University of Puerto Rico In Ponce English Department ENGL 3102

Identify elements of a short story Define elements of a short story Demonstrate mastery of short story elements

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.

Theme Setting Characters Point of view Characterization

Plot - exposition statement - rising action - Rising Action - climax - falling action - Denouement

The main idea of a literary work, usually expressed as a generalization

The time and location in which a work of literature happens. There are several aspects of a storys setting to consider when examining how settings contributes to a story, such as weather, social conditions, mood or atmosphere (some, or all, may be present in a story).

Place is the geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place? Time- When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, among others) Weather conditions- how the weather is. Is it sunny, rainy, snowy, among others? Social conditions- how the characters live. What is the daily life of the characters like? (mannerism, customs, dress) Mood or atmosphere- What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

The people (or actors) in the story. There are two other meanings for the word character:
The person in a work of fiction. 2. The characteristics of a person.
1.

People in a work of fiction- short stories use few characters. The main characters are the Protagonist and

Antagonist Protagonist - is the main character in a drama or other

literary work. The protagonist of a Greek drama was its leading actor; therefore, there could be only one in a play. The question for speakers of modern English is whether a drama can have more than one protagonist. Antagonist - One who opposes and contends against another; an adversary. The principal character in opposition to the protagonist or hero of a narrative or drama.

Individual- round, many sided and complex personalities. Developing - dynamic, many sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the story. Static - Stereotype, have one or two characteristics that never change and are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. The author may reveal a character in several ways: a) his/her physical appearance b) what he/she says, thinks, feels and dreams c) what he/she does or does not do d) what others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

Characters are convincing if they are:

Consistent motivated life-like (resemble real people)

The story teller from whose point of view the story is being told, the narrator. Point of view, or p.o.v., is defined as the angle from which the story is told.

1.

2.

3.

Innocent Eye - The story is told through the eyes of a child (his/her judgment being different from that of an adult) . Stream of Consciousness - The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are inside the head of one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions. First Person - The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who interacts closely with the protagonist or other characters (using pronouns I, me, we, etc). The reader sees the story through this person's eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels.

4.

Omniscient- The author can narrate the story using the omniscient point of view. He can move from character to character, event to event, having free access to the thoughts, feelings and motivations of his characters and he introduces information where and when he chooses.

a) Omniscient Limited - The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it, etc). We know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us. b) Omniscient Objective The author tells the story in the third person. It appears as though a camera is following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard. There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts. No interpretations are offered. The reader is placed in the position of spectator without the author there to explain. The reader has to interpret events on his own.

The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human nature. The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.

Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are: - things are not always as they appear to be - Love is blind - Believe in yourself - People are afraid of change - Don't judge a book by its cover

The sequence or order of events in a story. The plot includes:

Introducion or Exposition Statement - The part of the plot that tells how the story begins. Rising Action - The action in the story leading up to the climax.

Conflict - Struggles or problems between opposing forces.

The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting.

a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed. b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax). c) Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not? d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement). e) Denouement or Resolution- This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

Climax

Conflict

Exposition

Resolution

Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot. It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move. Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments, rather it is any form of opposition that faces the main character. Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self. 2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals. 2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her. 3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people. 4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

Dinneen, K. Elements of the Short Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003, from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1983/3/83.03.09.x.html

Five Elements of a Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

Guevin, D. Short Story Elements. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

Short Story Elements. Retrieved February 1, 2011. From http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/engramja/elements.html

Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a short story, lets see how much you learned.