PREPARED BY:EBB CHRISTIAN SEGUIA

UNDERSTANDING SHORT STORIES THROUGH

THEIR ELEMENTS

FOR READERS TO HAVE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE LITERARY PIECE THAT HE OR SHE READS, HE OR SHE MUST BE FAMILIAR WITH THE ELEMENTS USED IN LITERATURE PARTICULARLY IN SHORT STORIES.

IT IS USUALLY REFERRED TO AS THE TIME AND PLACE IN WHICH THE STORY TAKES PLACE.

1. SETTING

IT REFERS TO A PERSON PORTRAYED IN A NARRATIVE PROSE.

2. CHARACTER

A. PROTAGONISTREFERS TO THE LEADING CHARACTER. THE

ENTIRE STORY REVOLVES AROUND IN HIM OR HER, BUT IT DOES NOT MEAN HE OR SHE IS A GOOD GUY.

MAIN CHARACTERS

B. ANTAGONISTKNOWN AS THE

COUNTERPART OF THE PROTAGONIST. THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONFLICT. HE OR SHE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PERSON. IT CAN BE NATURE, SOCIETY, TECHNOLOGY AND OTHERS.

MAIN CHARACTERS

A. FLAT OR STATIC CHARACTERCONSIDERED AS A MINOR CHARACTER.

REMAINS WITH THE ROLE HE OR SHE PORTRAYS IN THE COURSE OF THE STORY.

TYPES OF CHARACTERS

B. ROUND OR DYNAMIC CHARACTERPOSSESSES DIFFERENT CHARACTER TRAITS.

EVOLVED IN THE COURSE OF THE STORY AND HAS BEEN SHAPED AND CHANGED WITH THE EXPERIENCE THAT HE OR SHE ENCOUNTERS,

TYPES OF CHARACTERS

REFERS TO A SEQUENCE OF EVENTS IN THE STORY. PLOT ELEMENTS MUST BE STRUCTURED IN A WAY THE WRITER WANTS TO PRESENT THEM.

3. PLOT

PROBLEMS OR STRUGGLE BETWEEN TWO OPPOSING FORCES. CONSIDERED AS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY BECAUSE IT MAKES THE READERS/AUDIENCE INVOLVED IN THE STORY AND MOTIVATE HIM/HER TO CONTINUE READING OR WRITING.

4. CONFLICT

A.INTERNALREFERS TO THE CHARACTER’S STRUGGLE WITH HIMSELF OR HERSELF.

TYPES OF CONFLICT

B. EXTERNALa. Man vs. Manb. Man vs. Nature/Environmentc. Man vs. Technological

Advancementd. Man vs. Societye. Man vs. Supernatural

TYPES OF CONFLICT

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE STORY. IT TELLS WHAT IDEA, POINTS OF VIEW, OR PERSPECTIVE ON HUMANITY WRITER WANTS TO IMPART TO HIS OR HER READERS OR AUDIENCE

5. THEME

6. POINT OF VIEW