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Short Story Literary Elements

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What is a short story? A short story is a brief work of fiction.

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Elements of a Short Story Plot Setting Characterization Point of View Theme

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Plot The sequence of events in a literary work

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Plot Structure Exposition introduces the setting, the characters and the basic situation Inciting Incident introduces the central conflict Rising Action events leading up to the climax

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Climax high point of interest or suspense Falling Action events after the climax that lead to the resolution Resolution (Denouement) general insight or change is conveyed

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Setting The setting is the time and place of the action.

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Time Time can include not only the historical period past, present, future but also a specific year, season or time of day.

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Place Place may involve not only the geographical place a region, country, state, or town but also the social, economic or cultural environment.

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Characters A character is a person or animal that takes part in the action of a literary work.

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Protagonist The main character, or protagonist, is the most important character in a story. This character often changes in some important way as a result of the storys events.

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Antagonist An antagonist is the character or force in conflict with the protagonist.

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Characterization Characterization is the act of creating and developing a character.

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Direct Characterization In direct characterization, the author directly states a characters traits.

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Indirect Characterization In indirect characterization, an author provides clues about a character by describing what a character looks like, does and says, as well as how other characters react to him/her. It is up to the reader to draw conclusions.

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Point of View The writers choice of narrator determines the storys point of view, which directs the type and amount of information the writer reveals.

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First Person When a character in the story tells the story, that character is a first person narrator.

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First Person This person may be a major character, a minor character, or just a witness. Readers see only what this character sees. The first person narrator may or may not be reliable.

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Third Person When a voice outside the story narrates, the story has a third person narrator.

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Third Person Omniscient An omniscient, or all-knowing third person narrator can tell readers what any character thinks or feels.

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Third Person Limited A limited third person narrator sees the world through one characters eyes and reveals only that characters thoughts.

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Theme The theme is the central message or insight into life revealed in a literary work.

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More Elements Conflict Foreshadowing Mood Irony Symbol

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Conflict A conflict is a struggle between opposing forces. Characters in conflict form the basis of short stories, novels, and plays.

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External Conflict In an external conflict, the main character struggles against an outside force: Another character Societal standards or expectations Nature

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Internal Conflict The character is in conflict with him/herself.

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Foreshadowing Foreshadowing is the use of clues that suggest events that have yet to occur. This technique creates suspense, keeping readers wondering what will happen next.

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Mood Mood is the feeling created in the reader by a literary work or passage. The mood is often suggested by descriptive details.

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Irony Irony is the general term for literary techniques that portray differences between appearance and reality, or expectation and result.

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Verbal Irony Words suggest the opposite of what is meant

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Dramatic Irony There is a contradiction between what a character thinks and what the reader or audience knows to be true.

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Situational Irony An event occurs that directly contradicts the expectations of the characters, the reader, or the audience.

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Symbol A symbol is anything that stands for something else. In addition to having its own meaning, a symbol also represents abstract ideas.