dilemma. They are indeed masterpieces of the art that unfold the truth of life and death, making us reverent, yet
fearless. Besides this the classics of William Shakespeare, Rabindra Nath Tagore and Munshi Premchand have
bequeathed to us, a wealth of knowledge on such aspects as friendship, virtues, honesty and life itself.
It provides valuable insight into the good things of life and made us aware of the negative aspects .Thus
enabling us to differentiate between good and bad, virtue and evil. It makes us more humane and virtuous.
Unfortunately the youth of today, does not read literature except that from textbooks. This is due to the
overpowering influence of other media, like television, cinema and the Internet of late. To that extend, he is unable to
reap the fruits of wisdom, for nothing can substitute it.