Elements of a

Short Story
Short Story

A short story is a
work of fiction that
can be read in one
sitting.
 Setting= time and place
-puts the reader in the story by
giving the reader the feeling of
being in the situation.

-creates atmosphere
by the positive or negative
feelings associated with the
 Characters
The people in the
story who create a
dominant impression on
the readers.
 Types of Characters
•Main or Minor
•Protagonist or Antagonist
•Round or Flat
•Dynamic or Static
•*Stereotypes=Stock Characters*
 Point Of View
the way in which the
story is narrated. It is the
method or the vantage point
that the authr
Point of View or . . .
(Who’s telling this story
anyway?)
-the vantage point from which the story
is told.
-determines how much we, the readers,
know about the characters.
1st Person
• Narrator is a character in the story.
•Narrator uses first-person pronouns, I,
me, my, we, us, our to refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and
feelings of one character and speaks
directly to reader.
3rd Person Limited
•Narrator does not participate in action of
story.
•Narrator does not refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings
of one character, but readers are able to
maintain some emotional distance from the
character.
3rd Person Omniscient
•Narrator does not participate in action of
story.
•Narrator does not refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings
of all characters; readers get insight into
several characters.
 Plot
■ The chain of related events that
take place in a story.

■ Built around conflict, which is a

struggle between opposing forces.
 Plot at a Glance

climax

falling action
rising action
resolution
exposition
 Conflict
Conflict is a
struggle between
opposing forces.
 Types of Conflict
•External
-Man v Man
-Man v Nature
-Man v Obstacle or Society

•Internal
-Man v Himself
Theme
In literature, theme is a perception about life or
human nature that the writer wants to share with the
reader.
In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but
must be inferred.
Themes can be revealed by
- a story’s title
- key phrases and statements about big ideas
- the ways the characters change and the
lessons they learn about life.
Language and style

This refers to the

way in which a work
of literature is written.
Language can be figurative
or based on common speech
of cultivated men.
Style refers to the author’s
word choice and sentence
construction.
What is a symbol?
A symbol is a person, a
place, an activity, or an
object that stands for
something beyond itself.
The End