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5 Important Elements of A Short Story

The document outlines the 5 key elements of a short story: character, setting, conflict, theme, and plot. It provides descriptions and examples for each element. Characters are introduced through description and actions. Setting provides the time and place. Conflict is problems characters encounter. Theme is the central idea or message. Plot follows the pattern of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

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Desiree Dulawan
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151 views21 pages

5 Important Elements of A Short Story

The document outlines the 5 key elements of a short story: character, setting, conflict, theme, and plot. It provides descriptions and examples for each element. Characters are introduced through description and actions. Setting provides the time and place. Conflict is problems characters encounter. Theme is the central idea or message. Plot follows the pattern of exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Uploaded by

Desiree Dulawan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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5 Important Elements

of a Short Story
The 5 key elements that make up a short story are:
Characters
Setting
Conflict
Theme
Plot

1
Character
 A character is a person, or sometimes an animal, who
takes part in the action of a short story or other
literary work.
 Characters and how we get to know them:
 Through the author’s physical description of them
 Through their actions
 Through their words (dialogue)
 Through their inner thoughts
 Through what other characters say and think about them

2
Setting
 Setting is the time and
place that a story occurs.
 Authors often use
descriptions of landscape,
scenery, buildings, seasons
or weather to provide a
strong sense of setting.

3
Theme
 Theme is the meaning behind events and
characters’ actions in a story.
 The theme is the central idea, message, or
purpose in a short story.
 A theme can be expressed as a general
statement about people or life.
 It is NOT plot summary.
 It can be either directly or indirectly stated by
the author. Most likely indirectly.
4
Conflict
 Conflict is any of the problems that a character encounters in a
story.
 The conflict is a struggle between two people or things in a
short story.
 The main character is on one side of the main conflict.
 Conflicts can be:
 1. External – conflict with others and with nature
 2. Internal – conflict within themselves
 The main character may struggle:
 against another important character
 against the forces of nature
 against society
 against something inside himself or herself (feelings, emotions, illness).

5
Plot
 Plot is a pattern of events that develop from the
interactions between characters.
 A plot is a series of events and character actions that
relate to the central conflict.
 There are 5 elements of plot:
 Exposition
 Rising Action
 Climax
 Falling Action
 Conclusion

6
Plot Diagram
5 Elements of Plot

7
Exposition
 The start or introduction of the story.
 The background information that the reader
must have in order to understand the story.
 This is where characters and setting are
introduced.

8
Rising Action
 All of the events that take place leading up to
the climax.
 This is where the reader is introduced to the
conflict.

9
Climax
 The most exciting part of the story.
 The turning point in the story.
 Here the story is turned in a different direction,
toward the conclusion.

10
Falling Action
 The immediate reaction to the climax.
 All the actions that occur after the climax and
before the conclusion of the story.

11
Resolution
 The conclusion of the plot.
 Loose ends are tied up.
 There might not be a clear
resolution. This is called a
cliffhanger ending.

12
The Fox & the Crow

One bright morning as the Fox was following


his sharp nose through the wood in search of a bite
to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree
overhead. This was by no means the first Crow the
Fox had ever seen. What caught his attention this
time and made him stop for a second look, was that
the lucky Crow held a bit of cheese in her beak.

"No need to search any farther," thought sly Master


Fox. "Here is a dainty bite for my breakfast."
Up he trotted to the foot of the tree in which the
Crow was sitting, and looking up admiringly, he
cried, "Good-morning, beautiful creature!"
The Crow, her head cocked on one side, watched the
Fox suspiciously. But she kept her beak tightly
closed on the cheese and did not return his greeting.

"What a charming creature she is!" said the Fox.


"How her feathers shine! What a beautiful form and
what splendid wings! Such a wonderful Bird should
have a very lovely voice, since everything else about
her is so perfect. Could she sing just one song, I
know I should hail her Queen of Birds."
Listening to these flattering words, the Crow forgot
all her suspicion, and also her breakfast. She wanted
very much to be called Queen of Birds. So she
opened her beak wide to utter her loudest caw, and
down fell the cheese straight into the Fox's open
mouth.

"Thank you," said Master Fox sweetly, as he walked


off. "Though it is cracked, you have a voice sure
enough. But where are your wits?"
Exposition
 One bright morning as the Fox was following
his sharp nose through the wood in search of a
bite to eat, he saw a Crow on the limb of a tree
overhead.
Rising Action
 The hungry fox is looking for food and the fox
notices the crow with cheese in its beak and
tried to trick the crow using his charming
words.
Climax
 The Crow forgot all her suspicion, and also her
breakfast because of the charming words of
the Fox so she opened her beak wide to utter
her loudest caw, and down fell the cheese
straight into the Fox's open mouth.
Falling Action
 The Fox has eaten the cheese that fell from the
crow.
Resolution
 The story ends with the fox feeling satisfied,
and the crow left with nothing to eat.

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