Short Story Notes

Literary Elements

I. Setting-

• time and place in which the events of a story, novel, or play occur.

II. Characters-A. Protagonist—lead character

in a story—most highly developed.

B. Antagonist—character who opposes the protagonist (there may be more than one).

III. Conflict

• struggle between two opposing forces.

Conflict cont.A. External—when character

struggles against an outside force.

• man vs. man

• man vs. nature

• man vs. society

• man vs. fate

• man vs. machine

Conflict cont.B. Internal—when

character struggles with his/her own feelings.

IV. PLOT Structure

--sequence of events in a story, novel, or play; each event causing or leading to the next.

Plot structure cont.A. Exposition —introduces characters, setting,

and situation

B. Rising Action —adds complication to the story

C. *Climax —point of highest emotional involvement

D. Falling Action —logical result of the climax

E. Resolution—final outcome

V. *Climax

• the incident that serves as the turning point, where the action changes course and the resolution begins to take place. (At times this will be where the character realizes there is no possible resolution and he/she must come to terms with this).

VI. Point-of View

• relationship of the narrator or storyteller to the story.

Point-of View cont.A. First person —story is told by one of the

characters (“I”)

B. 3rd Person Limited —the narrator reveals the thoughts of only one character but refers to that character as “he or “she”.

C. Omniscient —the narrator reveals the thoughts of several characters.

VII. Theme

• the main idea of a story, usually expressed as a general statement.

Theme cont.A. Stated—expressed

directly

B. Implied—revealed gradually through other elements

Now…

•Begin Short Story Reading Guide