Elements-of-a-Short-Story

ElementsofaShortStoryOBJECTIVESIdentifyelementsofashortstoryDefineelementsofashortstoryDemonstratemasteryofshortstoryelementsOVERVIEWShortstoriesoftencontainstructuralandcharacterelementsthatshouldbefamiliartoyou.Theseelementscanbeusedasguidestohelpyouthinkabouttheactions,themes,andcontextsofthestory.ThemeSettingCharactersPointofviewCharacterizationPlot-expositionstatement-risingaction-conflict-climax-fallingaction-resolutionTHEMEThemainideaofaliterarywork,usuallyexpressedasageneralization.SETTING•Thetimeandplaceinwhichaworkofliteraturehappens.CHARACTERSThepeople(oractors)inthestory.POINTOFVIEW•Thestorytellerfromwhosepointofviewthestoryisbeingtold,thenarrator.CHARACTERIZATIONThedescriptionofthepersonalitiesofthecharactersinthestoryandthewayinwhichanauthorrevealstheirpersonalities.PLOTThesequenceororderofeventsinastory.Theplotincludes:-ExpositionStatement-Thepartoftheplotthattellshowthestorybegins.-RisingAction-Theactioninthestoryleadinguptotheclimax.-Conflict-Strugglesorproblemsbetweenopposingforces.MorePLOT-Climax-Thepointofcrisisintheplot.Itmaybethereader’spointofhighestinterest.-Fallingaction-Theactioninthestoryaftertheclimaxisrevealed.-Resolution-Thepartoftheplotthatrevealsthefinaloutcome.PLOTDIAGRAMResolutionClimaxExpositionConflictCONCLUSIONNowthatwehaveidentifiedanddefinedtheelementsofashortstory,letususetheelementstoanalyzeafamiliarfairytale.YoumayuseyournotesfromthePowerPointpresentationorconsultthenewsletterhandout,“AnalyzingaShortStory.”BibliographyDinneen,K.ElementsoftheShortStory.RetrievedJun.19,2003,fromYale-NewHavenTeachersInstitute:://://~dguevin/Elements.html