Short Story Elements

What is a short story? A brief, imaginative narrative containing few characters, simple plot, conflict, and suspense, which leads to a climax and a swift conclusion.

THE 4 ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY PLOT SETTING CHARACTER THEME

#1. PLOT The chain of events in a story. Consists of 6 main steps: Introduction/Exposition Inciting incident Rising action Climax Falling Action Resolution

PLOT GRAPH An excellent way to map out a story’s plot

Introduction/ Exposition Introduces the reader to: Setting Basic situation Characters involved Narrative Hook: question or statement that grabs the reader’s attention

Inciting Incident The first major action in the story that sets the story in motion.

Rising Action Incidents which carry the plot along. It often includes the following: Foreshadowing Flashback Conflict Suspense

FORESHADOWING A technique for hinting at events that may occur later in the plot.

FLASHBACK The insertion of an earlier event into the time order of a narrative.

Conflict It is what prevents the main character from getting what he or she wants There are 4 types of conflict:

Internal Conflict PERSON VS. SELF

External Conflict PERSON VS. PERSON

External Conflict PERSON VS. SOCIETY

External Conflict PERSON VS.THE ENVIRONMENT

SUSPENSE The feeling of excitement that makes the reader wonder how the conflict will be resolved

CLIMAX The most exciting part when the character(s) resolves his/her conflict The climax can be SUBJECTIVE (prove your answer)

FALLING ACTION The character completes the action of his/her decision

THE RESOLUTION All of the loose ends are tied up (usually) Narrative Twist: a surprise ending

#2. SETTING The time (time of day, season, present, past, future, etc.) and the location (country, planet, town, buildings, etc.)

ATMOSPHERE The feeling that the setting evokes (mysterious, happy, eerie, etc.)

MOOD The author’s emotional attitude toward the subject matter NOT the mood of the characters

#3. CHARACTERS Anybody who is involved in the story (people, animals, fantasy characters)

PROTAGONIST “Good guy” Main character Solves the conflict

ANTAGONIST “Bad guy” Creates the conflict

Flat vs Round Characters Flat character – These characters are 1-D (stereotypical) Round character –These characters have developed personalities

Static vs Dynamic Characters Static Character – doesn’t go through any sort of change Dynamic Character – goes through change

CHARACTER TRAITS Personality characteristics that are revealed through: What the character does What the character says What other characters say or do about the character What the author states directly What the author infers

#4. THEME THE MAIN IDEA Determine the specific conflict Decide what side of the conflict the story represents How is the conflict resolved? Who wins? Who loses?

THEME Theme is NOT the moral of the story Theme is NOT plot Theme IS the general subject matter of a work of art Theme may contain a message

THEME OR NOT A THEME? 1) Red Riding Hood is about how you shouldn’t trust strangers 2) Stars Wars is a movie about Luke Skywalker 3) Apocalypse Now is about the insanity of war. 4) This painting is about loneliness 5) That story is about two guys who steal a car 6) Romeo and Juliet is about love 7) Romeo and Juliet is about two families fighting 8) I saw a movie last night about survival 9) Hansel and Gretel is about two children 10) Cinderella is about poetic justice Yes No

Point of View The perspective from which the story is told