TheFiveElementsofaShortStory

1.Plot
2.Character
3.Setting
4.Atmosphere
5.Style
CharacteristicsofEachElement:
I.

PlotThearrangementofincidentsoreventsinastory.
1. Exposition Thereaderisoftentoldwhereandwhenthestoryoccurs
introducesthecharacter(s).
2. CrisisAconflictisusuallyestablishedbetweencharacters.
3. RisingAction Theconflictbetweencharactersdevelopsandbecomes
morepronounced.
4. Climax Themomentofgreatestsuspense.
5. FallingAction Theactionleadstotheresolutionorfinaloutcome.
6. Resolution Thewriterwrapsupandtiesupanylooseendsinhopesthat
thereaderwillleavethestorysatisfied.
Conflict Twotypes:
a. Internal manversushimself
b. External manversusman
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

II.

manversusnature
manversussociety
manversusunknown
manversussupernatural
manversustime

Character Theplotcanonlyexistwithcharacter(s).Themaincharacteris
placedinasituationthatcontainsaproblemhemustovercome:therefore,
conflictexists.Moststoriesalsohaveminorcharacterswhoeitherhelpor
hinderthemaincharacter'sattempttosolvehisproblem.Whenexamining
character,wemustalwayslookathismotivation.Whatmakeshimbehave
thisway?
a. FlatCharacter acharacterwhodoesn'tgothroughachange.These
charactersareusuallyonedimensional.

b. Round(Dynamic)Charactersacharacteraffectedbytheeventsofthe
story.Thesecharactersareusuallyfullydevelopedintermsofpersonality.
Theyaredescribedinmoredetailandtheirpersonalitiesemergemore
fully.Roundcharactersusuallybecomeenlightened,learn,grow,or
deterioratebytheendofthestory.
c. StereotypedCharactersacharacterwhoissowellknownthatlittlehasto
besaidabouthim/her.Thesecharactersareimmediatelyrecognizable
becauseoftherolehe/sheplays.Examples thestrongsilentgunfighter,
thenerd,thebeautifulinternationalspy,themadscientist,etc.

Protagonist Themaincharacterofthestory.
Antagonist Thischaracteropposestheprotagonist.Often,he/sheisan
opponenttothemaincharacterandissometimesrightandjustifiedin
his/heractions.
Welearnaboutacharacterbyexamining5areas:
1.whathesays
2.whathethinks
3.whathedoes
4.whatissaidabouthimby othercharactersandthenarrator
5.anauthor'sdirectstatement
III.

Setting Thephysicalbackgroundofthestory whereandwhenthestory

takesplace.

IV.

AtmosphereThiselementhasacloserconnectiontothesettingbecausethe
settingoftendeterminestheatmosphere.Theatmosphereisthemoodortone
of thestory.Physicalsurroundingsaffectacharacteranddeterminehismood.
Atmosphereisusuallyestablishedatthebeginningofthestory.Ittakesin
characters,clothing,furniture,naturalsurroundings,light,darkness,shadows,
weather.

V.

StyleThewaystheauthorexpresseshimselfandconveyshisideasand
centralpurpose.Styleisverypersonal notwowritingstylesarealike.In
ordertodetermineawriter'sstyle,wemustlookatthefollowingareas:
a. Diction wordchoice.Wordchoicecanbeformal,informal,colloquialor
slang.
i. Formaldictionisusuallyfoundinacademictexts,academicpapers
andformaldiscourse.
ii. Informaldictionisrelaxedconversationandisfoundinwriting
thathasalightertoneandissometimeshumorous.

iii. Colloquialdictionistheeverydayusageofaparticulargroup.
Example:InCapeBretonpeoplesay"Abunofbread","Asupof
tea",etc.
iv. Slangisdefinedasanewlycoinedwordnotacceptedforformal
usageyet,andisusuallynotfoundinthedictionary.
b. Sentencestructure Indicatedbywhetherornotthesentencesareshort,
long,simple,compound,complex,compoundcomplex.
c. PointofViewThevantagepointfromwhichtheauthorpresentsthe
actionofthestory.Itisthepersontellingthestory:thenarrator.Thereare
differenttypesofnarration:
1. thirdpersonnarration whenthepersontellingthestoryisnotpart
oftheaction.
2. firstpersonnarration Thisisamajor,minor,orasilentcharacter
whotellsthestory.
3. Omniscientnarration Theauthorwhoknowseverythingaboutthe
charactersandeventsandwhocanenterthemindofanycharacter
atwill.
7. Irony referstosomesortofdiscrepancybetweenwhatisexpectedand
whatactuallyhappens.
Verbalirony theoppositeissaidfromwhatisreallyintended
(sarcasm)Example"Wasn'tthatasmartmove!!"
Dramaticirony acontrastbetweenwhatacharactersaysand
whatthereaderknowstobetrue.
Situationalirony acontrastbetweenwhatisexpectedtooccur
andwhatdoesoccur.
8. Symbolism Aliterarysymbolmeanssomethingitselfinthestorybut
alsosuggestsawealthofmeaningbeyondwhatitactuallyis. For
instance,aroseisafragrantredflowerwithathornysteminmany
situations,however,itisasymboloflove.
9. Imagery Therearetwotypes:
a. Sensuousimagery Imagesthatappealtothefivesenses:visual(sight)
auditory(hearing)tactile(touch)gustatory(taste)andolfactory(smell).
b. Figurativeimagery metaphorsimilepersonificationapostropheetc.
c. Simileacomparisonoftwounlikeobjectsorpersonsthathavepoint(s)
incommon useof"likeoras"ExampleIwanderedlonelyasacloud.
d. Metaphor adirectcomparisonbetweentwounlikeobjectsorpersons
withoutusing"likeoras"ExampleSheisabearinthemorning.
e. Personification givingpersonalattributestoinanimateobjectsorabstract
ideasExampleThefiringoftherifleleftthesilenceterrified.

f. Apostropheaddressingorspeakingtothedeadasiflivingtoanobject
asifitisalivetotheabsentasiftheyarepresentandabletounderstand
thespeakerExample"Walksoftly,March,forbearthebitterblow."
g. Hyperboleanexaggerationusedinordertomakeapointortoemphasize
ExampleIhavetoldyouamilliontimestocleanyourroom.

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