5 Important

Elements of a
Short Story
 OBJECTIVES
• Identify elements of a short story.

• Define elements of a short story.

• Demonstrate mastery of short story

elements
CHARACTERS
A character is a person, or
sometimes an animal, who
takes part in the action of a
short story or other literary
work.
 CHARACTERS
The people (or actors) in the story.

•Protagonist-The “good guy” or hero/heroin in the

story who struggles against the conflict, usually the
main character.

•Antagonist –The “bad guy” or villain in the story

that creates conflict for the protagonist.
 SETTING
• Setting is the time and
place that a story occurs.

• Authors often use

descriptions of landscape,
scenery, buildings, seasons
or weather to provide a
strong sense of setting.
THEME
• The main idea of a story, usually
expressed as a generalization. It’s
the big message, the big idea.
• It is NOT plot summary.
 Conflict
• Conflict is any of the problems that
a character encounters in a story.
• The conflict is a struggle between
two people or things in a short
story.
• The main character is on one side
of the main conflict.
 PLOT
• Plot is a pattern of events that
develop from the interactions
between characters.

• A plot is a series of events and

character actions that relate to the
central conflict.
 PLOT
The series of related events that make up
a story.
 Exposition
 Rising Action
 Climax
 Falling Action
 Resolution
 PLOT DIAGRAM
Climax

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Fa
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Conflict

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Exposition Resolution
 PLOT
Exposition - The part of the plot that
tells how the story begins.
You learn….
Characters
Setting
Conflict (problem)
Background information
The rest of the story is based on this information
 PLOT
Rising Action - The events in the story
that lead up to the climax.
•Readers learn more about the characters and
the conflict.
•Each event that happens leads the reader
closer to the climax of the story.
 PLOT
Climax - The point of crisis in the plot.

• When the outcome of the conflict is

decided one way or the other.
– the turning point
• The event of highest interest or excitement
in the story.
 PLOT
Falling action - The events that lead to
the conclusion after the climax.

•Everything in the falling action leads to the

conclusion of the story.
 PLOT
Resolution - The part of the plot that
reveals the final outcome.

◊ The conflicts are solved and all questions are answered.

 PLOT DIAGRAM
Climax

on

Fa
ti

llin
Ac

Conflict

gA
ng

ctio
si
Ri

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Exposition Resolution
WRITING ACTIVITY
Activity name: Elements of a Short
Story

Story used: Indarapatra and Sulayman

Identify the story “Indarapatra
and Sulayman using the elements
of a short story.
1. Characters
2. Setting
3. Theme
4. Conflict
5. Plot