ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY

The short story emerges from the writer’s careful manipulation of various formal
elements, which will usually include:
• Plot (Action and Conflict)
• Characterization
• Setting (Time and Place)
• Point of View
• Tone
• Symbolism
• Theme
• Language
 THE PLOT
The plot is the action or events of a story, arranged in a meaningful way.
There are usually the following stages in the development of the plot:

• Exposition: The situation is established. This includes information

about the background of the story, the introduction of characters, the
description of the setting and the establishment of atmosphere.
• Conflict: This is the central action, also known as ―the complication‖.
This conflict usually leads to the climax (high-point of intensity of
feeling or action) of the story.
• Denouement: The end of the story – the outcome of the conflict, also
known as the resolution.
THE PLOT IN A SHORT STORY
CHARACTERS IN SHORT STORIES
Broadly speaking, there are two
types of characters:

(a) The developing character: This

kind of character undergoes a
process in which his attitudes and
beliefs are CHANGED. (Rounded
character.)
(b) The static character:
This kind of character does NOT
change. (Flat character.)
 THE SETTING (TIME AND PLACE)
Functions of the Setting:

1. Contributes to theme
2. Creates atmosphere and
tone
3. Helps to unfold the action
and conflict
4. Contributes to our
understanding of characters
(The setting may be part of the
exposition, or may be spread
throughout the story.)
 POINT OF VIEW
• Omniscient (all-
knowing)
• First person narrator
• Dramatic
• Limited third person
 OMNISCIENT POINT OF VIEW
• There is an all-knowing
presence in the story
who has access to the
thoughts of all the
characters.
• This point of view is
God-like.
FIRST PERSON NARRATOR
• This is when the story is told by a
character IN the story.
• The first person narrator may or
may not be central to the action.
• The first person may be the
protagonist or a secondary
character who is peripheral to
the main action.
• The personal pronoun ―I‖ is used.
 DRAMATIC POINT OF VIEW
• There is no overt
interpretation of the
thoughts or actions of any
of the characters, only the
description and
presentation of them.
• In these kinds of stories,
the narrator doesn’t ―pick
sides‖.
• The reader has to form
his/her own opinion of the
characters.
 LIMITED THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW
• In this kind of story the
reader is only presented
with the thoughts, feelings
and experiences of ONE of
the characters in the story.
• The personal pronoun ―he‖
or ―she‖ is used.
• The narrator confines
himself to what this single
character experiences.
 TONE
Tone is really the writer’s
attitude towards the subject
he is writing about and his
attitude to the reader.
The author MANIPULATES
the tone to produce a
specific response in the
reader.
SYMBOLISM
A symbol is an object,
action, or idea that
represents something
other than itself, often
of a more abstract
nature. Symbolism
creates quality aspects
that make literature like
poetry and novels more
meaningful.
 THEME
The theme is the main idea that the writer is trying to put across
to the reader.
It runs through the whole story and is the important aspect that
UNIFIES the story.
The THEME is the general SUBJECT of the story.
 STYLE
Style in literature is the literary
element that describes the
ways that the author uses
words — the author's word
choice, sentence structure,
figurative language, and
sentence arrangement all
work together to establish
mood, images, and meaning
in the text. Style describes
how the author describes
events, objects, and ideas.
 ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY
(REVISION)
The short story emerges from the writer’s careful manipulation of various formal
elements, which will usually include:
• Plot (Action and Conflict)
• Characterization
• Setting (Time and Place)
• Point of View
• Tone
• Symbolism
• Theme
• Language