1. Short Story Elements
Patsy D. Lewis, PhD

2. 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
Can be read in one sitting

3. THE 4 ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY
PLOT
SETTING
CHARACTER
THEME

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

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

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

7. Inciting Incident
The first major action in the story that sets the story in motion (gets the ball rolling).

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

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

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

11. Conflict
It is what prevents the main character from getting what he or she wants
The plot is driven by climax and it is THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF THE STORY
There are two types of conflicts: Internal and External

12. Internal Conflict PERSON VS. SELF

13. External Conflict PERSON VS. PERSON

14. External Conflict PERSON VS. SOCIETY

15. External Conflict PERSON VS.THE ENVIRONMENT

16. External Conflict PERSON VS. FATE

17. External Conflict PERSON VS. TECHNOLOGY

18. External Conflict PERSON VS. THE SUPERNATURAL

19. SUSPENSE
The feeling of excitement and curiosity that keeps the reader turning the pages; created by making the readers wonder how the conflict will be resolved

20. CLIMAX
The highest point of interest in the story when the character(s) solves his/her struggles
Usually the point of highest emotion
The climax can be SUBJECTIVE (there may be different answers, so you must prove your choice)

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

22. THE RESOLUTION The final workings of a story’s conflict
All of the loose ends are tied up (usually)
Narrative Twist: a surprise ending

23. SETTING
The time (time of day, season, present, past, future) and the location (country, planet, town, buildings, PLUS a description of the surroundings) where the action occurs
Helps to create the mood and atmosphere of the text

24. ATMOSPHERE
The feeling that the setting evokes (i.e. mysterious, happy, eerie)

25. MOOD
The author’s emotional attitude toward the subject matter (i.e. excitement, nostalgia)
NOT the mood of the characters

26. CHARACTERS
Any personalities who are involved in the plot of the story (people, animals, fantasy characters)
Usually less than 6 in a short story

27. PROTAGONIST Usually the “good guy” or hero archetype
The main character that we follow
The character that strives to solve the conflict

28. ANTAGONIST The “bad guy” or villain archetype
Usually creates conflict for the main character

29. SECONDARY CHARACTERS
Other characters who are necessary to moving the plot along, but may not be involved with the central conflict

30. CHARACTER TRAITS Physical and personality characteristics that
are revealed through: think STEAL
Speech – What does the character say?
Thoughts – What does the character think?
Effect – What influence does the character have on others?
Actions – What does the character do?
Looks – What does their appearance say?

31. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
What an author says directly about the
character is direct characterization.
When Mitch Albom describes Charlotte, he writes, “…a beautiful, gray-haired woman who spoke in a lilting voice.” This is direct characterization. We know exactly how she looks.

32. INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
This occurs based upon what the author infers about a character and how the audience interprets it. Example: Janine is a caring individual.
By psychological description.
By physical description.
By probing what s/he thinks.
By what s/he says.
By how s/he says it.
By what s/he does.
By what others say about him or her.
By his or her environment.
By her reaction to others.
By his reaction to himself.

33. CHARACTER TYPES In fiction, several character types are reoccurring.
Round – a character with a complex personality; a real-life character (Morrie)
Flat – a character who is built around a single idea (Charlotte)
Dynamic – a character who changes over time (Mitch)
Static – a character who remains the same (Janine)
Stock- a character who is stereotypical (Caretakers)

34. THEME The central idea about life that the story
highlights; THE MAIN IDEA (universal truths).
The message the author is conveying.
Determine the specific conflict
Decide what side of the conflict the story represents
How is the conflict resolved? Who wins? Who loses?

35. 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

36. THEME
Not all short stories have a theme; some are just for entertainment or fun
Party Down South

37. THEME OR NOT A THEME?
1) Little Mermaid is about wishing your life was different
2) Stars Wars is a movie about Luke Skywalker
3) Rambo 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