Elements of a Short Story
Definition of a Short Story
Tells about a ____________
event or experience
Fictional (not true)
500 to 15,000 words in
length
It has a _______________
________________, and
__________________.
Creates an impression on the
reader
Elements of a Short Story
_______________
Characterization
_______________
Conflict
_______________
Resolution
_______________
Point of view
Setting
• The time and ________________ of the
story’s action
Short Story Vocabulary
Theme: The story’s
main ideas. The
“______________”
the writer intends
to communicate by
telling the story.
Short Story Vocabulary
Characterization:
Creation of
imaginary people who
appear to be
____________ to
the reader. The
writer gives
_______________
about the
characters in the
story.
Characterization
• How the author ________________ the
characters, especially the main character.
• This is done through:
– what the character ____________ or says
– what others say of and __________ the
character
– author’s _____________ _____________ in
descriptive passages
Characterization
• Direct characterization
– The author ________________ states what
the character’s personality is like. Example:
cruel, kind
• Indirect characterization
– Showing a character’s personality through
his/her ________________, thoughts,
feelings, ________________, appearance or
other character’s observations or reactions
Protagonist
• Main character of the story that changes
– the most ___________________ character
– changes and grows because of experiences
in the story
– “______________ Character”
Antagonist
• A major character who _______________
the protagonist
– “_________________ Character”
Short Story Vocabulary
Plot: A series of
_______________
through which the
writer reveals what
is happening, to
whom, and why.
What is the Plot?
• Plot: Series of related events that make
up a story.
Exposition
• Section that ______________________
characters, the setting, and conflicts.
Rising Action
• Consists of a series of _______________.
• These occur when the main characters
take _____________ to resolve their
problems and are met with further
problems:
– Fear
– Hostility
– Threatening situation
Climax
• The turning _____________ in the
story: the high point of interest and
Climax
_______________.
Rising Action or
Complications
Falling Action
Falling Action
• All events following the climax or turning
point in the story. These events are a
_______________ of the action taken at
the climax.
Resolution
• The _____________ of the central conflict:
it shows how the situation turns out and
ties up loose ends
Short Story Vocabulary
Conflict: Is a
_______________
in the story that
needs to be
resolved.
Conflict
• A struggle between two opposing forces
• Types
– Internal – takes place in a character’s own ________.
• Man vs. Him(Her)self
– External – a character struggles against an
_________________ force
• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Society
Man v/s Himself/Herself:
• The central character has to make personal
decisions about what is the right thing to do
(ex.: a young person must decide whether or
not to tell his parents he stole some money, a
person sees a twenty dollar bill fall out of
someone’s pocket and must decide whether
to return it or not.)
• Internal
The two types of conflict can be
shown in the following ways:
• Man v/s nature: the central character
battles the forces of nature (ex.: caught in
a rain storm w/ no umbrella, stalked by a
wild animal)
Man v/s Society
• The central character battles societal
norms (ex.: a new student dressing
differently than the other students, a
person who won’t drink even though his
friends are)
Man v/s Man:
• The central character battles another
character in the story (ex.: Luke Skywalker
vs. Darth Vadar, Tweety vs. Sylvester)
Short Story Vocabulary
Point of view: The
_______________
of the
______________
of the story and
what the writer sees
from that vantage
point.
Point of View
– First person- One of the characters is
actually telling the story using the pronoun
“__________”
– Third person- Centers on _____________
character’s thoughts and actions.
– Omniscient- ___________ knowing
narrator. Can center on the thoughts any
actions of _________ and _________
characters.
Flashback
• The present scene in the story is
interrupted to flash backward and tell what
happened in an ________________ time.
Foreshadowing
• _____________ the writer puts in the story
to give the reader a hint of what is to
come.
Irony
• A _____________ between expectation
and reality.
Irony
• Verbal Irony – _______________ one thing but
meaning something completely different.
– Calling a clumsy basketball player “Michael Jordan”
• Situational Irony – A contradiction between what
we _______________ to happen and what
really does happen
• Dramatic Irony – occurs when the
____________ knows something important that
the characters in the story do not know.