ENGLISH REVIEWER

Elements of a short story

Setting
a description of where and when the story takes place.
Character
The characters are the individuals that the story is about. The author should introduce the
characters in the story with enough information that the reader can visualize each person.
This is achieved by providing detailed descriptions of a character’s physical attributes and
personality traits.
 Protagonist
The protagonist is the main character, often a hero.
 Antagonist
The antagonist is the character who opposes the protagonist, often a villain.
Plot
The plot is the actual story around which the entire book is based. A plot should have a
very clear beginning, middle, and end—with all the necessary descriptions and suspense,
called exposition—so that the reader can make sense of the action and follow along from
start to finish.
 Conflict

Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main
character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle.

 Man vs. Man - The leading character struggles with his physical strength
against other men, forces of nature, or animals.
 Man vs. Society - conflict occurs when a character goes against the laws of
their society, a tyrannical government, or an unfair community mindset.
 Man vs. Self - the conflict takes place within the mind of the main character,
and often involves the character making a decision between right and wrong,
or other mixed emotions.
 Man vs. Nature - an external struggle positioning the character against an
animal or a force of nature, such as a storm or tornado or snow.
Theme

Theme is a universal concept that pervades and recurs throughout every piece of fiction.
It is the meaning behind the story and is expressed through the plot and through
the character's journeys. Some will describe it as the ‘heartbeat’ or ‘soul’ of the story.
 SENTENCES ACCORDING TO
STRUCTURE
Orange – dependent Blue - Independent

Simple

Has a complete subject and predicate

Ex. Arnold and Juan play cricket every evening.

Compound

Has two or more simple sentences and joined by a comma, semicolon or conjunction.

Ex. I really want to go to work, but I am too sick to drive.

Complex

contains a main clause and one or more subordinate clause

Ex. Although he was wealthy, he was still unhappy.

Compound-Complex

It has two or more than one main clause (Independent clause) and one or more
subordinate clause (Dependent Clause)

Ex. Kate doesn’t like cartoons because they are loud, so she doesn’t watch them.

Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunction

 Fanboys (For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

Subordinating Conjunctions
  Joins a dependent(Subordinate clause) and independent(Main clause) clause
 After, although, as, as far as, as if, as long, as soon as, because, before,
considering, if, in, as much as, in order that, provided that, since, etc.

Parallelism

 a literary device in which parts of the sentence are grammatically the same, or are
similar in construction.
 Combining two equal grammatical importance

Ex. Alice ran into the room, into the garden, and into our hearts.