elements of a short story

Short story

Brief work of fiction intended to be read in one sitting

Characters

People or animals who take part in the action of the story

Setting

Time and place of the story

Mood

Atmosphere

Plot

Sequence of events in a story

Conflict

Struggle between opposing forces

Internal conflict

Takes place in the mind of a character

External conflict

Takes place between a character and an outside force

Theme

Central message from the story

Exposition

Introduces characters and their situation

Rising action

Develops the conflict

Climax

Turning point where outcome is determined, point of greatest intensity

Falling action

Sets up story’s ending

Resolution

Shows how the conflict is settled

Point of view

Perspective from which the story is told

Narrator

The one who tells the story

Foreshadowing

Something that might happen that indicates the future

Flashback

Shows events from before the present

Direct characterization

When the narrator makes direct statements about the characters personality

STEAL

speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions, looks

Protagonist

Main character

Antagonist

Person against main character

Dynamic

Change throughout the story

Static

Doesn’t change throughout the story

Chronological

Show chain of events