2. OBJECTIVES:
Identify the elements of a short
story
 Define each element of a short
story
 Use knowledge of short story
elements in completing story
map/grammar


3. What is a SHORT STORY?

A fictional work depicting one
character’s inner conflict or
conflict with others, usually
having one thematic focus.

A short story tells only one
story and is shorter than a
novel.

4. The time and
place in which the
story happened
.

5. Several aspects to consider:
A.) PLACE – geographical location
W
here is the action of the story taking place.
B.) TIME – W
hen is the story taking place?
(historical period, time of day, year etc)
C.)W
EATHER CONDITIONS – Is it rainy,
sunny, stormy?
D.)SOCIAL CONDITIONS – W is the daily
hat
life of the characters?

6. E.)MOOD or ATMOSPHERE- W
hat
feeling is created at the
beginning of a story?
Is it bright and cheerful? Is it
dark and frightening?

7. Persons, animals or things
involved in a short story
Characteristics of a person


8. KINDS OF
CHARACTERS:
1.MAJOR CHARACTERS – main
characters of a story
PROTAGONIST – central character
ANTAGONIST – opposer of the
protagonist
- “villain”
2. MINOR CHARACTERS – have little
roles in the story

9. Snow W
hite
Little Mermaid

10. Characters can be ….



INDIVIDUAL/
ROUND – many sided and
complex personalities
DEVELOPING/
DYNAMIC – many sided
personalities that change for better or for
worse by the end of the story
STATIC – have one or more characteristics
that never change
-stereotypes
-cruel stepmother,supportive bestfriend

11. The author may reveal
the characteristics of a
person in several ways:
His / physical
her
appearance
 W
hat he/ says,
she
thinks, feels and
dreams
 W
hat he/ does or
she
does not do
 W
hat others say about
him or her and how
others react to him/
her


12. PLOT
How the author arranges events to
develop his basic idea
It is the sequence of events in a story
A planned, logical series of events
having a beginning, middle and end.


13. PLOT GRAPH

14. INTRODUCTION/
EXPOSITION –
beginning of a story where the characters
and the setting are revealed
 RISING ACTION – This is where the
events become complicated and the
conflict is revealed
(events between the introduction and
climax)
 CLIMAX – highest point of interest and
turning point of a story


15. FALLING ACTION – The events and
complications begin to resolve
themselves.
The reader knows what happened and if
the conflict was resolved or not
 RESOLUTION/
DENOUEMENT – This is
the final outcome or untangling of
events


16. CONFLICT
It is the opposition of forces
which ties one incident to
another and makes the plot
move
Conflicts are not limited to
open arguments rather it is
any form of opposition to the
main character


17. TYPES OF
CONFLICT
EXTERNAL – A struggle
with a force outside one’s
self
 INTERNAL – A struggle
with one’s self
A person must make some
decision, overcome pain,
control anger, resist an urge


18. FOUR KINDS OF CONFLICT:
MAN VS MAN – The
leading character struggles
with his physical strength
against men (physical)
 MAN VS
CIRCUMSTANCES – the
leading character struggles
against fate or the
circumstances of life facing
her


19. MAN VS SOCIETY – the leading
character struggles against
ideas, practices or customs of
other people
(social)
 MAN VS HIMSELF/
HERSELF –
the leading character struggles
with himself/
herself; with his or
her own soul,ideas of right or
wrong,physical

limitations,choices,etc

20. THEME
Is the story’s controlling
idea or its central insight
It is the author’s underlying
meaning or main idea that he
is trying to convey
The theme may be the
author’s thoughts about a
topic or view of human


21. COMMON THEMES
Believe in yourself.
 Don’t judge a book by its
cover.
 Honesty is the best policy.
 Don’t do unto what others you
don’t want to do unto you.


22. POINT OF VIEW
The angle
from which a
story is told

23. TYPES OF POINT OF
VIEW
INNOCENT EYE – The story is
told through the eyes of a child
 STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS –
the story is told so that the
readers feel as if they are inside
the head of one character and
knows all her thoughts and
actions


24. FIRST PERSON – the story is told by the
protagonist or one of the characters who
interacts closely with the protagonist
- Pronouns I, me,we are used
 OMNISCIENT – the writer moves from
character to character,event to event
having a free access to the
thoughts,feelings and motivation of the
characters.


25. Now that you know
the elements of a
short story,it would
be easier for you to
complete a story
map.
 W
ith all the elements
in your mind,you can
already retell a story
in your own words.
