1. 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.

2. - exposition statement - rising action - conflict - climax
Elements of a Short Story
Plot
- exposition statement
- rising action
- conflict
- climax
- falling action
- resolution
Theme
Setting
Characters
Point of view
Characterization

3. Characterisation
Characterisation is how the characters in the story are described
There are two ways this can be done:
Direct (e.g. description of what they look like)
Indirect (e.g. what the characters do in the story)

4. CHARACTERS POINT OF VIEW The people (or actors) in the story.
The story teller from whose point of view the story is being told, the narrator.

5. POINT OF VIEW There are three different types: First Person (“I did…”)
Second Person (“You did…”)
Third Person (“He did…”)

6. POV - 3rd person The 3rd person point of view has 2 types:
Omniscient (all-knowing)
Limited (only follows one character)

7. More PLOT
Climax - The point of crisis in the plot. It may be the reader’s point of highest interest.
Falling action - The action in the story after the climax is revealed.
Resolution - The part of the plot that reveals the final outcome.

8. PLOT DIAGRAM Climax Rising Action Conflict Exposition Resolution
Falling Action
Exposition
Resolution

9. PLOT GRAPH

10. CONCLUSION
Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a short story, let us use the elements to analyze a familiar fairytale. You may use your notes from the PowerPoint presentation or consult the newsletter handout, “Analyzing a Short Story.”

11. Bibliography
Dinneen, K. Elements of the Short Story. Retrieved Jun , 2003, from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:
Five Elements of a Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,
Guevin, D. Short Story Elements. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,