1. Elements of Short Stories
Urban Prep Academy
English Survey 1
9th Grade

2. Elements of a Short Story
A short story is a work of fiction
that can be read in one sitting.

3. Plot
The chain of related events that take
place in a story.
Built around conflict , which is a
struggle between opposing forces.

4. Plot at a Glance
climax
falling action
rising action
resolution
exposition

5. Exposition-
gives the background of the story
Rising Action-
introduces complications; builds suspense
Climax-
the turning point of the story
suspense reaches its peak
Falling Action and Resolution
resolves the conflict
usually ties up loose ends

6. The plot of a short story centers
around conflict. Conflict is a
struggle between opposing
forces.
Complications build the reader’s
excitement.

7. Types of Conflict
•External
-Man v Man
-Man v Nature
-Man v Obstacle or Society
•Internal
-Man v Himself

8. Methods of Characterization
Creating Believable Characters
Indirect Direct
– physical appearance
– the narrator’s direct
– speech, thoughts, comments about a
feelings, or actions of character
the character
– speech, thoughts,
feelings, or actions of
other characters

9. Types of Characters
•Main or Minor
•Protagonist or Antagonist
•Round or Flat
•Dynamic or Static
•*Stereotypes=Stock Characters*

10. Setting= time and place
-puts the reader in the story by
giving the reader the feeling of
being in the situation.
-creates atmosphere by the
positive or negative feelings
associated with the place.

11. Point of View or . . .
(Who’s telling this story
anyway?)
-the vantage point from which the story
is told.
-determines how much we, the readers,
know about the characters.

12. 1st Person
• Narrator is a character in the story.
•Narrator uses first-person pronouns, I,
me, my, we, us, our to refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and
feelings of one character and speaks
directly to reader.

13. 3rd Person Limited
•Narrator does not participate in action of
story.
•Narrator does not refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings
of one character, but readers are able to
maintain some emotional distance from the
character.

14. 3rd Person Omniscient
•Narrator does not participate in action of
story.
•Narrator does not refer to himself or
herself.
•Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings
of all characters; readers get insight into
several characters.

15. What is a symbol?

16. A symbol is a person, a
place, an activity, or an
object that stands for
something beyond itself.

17. Theme
In literature, theme is a perception about life or
human nature that the writer wants to share with the
reader.
In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but
must be inferred.
Themes can be revealed by
- a story’s title
- key phrases and statements about big ideas
- the ways the characters change and the
lessons they learn about life.

18. The End