Adapted from Mr. Geerlings
Literary
Devices
Elements
Short
Story
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By name alone, they are a ‘brief tale’
Although short, it does not mean that such
stories do not hold impact
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A short story is a closely-knit, concise
narrative meant to be read in a single sitting
Much like a one-act play, these tales centre
on a short snapshot of the character’s life
Every short story follows a similar narrative
trajectory
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Every short story is comprised of a similar
structure that contains 6 essential elements
Often written in narrative prose, but can be
communicated in other ways (poem, video)
Depicts few characters and concentrates on
creating a single mood
One of the oldest forms of narrative
Characters
Setting
Conflict
Point of
View
Plot
(outline)
Theme
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Without characters there is no story!
Often the chief aim of an author is to reveal
something about human nature, thus their
characters are essential in this process
The process by which the writer reveals the
personality of the character is called
characterization
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There are two essential characters:
◦ Protagonist – Main character
◦ Antagonist – The adversary of the main character
• Author tells the reader what the personality of the
reader is
Direct
Characterization
• Does not apply to adaptations like plays and film
• Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were
both well mannered and did not disobey their
mother.”
• Author describes things that reveal the
personality of the character
Indirect
Characterization
• This can be achieve through 5 different methods:
1) Summary of Features
2) Mannerisms
3) Dialogue
4) Actions
5) Setting
Methods of Characterization
Direct Characterization: The author develops the
personality of a character by direct statements.
“Jack had been in basic
training in Florida and Dottie
was there on vacation with
her parents. They’d met on
the beach and struck up a
conversation. Dottie was the
talker, the outgoing one – the
extrovert. Jack was too shy
around girls to say much at
all.”
“Furlough – 1944” by Harry Mazer
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Setting is the backdrop of the story itself
It is comprised of three main features
Time
Place
Mood/
Atmosphere
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3 Features of Setting:
◦ Time:
 Present day, ancient times, or the future
◦ Place:
 Neighborhood, city, country, universe
◦ Mood:
 The feelings and emotions that permeate
the story – i.e., gloom, decay, hope, mystery
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All about description…
"The walls were made of dark stone, dimly lit
by torches. Empty benches rose on either side
of him, but ahead, in the highest benches of
all, were many shadowy figures. They had
been talking in low voices, but as the heavy
door swung closed behind Harry an ominous
silence fell."
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All about description…
The heavenly aroma of garlic, basil, and
oregano mixed with the unmistakable yeasty
scent of fresh bread and wafted on the cool
air that blew in her face when she opened the
door. Anne’s salivary glands kicked into
overdrive and her stomach growled. She
really needed to stop skipping lunch.”
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No story can exist without conflict, otherwise
it would be incredibly boring to read
Conflict can be classified as either internal or
external
External
Man vs
Man
Man vs
Nature
Internal
Man vs
Self
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The perspective through which the story is
being told
Always ask, whose feelings and thoughts are
being conveyed?
For now, know that there are two main POVs:
◦ 1st Person
◦ 3rd Person
Told from the viewpoint of one of the
characters, using the first person pronoun
“I”.
“The thousands of injuries of Fortunato I had
borne as I best could, but when he ventured
upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well
know the nature of my soul, will not suppose,
however, that I give utterance to a threat.”
“The Cask of Amontillado”
by Edgar Allan Poe
The main character in the story is referred to
using the second person pronoun “you”.
“Rubbing your aching head, you take in the scene around you.
Nearby you see a narrow dirt road, and beyond it a fastrunning brook. The road disappears into dense woods on
either side of the field.
You hear the sound of hooves, and a strange clanking noise.
Someone is coming! You duck behind a tree as two men on
horseback ride toward you. They are wearing shining metal
armor. One of them carries a white banner with a golden lion
on it. They must be knights! You watch as they rein in their
horses and dismount just a few yards away.”
Choose Your Own Adventure : The Forbidden Castle by Edward Packard
The story is told using a narrator who is located
outside of the action of the story and uses third
person pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “his”, “her”,
“they” etc.
Third Person Point of View can be broken up into
three different types:
 Omniscient
 Limited Omniscient
 Objective
The narrator has the power to show the
reader what is happening though a number
of characters’ eyes.
“Myop carried a short knobby stick. She struck out
at random at chickens she liked, and worked out
the beat of a song on the fence around the pigpen.
She felt light and good in the warm sun. She was
ten, and nothing existed for her but her son, the
stick she clutched in her dark brown hand, and the
tat-de-ta-ta-ta of accompaniment.”
“The Flowers” by Alice Walker
Third person, told from the viewpoint of a
character in the story.
“They all laughed, and while they were
laughing, the quiet boy moved his bare foot on
the sidewalk and merely touched, brushed
against a number of red ants that were
scurrying about on the sidewalk. Secretly his
eyes shining, while his parents chatted with the
old man, he saw the ants hesitate, quiver, and
lie still on the cement. He sensed they were
cold now.”
“Fever Dream” by Ray Bradbury
Third person, told as if from a camera that
follows the characters. Only what is said and
done is recorded.
“Jennifer stirred in bed. The cotton sheet clung to her body as
she rolled to face the nightstand. With eyes half open, she
reached over to switch the alarm clock off when the man in
the shadows reached out and grabbed her arm. Her scream
pierced the quiet night and died abruptly as she was forced
violently back into the dark oblivion.”
“Objective Point of View” writesville.com
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All elements of a short story are important,
but plot is the most important if we are to
have a story at all!
Plot is the foundation upon which all the
other elements of the story rest
Plot framework for short stories follows a
similar outline
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This similar pattern can be represented by
the plot outline:
Climax
Falling Action
Rising
Action
Exposition
Inciting
Incident
Denouement
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Easily the hardest component to dissect in a
short story, but by far the most important
Theme: Life lesson, meaning, moral, or
message about life or human nature that is
communicated by a literary work
In other words…
◦ Theme is what the story teaches readers
◦ What the writer wishes to convey about the subject
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Little Red Riding Hood
◦ Don’t talk to strangers
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Spiderman (The Movie)
◦ With great power comes great responsibility
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Three Little Pigs
◦ Hard work will pay off in the end
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Star Wars
◦ Nature is superior to technology
How to identify the theme:
1. Create a quick plot outline
2. Identify the subject of the story (i.e., gangs)
3. Identify the insight or truth that was learned
about the subject
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 How did the protagonist change? What did they learn?
4.
5.
Generalize this into one sentence,
describing the message the author has
regarding the subject
THAT sentence is your theme 
Types of Irony
 Verbal Irony: This is the contrast between what is said
and what is meant. In other words: sarcasm.
 Dramatic Irony: This is the contrast between what the
character thinks to be true and what we (the reader) know
to be true. Sometimes as we read we are placed in the
position of knowing more than what one character
knows. Because we know something the character does
not, we read to discover how the character will react when
he or she learns the truth of the situation.
 Situational Irony: This is the most common in
literature. It is the contrast between what happens and
what was expected (or what would seem
appropriate). Because it emerges from the events and
circumstances of a story it is often more subtle and
effective than verbal or dramatic irony.
Flashback
This is a writers’ technique in which the author
interrupts the plot of the story to recreate an
incident of an earlier time (goes back in time; like
giving the reader a memory). This device is often
used to provide additional information to the reader.
Foreshadowing
This is a writers’
technique in which the
author provides clues or
hints as to what is going
to happen later in the
story. It’s like the music
in a scary movie when
we know that something
bad is about to happen.