ELEMENTS OF THE SHORT STORY

A story or narrative is constructed around the framework of a plot: the organized sequence of events or essentially what happens in the story.

The following are the components of narratives. Read the definitions and click on the terms to see examples and more detailed explanations.

 

PLOT - is the organized sequence of events

• Introduction / Exposition / Lead 
• Inciting Incident / Initial Action

• Rising Action
  • Foreshadowing
  • Flashback
  • Subplot
  • Suspense
  • Complications and Crises  
  • Dilemmas 
• Climax

• Falling Action
• Denouement
• Ending
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Indeterminate
  • Full Circle

 

PLOT DEVICES - elements introduced to the story to advance, delay or resolve the conflict

• Complications / Dillemas / Crises
• Suspense
• MacGuffins
• Red Herrings
• Foreshadowing
• Flashback
• Subplot
• Dues ex Machina
  

 

POINT OF VIEW

• FIRST PERSON SUBJECTIVE - The narrator is a character in the story. This is easily identifiable through the use of the word "I"

• SECOND PERSON POINT OF VIEW

• THIRD PERSON POINTS OF VIEW 

• Third Person Objective - In this case, the narrator operates like a camera and reveals what is seen, but not what the characters think.

• Third Person Omniscient - This is a story told from the point of view of the storyteller who knows all the facts. The narrator is all-seeing and reveals the thoughts and emotions of all characters.

• Third Person Limited Omniscient -Third person limited is when the narrator is an outsider who sees into the mind of one character. 

 

SETTING

• Time and Place
• Atmosphere and Mood

 

CHARACTER

• PROTAGONIST
• ANTAGONIST

• ROUND -Round characters are complex and realistic; they represent a depth of personality which is imitative of life. 
• FLAT-Flat characters lack a realistic personality. A flat character often only has one or two defining traits 
• STOCK / STEREOTYPED -A stock character relies heavily on cultural types or names for his or her personality, manner of speech, and other characteristics. 
• STATIC -A static character does not undergo significant change. They remain basically unchanged throughout an entire work. 
• DYNAMIC - A dynamic character is one who changes significantly during the course of the story.   
• CHARACTER FOIL -A foil is a character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, and so highlights various facets of the main character's personality. 
• ANTI HERO - A central character in a story who lacks the conventional heroic attributes. A flawed hero.
   

CHARACTERIZATION

• DIRECT-The author directly tells the reader what the character is like. 

• INDIRECT -The character is understood through his / her speech, thoughts, actions, and appearance. 

• DIALOGUE - the conversations between characters.

 

CONFLICT

• EXTERNAL / PHYSICAL

• INTERNAL / PSYCHOLOGICAL

 

THEME -is the argument or general idea expressed by a literary work, whether implied or explicitly stated. Often it is an observation about life or people.

 

 

The Google book document below is another resource you can use to help you better understand the elements of the short story and novel and the poetic devices.