Elements of a Short Story

OBJECTIVES Identify elements of a short story Define elements of a short story Demonstrate mastery of short story elements

OVERVIEW Short stories often contain structural and character elements that should be familiar to you. These elements can be used as guides to help you think about the actions, themes, and contexts of the story.

Elements of a Short Story Plot - exposition statement - rising action - climax - falling action - resolution Theme Setting Characters Conflict Characterization

THEME The main idea of a literary work, usually expressed as a generalization and in sentence form. Example: “Forgiveness is the key to true happiness.” SETTING The time and place in which the story is set.

“Characters in the plot connect us with the vastness of our secret life, which is endlessly explorable.” – Eudora Welty CHARACTERS Subjects in a story (humans, animals, etc..) The point of writing stories: telling us what human beings are like. Characters allow readers to “see” life from different perspectives and to “meet” new (or familiar) people.

“STEAL” CHARACTERIZATION The description of the personalities of the characters in the story and the ways in which authors reveal their personalities: Speech Thoughts Effect on other characters Action Looks “STEAL”

PLOT The sequence or order of events in a story, each event connected to the next like a chain. Each event in a plot “hooks” our curiosity and pulls us forward to the next event. Suspense builds as the series of related events hook our curiosity. The plot includes the following (4) parts:

Types of Linear Plots Chronological Flashback In media res (in the middle of things): when the story starts in the middle of the action without an exposition.

CHRONOLOGICAL PLOT DIAGRAM Climax Rising Action Conflict Falling Action Exposition Resolution

1. Basic Situation/Exposition Exposition Statement – This is the part of the plot that tells how the story begins. The character, conflict, and setting are usually introduced. Example ~ Cinderella The basic situation shows us Cinderella, a beautiful and good heroine, in a conflict with her evil stepmother and nasty stepsisters.

2. Rising Action/Complication The part of the story in which the main character takes some action to resolve the conflict and meets with problems or complications: danger, fear, hostility, etc. Example ~ Cinderella Cinderella wants to go to the ball. Her stepmother says “No,” but a Fairy Godmother promises to get her to the ball if she obeys one rule: “Be home by midnight.” Cinderella goes to the ball, the Prince falls in love with her, she flees at midnight, and she loses one of her glass slippers.

3. Climax Climax: the KEY scene of the story That tense or exciting moment when we realize what the outcome of the conflict is going to be. Example ~ Cinderella The Prince makes a house-to-house search for the foot that fits the slipper and finds that foot on Cinderella.

4. Falling Action(s) All of the action which follows the climax Example ~ Cinderella: Cinderella and the prince make preparations for their wedding.

5. Resolution/Denouement The final part of the story. (The French word, denouement, means “unraveling the knot”). You learn how the conflict is resolved and what happens to the characters. Example ~ Cinderella Cinderella marries the Prince and they live happily ever after. In the original Girmm story, you also learn that ravens peck out the eyes of the evil stepmother.

Conflict = Struggle

Conflict External Conflict: Conflict between a character and another person OR a character and something non-human. - Man vs. Man - Man vs. Society - Man vs. Nature

Conflict Internal Conflict: Conflict takes place inside a character’s mind Man vs. Self (fears, self-doubts, etc.)