ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY

Setting

• makes up of the time (seasons, times, period, historical time) and place: figurative, literal

Character/s

• protagonist, antagonist; round (character development), flat (remains the same), dynamic, supporting, stereotypes (hero, jock, third-party, nerd)

Point of View

• the narrator/ the person/speaker telling the story

• narration – first person, third person; omniscient, limited omniscient

Plot

• exposition, conflict (self vs self, person vs person, person vs society, person vs nature, person vs God), rising action, climax, falling action, resolution

Theme

• meaning, vision of the work

• starts with the subject, then the topic of the story

• stated in a complete statement

  • example: generation gap can cause hatred and animosity in the family

• overall unifying vision of the work

  • subject: general idea

    • example: war, family, friendship, love

  • topic: narrowed down subject

    • example: generation gap between parents and children