Download Suspense Short Story Unit

Suspense Short Story Unit
Characteristics
Literary Elements
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Literary Elements such as irony,
foreshadowing, symbolism, imagery, and
even poetic elements such as simile,
metaphor, and personification are often
used in short stories.
What is IRONY?

Definition in your book: “the contrast
between appearance and actuality”
There are different types of
IRONY

Dramatic Irony

Readers know more about a situation or a
character in a story than the characters do.

Situational Irony

A contrast between what is expected to
happen and what actually does happen.

Verbal Irony

Occurs when someone states one thing and
means another.
Short Story Techniques
Foreshadowing
Symbolism
A writers use of hints or
clues to indicate
events that will occur
in a story.
Something or someone
that has a concrete
meaning in itself but
stands for something
beyond itself, such as
an idea or feeling.

Flashback

A scene that interrupts the action of a story to
describe events that took place at an earlier
time.
Short Story Techniques

Imagery

Words or phrases that
appeal to any
combination of the
senses.

Suspense

The excitement or
tension that readers
feel as they become
involved in a story and
eagerly await the
outcome.
Poetic Devices Used in Short
Stories

Simile
A figure of speech
that makes a
comparison between
two objects using
“like” or “as”

Metaphor
A figure of speech that
compares two things
that have something in
common.
-Does not use “like” or
“as”
What are these statements
examples of?

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My love is like a red rose.
My love is a red rose.
Mr. Harris has thin hair like a bald eagle.
He is as dumb as a rock.
Famous quote by Jesus: “I am the bread
of life”
“I am the King of Pop”
Poetic Devices Used in Short
Stories

Personification

A figure of speech in
which an object,
animal, or idea, is
given human
characteristics.

Sometimes, other
poetic devices might
be used in short
stories such as:

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Onomatopoeia
Repetition
Etc…
Examples

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The wind whispered in my ear
“The dish ran away with the spoon”

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Personification used to add suspense:
Fear danced upon my chest
Other things to consider…

When reading suspense short stories, one
should also pay special attention to the
use of setting and characterization.
Suspense writers often use setting and the
way a character is described to add
suspense to a story.
Setting: A House (Use of
suspense comparison)
The house on Elm
Street had a few
broken windows and
an old door. There
was no electricity in it
so with my fear of the
dark, I was weary to
enter it.
The moldering
manor on Elm Street
had jagged windows
that could stare a
hole through you. It
was so dark and
dreary that my heart
sat in my throat as I
walked through the
creaky old door.