Short Story Unit
Final Assessment- Writing a Short Story
English I and Honors English I
Mid-Point Progress Check
Mrs. Anderson

Character Sketches:
In this section, identify your protagonist and antagonist. Provide details specific to your characters and their development in the story. Every good author knows his/her characters inside and out. Use the following ideas to guide you in development:

Protagonist:
First and Last Name: Joe, Jason (yes, I have two) Age: 13
Physical appearance:
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Grey
Height: 5’10”
Description of clothing: Black Sweatshirt, Plain Blue T-shirt, Denim Jeans, White Sneakers

Problem: They finds out they is of mythical lineage, and their sworn enemy is tracking them down to kill them.

Personality:
introvert
kind-hearted
forgiving
reserved

Thoughts character has about his/her situation:
1. They doesn’t understand why he had to be born into this
2. They think it’s unfair to have all the responsibility
3. They know that if they doesn’t do it, many bad things will happen.

Quotes from your character (what your character would say- tag lines, sayings, things that reveal his/her personality):
1. “Well, this is just great.”
2. “Why me.”

Antagonist:
First and Last Name: Blake Age: 13
Physical appearance:
hair color: Blonde
eye color: Blue
height: 5’10”
description of clothing: White Sweatshirt, Plain Red T-shirt, Denim Jeans, Black Sneakers

Problem: He learns of his mystical powers, and of his mission to kill his mortal enemy.

Personality (circle one from each line):
extrovert
bitter
holds a grudge
outspoken


Thoughts character has about his/her situation:
1. If he does not succeed, he will dishonor his family.
2. He believes he is the only one who is fit for the job.
3. He can do it.

Quotes from your character (what your character would say- tag lines, sayings, things that reveal his/her personality):
1. “You will never beat me!”
2. “I am the only one fit for the job.”

Setting Development:
In this section, develop your setting. Good authors “paint the picture” of the setting by providing background information, details, and connections to familiar environments for his/her audience. Close your eyes and imagine the setting of your story. Short stories generally have one, maybe two, settings. Imagine as specifically as you can what your setting would look like. Record your thoughts below.


Physical Appearance of the Setting:
    • New York City
    • Downtown
    • Grey sky
    • Car horns beeping during the hectic work day
    • Smell of car fumes fill the air
    • Bustling work-goers yammer about


Figurative Language to describe setting to your readers:
    • The melodic beeping of car horns continues in an endless loop



Where does your story take place (city, state, location)?
New York City, NY, USA


What time of day?
The entire day

During which year?
2014

Which season?
Spring

What is society like in the setting of your text?
Modern
Technological

Plot Map:
In this section, complete a plot map for your story. Use the previous two pages to guide your thoughts and ideas. Not all material from your planning needs to or even should be used within your final story. They are just guiding concepts to help you move toward successful writing.

Keep in mind that short stories have:
  • 1-3 characters
  • 1-2 settings
  • One MAJOR conflict (problem)
  • One climax
  • Dialogue
  • A clear resolution


Exposition:

Characters: Joe, Jason, Blake
Setting: NYC
Mood: Suspenseful
Theme(s): Sometimes the least person suspected is the one you’re looking for.


Rising Action:

Conflict (problem): They have to kill their mortal enemies, but they don’t know who that is. Yet.

Type of conflict: Char. v. Char., Char. v. Self.

Climax:

Joe & Jason find out that their own mortal enemy, is not themselves, like they think, but Blake, who is plotting against them.

Falling Action:

Joe & Jason defeat Zane, sending him to the Underworld.


Resolution:

They find out that they are part of a bigger picture than that if which they just were; they are two of the demigods in the next Great Prophecy.