Elements of Short Story

ELEMENTS OF A STORY
Learning Objectives:
1. To identify the different elements of a
story
2. To familiarize oneself with examples of
the elements of a story
SETTING
- is the time and place that a story occurs.
 Place - Geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking
place?
 Time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day,
year, etc.)
 Weather Conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?
 Social Conditions -What is the daily life of the characters like? Does
the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress,
mannerisms, customs,
 etc. of a particular place)?
 Mood or Atmosphere - What feeling is
created at the beginning of the story? Is it
bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?
Authors often use descriptions of landscape,
scenery, buildings, seasons or weather to
provide a strong sense of setting.
CHARACTERS
- persons, animals, or things which play a role in a story
or a piece of literary work.
Main characters - those who are most important in the

story
Minor characters - usually static or unchanging
Characters according to principality
1.Protagonist is the character with
whom the reader empathizes
2.Antagonist is the character that
goes against the protagonist
PLOT
- the sequence of events that happened in a story.
Parts of a Plot:
Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, &
Resolution
1. Exposition or introduction- the beginning of the
story where the characters
and setting is revealed.
2. 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)
3. Climax- this is the highest point and the turning
point of the story. The
readers wonder what will happen next; will the conflict
be resolved or not?
4. 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 resolution)
5. Conclusion or Resolution- the part of the plot
that concludes the falling action by revealing or
suggesting the outcome of the conflict.
CONFLICT
- a struggle between two or more opposing forces in a story.
Conflicts can be:

o 1. External – A struggle with a force outside one's self.
o 2. Internal – A struggle within one's self; a person must
make some
decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an
urge, etc.
Types of conflict
a. man vs. man - a type of conflict where one

character in the story has a
problem with one or more of the other characters
b. man vs. society - a type of conflict where a
character has a conflict or
problem with some element of society-the school,
the law, the accepted way of doing things, and so
on
Types of conflict
c. man vs. nature - a type of conflict where a

character has a problem with
some natural happening: snowstorm, typhoon,
avalanche, bitter
cold, or any elements common to nature
d.man vs. self -is a type of conflict where a
character has trouble deciding what to do in a
particular situation
POINT OF VIEW
- the perspective from which the story is narrated or
told.
Examples:
First Person
Second Person
Third Person
There are four types of Point of View:
1. First person POV–first person is when “I” am

telling the story, relating his or her experiences
directly.
2. Second person POV- the story is told to
“you.” This POV is not common in
fiction, but it’s still good to know (it is common in
nonfiction)
3. Third person POV limited- the story is about
“he” or “she.” This is the most common point of
view in commercial fiction. The narrator is
outside of the story and relating the experiences
of a character.
4.Third person POV omniscient- the story is
still about “he”or “she”, but the narrator has full
access to the thoughts and experiences of all
characters in
the story.
THEME
- the main idea conveyed by the author in a literary
work.
Examples:
Honesty is the best policy.
Believe in yourself.
TONE
- reflects the attitude of the author in writing the story.
Examples:
Inspirational
Humorous
MOOD
- the feeling or emotion that the reader gets when
reading a story.
Examples:
Calm
Peaceful
ACTIVITY: WHAT HAPPENED?
Identify the parts of the plot in the story “On the Origin of Earth and
Man” according to Gustav Freytag’s Pyramidal structure of a plot.
CLIMAX
RISING ACTION FALLING ACTION
EXPOSITION RESOLUTION
HOME-BASED ACTIVITY
Using the story read, copy the format of the worksheet in your paper then, fill the
information required. Enjoy your literary quest! Do this on a piece of paper.
- the feeling or emotion that the reader gets when

reading a story.
Examples:
Calm
Peaceful
THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY!
See you tomorrow!

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ELEMENTS OF A STORY

Main characters - those who are most important in the

Conflicts can be:

a. man vs. man - a type of conflict where one

c. man vs. nature - a type of conflict where a

1. First person POV–first person is when “I” am

RISING ACTION FALLING ACTION

- the feeling or emotion that the reader gets when

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