Elements of a Short Story/Literature

1. PLOT sequence of events in a story; what happens

a) Exposition important background information; usually in the early part of the
story; sets tone, establishes setting, introduces characters, gives background info
b) Conflict - struggle or problem the main character faces. (The plot -- what
happens -- usually centers around a conflict.)
Internal conflict struggle is within (inside) the character; man vs. himself
External conflict character struggles against an outside force
3 main kinds of external: man vs. man; man vs. nature; man vs. society
(Other possible external conflicts are man vs. machine/technology;
man vs. fate; man vs. supernatural; man vs. God)
c) Rising actionmoves plot along by expanding conflict; builds suspense to climax
d) Climax turning point for main character (often choice to make); highest
point of interest (for reader) and emotional intensity (for character). Usually
occurs later in story, after reader gets involved. Sometimes points to resolution
of conflict.
e) Falling action occurs after climax; leads to conflict being resolved; loose ends
are tied up/explained
f) Resolution (or denouement: day-noo-mahn) the resolving of the conflict;
usually (but not always) toward end of story

2. SETTING time and place; when and where the story takes place (Specifics may be
told/described in detail OR may have to rely on clues about geographical location,
surroundings, time in history, year, time of day, etc.)

3. POINT OF VIEW --method for narrating; based on the perspective
(view/understanding) of the narrator himself;
First-person point of view narrator is a character involved in the action of the
story and refers to himself as I, me, we, us
Third person point of view* -narrator is outside story, looking in, and refers to the
characters as he, she, they, them
Third-person limited point of view narrator gets in mind/thoughts of only
one main character
Third-person omniscient point-of-view narrator is all-knowing about more
than one character
Objective or dramatic point of view narrator disappears and we dont know the
characters thoughts/feelings

4. CHARACTER a person (or animal/imaginary creature) who takes part in the
action of a story;
Main/major characters the most important ones; often undergo changes in story
Protagonist: the one main central character, or hero, the audience identifies with
Antagonist: opposes the protagonist, or main character; (sometimes isnt even a
person character, but a force of nature, some aspect of society, or
internal conflict, etc.
Minor charactersothers who interact with main characters; help move story along
Dynamic characters change throughout story
Static characters remain the same
Round characters have many personality traits revealed by author/writer
Flat characters are described more simply; may represent one trait or
stereotype
Foil a character who provides a striking contrast to another character,
especially the main character; opposite personalities

5. CHARACTERIZATION methods the writer uses to develop characters
Four basic characterization methods:
1) describe physical appearance;
2) reveal characters nature (personality) through the characters own thoughts,
feelings, speech, or actions;
3) speech, thoughts, feelings, actions of OTHER characters about him or her
4) narrator makes direct comments about him/her

6. THEME main idea or point of story; heart of the story; moral/lesson learned;
writers perception about life, human nature, etc., to get across to reader

7. STYLE particular way a piece of literature is written; not what is said, but how it is
said; writers own unqiue way of communicating ideas through word choice,
sentence length, tone, figurative language, point of view
(Some style examples: formal, conversational, journalistic, wordy, ornate, poetic,
dynamic, etc.)

8. TONE the attitude the writer takes toward the subject/story, in order to shape or
influence the readers emotional response.

9. MOOD the feeling the reader experiences; created by the writer through use of
descriptive words, setting, figurative language, etc.

10. SYMBOL a person, place, thing, or activity that stands for something else, beyond
its literal meaning.

11. Irony - A contrast between what appears to be true and what is reality; "a weird,
unexpected twist of events"; Reality is opposite of what it seems
a) Situational irony - Contrast between what reader or character expects and what
actually exists or happens
b) Verbal irony - knowingly say one thing but mean the opposite; (Sarcasm &
exaggeration/hyperbole)
c) Dramatic irony - Reader/viewer knows something the character does not
12. Epiphany - A moment of sudden revelation or understanding/insight/; An "Ah-ha"
moment
13. Ambiguity- uncertain, inexact meaning; Writer "leaves us hanging"/wondering
on purpose
14. Suspense - excitement or tension the audience feels to know the outcome of the plot as
they become involved in a story
15. Foreshadowing - a writer's use of hints or clues to indicate events and situations that
will occur later in a plot (Foreshadowing creates suspense.)
16. Flashback - a conversation, episode or event that happened before the beginning of the
story. It interrupts the story's chronological flow -- or the natural telling of events in
order of the time they occurred.