ELEMENTS OF

SHORT STORY
1. CHARACTER
2. SETTING
3. PLOT
4. CONFLICT
5. POINT OF VIEW
6. SYMBOL
7. THEME
Character
 The characters in a story are the personalities who
participate in the action.
 Usually, story characters are human beings, but
they can also develop complex yet believable
characters.
 Types:
Protagonist- main character
Antagonist- villain/ enemy of protagonist/ bad character
Setting
 The setting of a story is the time and place of the
action.
 The time of a setting can be past, present, or future,
and it may also include a specific year, season, or
hour of day.
 Place can refer to the cultural and historical setting
as well as to a specific geographic location in a
country, town, or community.
Plot
■ The series of events in a story
■ Throughout the plot, events unfold, build to a climax and
then brought to conclusion during the resolution
■ Five Parts”
– Exposition (beginning of the story)
– Rising action (events become complicated, problem arises)
– Climax (turning point of the story, most exciting part)
– Falling action (problem is starting to be solved)
– Resolution (final outcome; ending)
Conflict
 The plot of a short story usually focuses on a
conflict, or struggle.
external conflict - a struggle between two
characters, between an individual and a group,
or between a character and a force of nature
Man vs man, man vs nature, etc
internal conflict- a struggle within the mind of
one character.
 Man vs himself
Point of View
 The angle from which the story is told
 Types:
1st Person- told by the protagonist, usually (uses
I, we, me, us)
3rd Person- told by the narrator (uses they, s/he,
them)
 Limited (funnels all actions through the eyes of a
single character)
 Omniscient (God-like, bird’s eye-view like; sees and
tells all)
Symbol
 A symbol is a person, place, or object that has a
literal meaning and also stands for something
larger, such as an idea or an emotion.
 Symbols may be particular to a specific literary work
or universal idea. (the connotative meaning of the message)
 Ex.
 Bird- freedom
 Ladder- way to success
 Crossroads – choices in life
Theme
 The theme of a short story is its central
message or insight into life. This
message may be stated or implied.
 Ex.
 Love conquers all.
 Attitude is more of intelligence than IQ.
LET US TRY!
Analyze:
■Icarus and Daedalus
– Give the characters and
characterization, plot, setting,
conflict, theme, symbol, and POV