Elements

of a
Short Story
Ms. Ghie D.Vidar
SALIS
Objectives
• Identify and define
elements of a short story

• Demonstrate mastery of
short story elements by
creating story grammar
Elements of a Short Story
 Overview
A Short Story is similar to your dish. It needs
the best ingredients for you to enjoy its delectable taste.

Stories are made up of four important

elements:

Setting
Characters, Plot,
and Theme
Elements of a Short Story
Setting
Tells the reader where and when
the story takes place.
 Characters and
Characterization
The people, and in some stories,
the animals that take part in
the story.
The description of the personalities
of the characters in the story and
the way in which an author
reveals their personalities.
Two Identifications of
Characters
1. Protagonist –
the hero of the story

2. Antagonist –
the villain in the story
who is always
opposing the
protagonist
 Methods of Characterization
Creating Believable Characters
• Indirect • Direct
– physical appearance
– the narrator’s
– speech, thoughts, direct
feelings, or actions of comments
the character about a
character
– speech, thoughts,
feelings, or actions of
other characters
Plot
• The chain of related events that
take place in a story.
• Built around conflict, which is
a struggle between opposing
forces.
• The plot is the sequence or order of events in a
story.
• The plot includes:
Exposition Statement PLOT DIAGRAM
The part of the plot that tells how
the story begins.
Rising Action
The action in the story leading up
to the climax.
Climax
Conflict
The struggles or problems between
opposing forces.

Fa
Climax

o
Conflict

llin
cti
The point of crisis in the plot. It

g
A
may be the reader’s point of

Ac
ing
highest interest.

tio
Ris

n
Falling action
The action in the story after
the climax is revealed. Exposition Resolution
Resolution
The part of the plot that reveals
the final outcome.
Types of Conflict
-Man vs. Man
-Man vs. Nature
-Man vs. Obstacle or Society
- Man vs. Supernatural Being
-Man vs. Himself
Theme
• The main idea of a story.
• It is not a moral, lesson, or a
rule for living.
Ex.
Love
Family Feud
Themes from ‘The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet’
CONCLUSION
Now that we have identified
and defined the elements of a
short story, let us use the
elements to analyze a Short
Story.

You may use your notes from

the PowerPoint presentation to
assist you when reading..
 Bibliography
Dinneen, K. Elements of the Short Story. Retrieved Jun.
19, 2003, from Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute:
http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1983/3/83.03.09.x.html

Five Elements of a Story. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2277.html

Guevin, D. Short Story Elements. Retrieved Jun. 19, 2003,

http://www.uvm.edu/~dguevin/Elements.html