Elements of a short story

the background or environment and context in which the situation is set; time, place, and circumstances that narrate the story.

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story.  It show the casual arrangement of events and actions within a story.

• Chronological Order
• Flashback

• (in the middle of things)
• when the story starts in the middle of the action without exposition

climax, rising action, falling action, exposition, and resolution

• the turning point, the most intense moment
• either mentally or in action

the series of conflicts and crises in the story leading to the climax

all of the action which follows the climax

• the start of the story, the explanation of the situation before the action starts
• (setting and characterization)

the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

• the reasons why a character acts, feels, or thinks a certain way.
• must be believable
• can be direct
• may be implied

• dramatic struggle between two forces in a story.
• Without conflict, there is not plot.

the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character

• tells us directly
• description of appearance and actions
• through the character's words, thoughts, and feelings.
• The characters effect on others

the insight about human life that is revealed in a literary work; a main idea, underlying meaning or lesson the author wants to convey