Elements of a Short Story Ms. Ghie D.Vidar SALIS Objectives • Identify and define elements of a short story • Demonstrate mastery of short story elements by creating story grammar Elements of a Short Story Overview Short Story A is similar to your dish. It needs the best ingredients for you to enjoy its delectable taste. Stories are made up of four important elements: Setting Characters, Plot, and Theme Elements of a Short Story Setting Tells the reader where and when the story takes place. Characters and Characterization The people, and in some stories, the animals that take part in the story. The description of the personalities of the characters in the story and the way in which an author reveals their personalities. Two Identifications of Characters 1. Protagonist – the hero of the story 2. Antagonist – the villain in the story who is always opposing the protagonist Methods of Characterization Creating Believable Characters • Indirect • Direct – physical appearance – speech, thoughts, feelings, or actions of the character – speech, thoughts, feelings, or actions of other characters – the narrator’s direct comments about a character Plot • The chain of related events that take place in a story. • Built around conflict, which is a struggle between opposing forces. • • The plot is the sequence or order of events in a story. The plot includes: Exposition Statement The part of the plot that tells how the story begins. PLOT DIAGRAM Rising Action The action in the story leading up to the climax. Conflict Climax The struggles or problems between opposing forces. Climax The point of crisis in the plot. It may be the reader’s point of highest interest. Conflict Falling action The action in the story after the climax is revealed. Exposition Resolution The part of the plot that reveals the final outcome. Resolution Types of Conflict -Man vs. Man -Man vs. Nature -Man vs. Obstacle or Society - Man vs. Supernatural Being -Man vs. Himself Theme • The main idea of a story. • It is not a moral, lesson, or a rule for living. Ex. Love Family Feud Themes from ‘The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’ CONCLUSION Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a short story, let us use the elements to analyze a Short Story. You may use your notes from the PowerPoint presentation to assist you when reading.. Bibliography 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, http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2277.html Guevin, D. Short Story Elements. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003, http://www.uvm.edu/~dguevin/Elements.html