SHORT STORY

A short story is a brief work of

fiction, usually witten in prose
and running 1,600 to 20,000
words in length. We can read it
in one sitting.
BASIC ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY
• CHARACTER - is the heart of the
story. It can be a person or animals in
some story or literary works. The
author develop a character to make
the story more appealing to the
readers.
 TWO MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERS IN A
SHORT STORY
A. PROTAGONIST - main character or the most
important of all the characters. It is the character that has
to learn something or undergoes some changes as the story
goes. They can be the hero but some are not. The story
revolves around them.
B. ANTAGONIST - the one who challenges the main
character. They can be a person, the nature, society, or any
intangible matter that contends with or creates a problem
for the main character.
• SETTING
• - the place (location) and time (period) where/when
the story happens. It can be based on real place and
time or it can be based on imagination of the author.
It also describes the landscape , scenery, building,
season or weather to provide a strong sense of setting
which will help the readers to visualize the story.
• PLOT - it is what the story all about. It’s a series of event
and characters actions that lead to the highest point of
interest in a short story.
DIFFERENT PARTS OF A STORY STRUCTURE
• a. EXPOSITION - this is the beginning of the story. This is where
the author introduces the characters, indentities where the story is
happening, and establishes the main conflict.
• b. RISING ACTION - this event occurs as you begin to move
throughout the story. This is where conflicts starts to build.
• c. CLIMAX - it is the most exciting part of a short story. This is the
part in the story when important decisions are made or important
things are discovered.
• d. FALLING ACTION - this point occurs after the climax as
the problems in the story starts to work themselves out. the excitement
becomes less and less as the conflict has been resolved.
• e. RESOLUTION - this is the solution to the problem in a story.
The solution may not be what you hoped for but as long as it fits the
story in tone and theme, the conflict has been resolve.
• CONFLICT - The problem. The main character or the
protagonist needs to have someone or something to challenge
him/her. Without conflict the story may not be very interesting to the
readers. The protagonist may face one of the four types of conflict:

• Man versus Man

• Man versus Nature
• Man versus Himself
• Man versus Society
• THEME - This is the central idea in a short story and a general truth.
This is considered as the author’s message to the readers. (example: love,
friendship, good vs. evil, etc.)
• POINT OF VIEW - This is the way the story is told or narrated. Also
known as the vantage point that a writer uses to narrate the story.
TYPES OF POINT OF VIEW
a.FIRST PERSON - the narrator participates in and tells the story using the
pronoun “I”. ( It can be the protagonist or the peripheral character telling the
protagonist’s story.)
b. LIMITED TRIRD PERSON - The narrator is not in the
story and narrates using the pronouns “she” or “he”. Also, the
narrator is unable to see into the character’s mind.
c. OMNISCIENT THIRD PERSON - the narrator is not in
the story and tells the story using the pronouns “she” or “he”. In this
point of view, the narrator can tell the thoughts of the characters as he
can see into their minds.
THANK YOU FOR
LISTENING!!!!