Objectives:

Define what a short story is

Define elements of a short story
Read and identify the elements of
a short story
Write original short stories
Connect the theme of the story
to their daily life affairs
of a
Short
Story
What is a Short Story?
A short story is a work of
fictional narrative prose
with a few characters,
limited setting, and a
single major event.

A short story is meant to

be read in a single sitting.
What are its elements?
1. Characters are the
people, animals, strange
creatures or objects that
think, talk and act.
Types of Characters
a. Protagonist one who
undergoes a change or learns
something during the course of
the story
-the one who takes the leading
part

b. Antagonist the who

contends with the protagonist
2. Setting provides the
locale (place) and
period (time) of the
short story
-it may be real or a make
believe place and time
3. Plot is the series of
events which leads to a
climax, or high point of
interest
Parts of a Plot
a. Exposition the characters and
setting are introduces, as is the
conflict the struggle between a
character and some other force.

a.1 Types of Conflict

Man vs Man(could be a specific person or
society in general)
Man vs Nature(could be weather conditions or
animals)
Man vs Himself(could involve personal life
circumstances or psychological issues)
b. Rising Action during this time
the tension builds as the conflict
becomes more evident

c. Climax this is the highest point of

interest in the story

-It involves important discovery or

decision. During this time, one of
the battling forces wins and the
conflict is resolved
d.Falling Action the event that
immediately follows the climax
-During this part, the story draws to
a close

e. Resolution the part of the

story in which loose ends are tied
up
 Leahs parents arrive
home just as Leah
panics.
Clima
x
n g

Fa ct
s i n
i
R ctio

A
lli ion
n
g
A Leah Leah
watches explains to
Expositi horror her
Resoluti
on movies. She parents
Leahs wakes up, why she on Leah
parents go alarmed at was in the
the noise. basement. realizes that
away,
She decides she learned
leaving Leah
to check the an important
alone at
basement lesson about
their
door. She herself.
home for the
first time. gets locked
 Kinds of Plot
a. Man in a Hole considered as
the oldest and most popular kind
of plot. This story begins with a
character or a group of persons
trapped in some kind of a hole or
problem. The story goes on to
show how the characters manage
to get out of their predicament.
b. Man on the Road some short
stories achieve their unifying
effect through a single character
journeying through life,
encountering various stages of
adventure and growth
-This type of plot tends to be
episodic but because all events
happened to the same person,
unity is established.
c. Man in a Tub this type of plot
involves two important factors.
First, there must be an
unstructured and usually, an
ordinary event. Then, second, a
realization or insight from the
experience of such event.
4. Theme is a general truth
about life

-This is considered as the message

of the story to the readers

Ex: Greed brings ones downfall.

5. Point of View is the way
in which the story is narrated.
It is the method, the vantage
point, that writers use to tell
the story.
Types of Point of View
a. First Person the narrator,
using the word I tells the story
and participates in it.

Ex: I turned back to my bucket and

sponge, and I could feel the
tears burning in my eyes. I
wanted so much to go to the ball
but my stepsisters would not
hear of it.
b. Limited third person the
narrator, who is not in the story, tells
the story through the use of she or
he. The narrator cannot see into
the minds of the characters.

Ex: Tears in her eyes, Cinderella

turned back to her bucket and
sponge. She jumped when the door
to the room slammed behind her as
her stepsisters left for the ball.
c. Omniscient third person the
narrator, who is not in the story tells the
story through the use of she or he.
The narrator can see into the minds of
the characters and tell their thoughts.

Ex: Hurt and disappointed, Cinderella

turned back to her bucket and sponge.
The thought of missing the ball brought
tears to her eyes. Cinderella jumped
when the door slammed behind her.
Evaluation:
Read the short story: How Much
Land Does A Man Need, by Leo
Tolstoy

Identify the elements of the short

story