Five Elements of the Short Story

1. Five Elements of the Short Story

2. Plot • Character • Setting • Atmosphere • Style The Five Elements: An Overview

3. Plot is the arrangement of incidents or events in a story: • Exposition • Initial (or inciting) incident • Climax • Falling action • Final outcome (denouement) Plot

4. Gives the background to the story • Introduction of characters • Setting • Antecedent action: describes important events that have taken place before the story starts. Exposition

5. An event that “gets the ball rolling” • Incites or begins a conflict Initial Incident

6. Events complicate the conflict • Conflict becomes more pronounced • But not yet the peak of the story Rising Action

7. The peak of tension in the story • The “point of no return” • The moment of greatest suspense (if applicable) Climax

8. Actions that lead to the resolution or final outcome • May be quite rapid in a short story Falling Action

9. Denouement comes from the French words for “untying the knot” • Any loose ends are rapped up • A feeling of satisfaction or accomplishment should be created for readers Final Outcome (Denouement)

10. There’s no story without characters • Protagonist: the main character of the story (not necessarily the “good guy” • E.g., Harry Potter • Antagonist: the person opposing the protagonist • E.g., Malfoy Character

11. Flat character: doesn’t change during the course of the story; one-dimensional • E.g. Nigel • Round character: a character with many traits who changes through the story • E.g. Ron • Stock characters: a stereotyped character whom readers immediately recognize • The absent-minded professor, Sybill Trelawney Types of characters

12. There are two main types of conflict a character may experience: • Internal: man vs. himself (an inner, moral struggle) • External: • Man vs. man • Man vs. society • Man vs. unknown • Man vs. the supernatural • Man vs. nature Character in Conflict

13. There are two main ways readers learn about a character: • Direct Characterization: the author TELLS readers directly about the character • E.g., “Harry didn’t care for bananas. They gave him indigestion.” • Indirect characterization: the author SHOWS readers how a character may be Learning about Characters

14. There are four key ways that an author SHOWS us what a character is like: • What the character says: “Ugh, I hate bananas. They give me gas.” • What the character thinks: Harry decided not to have a banana, remembering the unfortunate effects on his digestion. • What the character does: Harry passed over the bananas and reached for a peach. • What others say about the character: “Don’t let Harry have a banana. He’ll stink up the whole common room!” More on Indirect Characterization

15. Things to look at when examining a character closely: • The character’s dialogue • What she says • What she thinks • What she does • What motivates her • Does her motivation change? Character Analysis

16. The setting is WHERE and WHEN the story takes place. • The setting will have an important influence on the atmosphere. Setting

17. Atmosphere is often considered part of the setting. • Setting often helps determine atmosphere. • A synonym for atmosphere is mood. • Usually established at the beginning of the story • Physical surroundings and even time can affect a character and the story’s mood. Atmosphere

18. Factors that can help create atmosphere in a story: • Weather • Light or dark • Shadows or natural lighting • Colours • Furniture • Natural surroundings Atmosphere

19. Style is the author’s way of expressing him/herself • It encompasses a number of elements: • Diction • Sentence structure • Point of view • Irony • Symbolism • Imagery • Figurative language Style

20. Think of it as a person’s style. • Many elements make up personal style: • Clothing • Hair colour, length • Make up • Shoes • Way of speaking Style

21. More on style later. • It’s a huge area to cover! Style