Agliones, Janna Myca R.

HRDM 3-C Philippine Literature

1. What are the elements of a short story?

 AS stated in the Introduction to Literature in English by
Ignatius Joseph Estroga, a short story has 7 elements namely: the
author; setting; plot; themes; characters; style; and language.
 Author – the one that had written the piece.
 Setting – the time and place which the story happen or told.
 Plot – it is what that hooks the readers to the story and also
the series of events that had happened in the story. The core
part of this element is the conflict because it is the one that
gives the sense to the whole story.
 Theme – the main idea of the whole story or what the author want
the readers to know about the story. It answers the question
“What does it mean?”
 Characters – These are the persons or often animals that are
involved on the short story. They are the ones that acts, talks,
and portray.
 Style – it is the way that a short story was written by the
author. This helps with how the readers will appreciate the
written works because the style of the author in writing short
stories varied on who are his audience.
 Language – is part of the style and is considered as the most
important element of fictional writing. It is what makes the
readers understand what is happening to the flow of the story in
a clear, informative and interesting way. In language, authors
mostly use such symbolisms and figures of speech to rely the
essence and happenings in the story to the readers.

2. Recall any Philippine short story in English you've read in the

past. Identify the elements present in the chosen short story.
 The example of short story that I’ve read before is the very
famous Magnificence.
 Author – Estrella Alfon, a pre-war and post-war writer. She was
born in 1917 and was from Cebu City. She had an AA degree from
the University of the Philippines in medicine and was a member of
the UP Writers Club. She died in December 28, 1983 at the age of
66 years old. Some of her famous works are the Servant Girl, as
well as the Magnificence and some other stories.
 Setting – the house of the two children.
 Plot – the storyline began with a man named Vicente visiting the
two children' home to help them with their schoolwork. The family
has complete faith in him since they view him as a gentle, caring
man who poses no threat to them while he is in their presence.
This story shows the link between the psychological effects of
Agliones, Janna Myca R. HRDM 3-C Philippine Literature

child abuse and mothers in society, over which we have very

little control over.
 Theme – the main theme of this story revolved around hope,
determination, and women empowerment. It also revolve around the
essence of how a mother will turn into a woman when it comes down
to her right to fight abuses.
 Characters – Vicente the bust conductor, the mother, Oscar and
the little girl.
 Style – the writing style that the author used in this short
story is something that seem to be the innocent narrative of the
lives of the characters while indirectly having a hidden meaning
towards the use of physical objects.
 Language – the language used in this story was in a third-
person’s point of view.