New Era University

College of Computer Studies

Department of Computer Science
BALATERO, Mikaela Louise

August 3, 2015

LIT1;MW;11:30-1:00

Prof. J.M. Diaz

ASSIGNMENT:

Elements of a Short Story

A short story is a brief work of literature, usually written in narrative prose.
1. Setting - The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting. For some stories the setting is
very important, while for others it is not. There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining
how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):

Place - The geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place?
Time - When is the story taking place? (Historical period, time of day, year, etc.)
Weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?
Social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain local color
(writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place)?
Mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful
or dark and frightening?

2. Plot - The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; it is the sequence of events in a story
or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story
usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are five essential parts of plot:

Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.
Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story
is revealed (events between the introduction and climax).
Climax/Turning Point - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The
reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not?
Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve. The reader knows what has
happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).
Resolution/Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

It is helpful to consider climax as a three-fold phenomenon:

a. The main character receives new information
b. Accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it)
c. Acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether or not he/she gains his
objective).

3. Conflict The conflict is essential to plot. Without it, there is no plot. It is the opposition of forces which ties one
incident to another and makes the plot move. Conflict is not merely limited to open arguments but rather it is any
form of opposition that faces the main character. Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or
there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

Two types of conflicts:

External a struggle with a force outside ones self.

Internal a struggle within ones self; a person must take some decision, overcome pain, quiet
their temper, resist an urge, etc.
Two types of conflict:

Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against
other men, forces of nature, or animals.
Man vs. Nature (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances
of life facing him/her.
Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs
of other people.
Man vs. Self (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her
own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

4. Character There are two meanings for the word character:

The person in a work of fiction
The characteristics of a person
Persons in a work of fiction Antagonist and Protagonist
Short stories use few characters. One character is clearly central to the story with all major events having
some importance to this character - he/she is the protagonist. The person (or force) that opposes the main
character is called the antagonist.

The Characteristics of a Person

In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characterization is the
information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. The author may reveal a character in
several ways:

Through direct statements by the author/narrator (Direct Characterization)

His/her physical appearance
What he/she says, thinks, feels and dreams
What he/she does or does not do
What others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people)

Types of Characters
1. Individual/Rounded Characters many-sided and complex personalities that you would expect of
actual human beings.
2. Flat Characters personalities that are presented only briefly and not in depth.
3. Dynamic/Developing many-sided personalities that change, for better or worse, by the end of the
story.
4. Static These characters are often stereotypes, have one or two characteristics that never change that
are emphasized e.g. brilliant detective, drunk, scrooge, cruel stepmother, etc.

5. Point of View - Also called as P.O.V., the point of view is defined as the angle or perspective from which the story
is told.
a. First Person - The story is told by the protagonist or another character that interacts closely with the
protagonist or other characters (using first person pronouns I, me, we, etc.). The reader sees the
story through this person's eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels.

Innocent Eye: The story is told through the eyes of a child (his/her judgment being different from
that of an adult).
Stream of Consciousness: The story is told so that the reader feels as if they are inside the head of
one character and knows all their thoughts and reactions.

b. Second Person - The main character in the story is referred to using the second person pronoun you.
Second Person is most often used in training manuals, role-playing games and Choose Your Own
Adventure novels.
c.

Third Person - The story is told using a narrator who is located outside of the action of the story and
uses third person pronouns such as he, she, his, her, they etc.
The third person point of view can be broken up into three different types:

Omniscient Omniscient literally means, all knowing. Using the third person omniscient point
of view the narrator can move from character to character, event to event, having free access to
the thoughts, feelings and motivations of any character and can introduce information where and
when he or she chooses.

Limited Omniscient The story is told by a third person narrator but from the viewpoint of a
character in the story, usually the main character or protagonist. The reader has access to the
thoughts and feelings of only one character.

Objective The author tells the story in the third person. It appears as though a camera is
following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard. There is
no comment on the characters or their thoughts. No interpretations are offered. The reader is
placed in the position of spectator without the author there to explain. The reader has to interpret
events on his or her own.

6. Theme - The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying
meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of
human nature. The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying and he may use various
figures of speech to emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.
Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are:
Things are not always as they appear to be
Love is blind
Believe in yourself
People are afraid of change
Don't judge a book by its cover

Elements of Drama
Drama is literature written for performance -- or at least written in a style that would allow for stage performance.
As a text form, drama can be thought of as story told though spoken remarks and stage directions.
The elements of drama, by which dramatic works can be analyzed and evaluated, can be categorized into three
major areas: literary elements, technical elements, and performance elements.
Aristotles Six Elements of Drama
Aristotle considered these six things to be essential to good drama:
Plot - This is what happens in the play. Plot refers to the action; the basic storyline of the play.

Theme - While plot refers to the action of the play, theme refers to the meaning of the play. Theme is the main
idea or lesson to be learned from the play. In some cases, the theme of a play is obvious; other times it is quite
subtle.
Characters - Characters are the people (sometimes animals or ideas) portrayed by the actors in the play. It is
the characters who move the action, or plot, of the play forward.
Dialogue - This refers to the words written by the playwright and spoken by the characters in the play. The
dialogue helps move the action of the play along.
Music/Rhythm - While music is often featured in drama, in this case Aristotle was referring to the rhythm of
the actors' voices as they speak.
Spectacle - This refers to the visual elements of a play: sets, costumes, special effects, etc. Spectacle is
everything that the audience sees as they watch the play.

The Modern Theater

In the modern theater, this list has changed slightly, although you will notice that many of the elements remain
the same. The list of essential elements in modern theater is as follows:

Characters
Plot
Theme
Dialogue
Convention
Genre
Audience

The first four: character, plot, theme and dialogue remain the same, but the following additions are now also
considered essential elements of drama.

Convention - These are the techniques and methods used by the playwright and director to create
the desired stylistic effect.
Genre - Genre refers to the type of play. Some examples of different genres include comedy, tragedy,
mystery and historical play.
Audience - This is the group of people who watch the play. Many playwrights and actors consider the
audience to be the most important element of drama, as all of the effort put in to writing and producing
a play is for the enjoyment of the audience.

Literary Elements
There are six stages in a plot structure:
Initial incident - The event that gets the story going
Preliminary event - Whatever takes place BEFORE the action of the play that is directly related to the play
Rising action - A series of events following the initial incident and leading up to the dramatic climax
Climax - The turning point or high point of a story, when events can go either way
Falling action - The series of events following the climax
Denouement - Another term for the conclusion from the French word for unraveling

Other Literary Elements

Exposition - The who, when, where and what part of the play
Story organization - beginning, middle, end
Conflict - The internal or external struggle between opposing forces, ideas, or interests that creates dramatic
tension
Suspense - A feeling of uncertainty as to the outcome, used to build interest and excitement on the part of the
audience

Language - In drama, the particular manner of verbal expression, the diction or style of writing, or the speech or
phrasing that suggests a class or profession or type of character
Style - the shaping of dramatic material, settings, or costumes in a deliberately non-realistic manner
Soliloquy - A speech by a single actor who is ALONE on stage
Monologue - A long speech made by one actor (a monologue may be delivered alone or in the presence of
others.)

Technical Elements

Scenery (set) - The theatrical equipment, such as curtains, flats, backdrops, or platforms, used in a dramatic
production to communicate environment.
Costumes - Clothing and accessories worn by actors to portray character and period.
Props - Short for properties; any article, except costume or scenery, used as part of a dramatic production; any
moveable object that appears on stage during a performance, from a telephone to a train.

Other Technical Elements

Lights - The placement, intensity, and color of lights to help communicate environment, mood, or feeling
Sound - The effects an audience hears during performance to communicate character, context, or
environment
Makeup - Costumes, wigs, and body paint used to transform an actor into a character.

Performance Elements

Acting - Use of face, body, and voice to portray character

Character motivation - The reason or reasons for a characters behavior; an incentive or inducement for further
action for a character
Character analysis - In responding to dramatic art, the process of examining how the elements of drama
literary, technical, and performance are used
Empathy - The capacity to relate to the feelings of another

Other Performance Elements

Speaking - The mode of expression or delivery of lines.

Breath control - Proper use of the lungs and diaphragm muscle for maximum capacity and efficiency of
breath for speaking.
Vocal expression - How an actor uses his or her voice to convey character.
Inflection - Change in pitch or loudness of the voice.
Projection - How well the voice carries to the audience.
Speaking style - The mode of expression or delivery of lines.
Diction - Selection and pronunciation of words; clarity of speech.
Nonverbal expressions:
Gestures - Any movement of the actors head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning.
Facial expression - Physical and vocal aspects used by an actor to convey mood, feeling, or personality.

Elements of a Novel
A novel is a long narrative, normally in prose, which describes fictional characters and events, usually in the form
of a sequential story.
The elements of a novel are the same elements as that of the short story -- plot, theme, setting, point of view,
character -- except that there may be more than one of each of these elements. That is, within the main plot of a novel
there may be several subplots, there may be more than one theme, and point of view can certainly change as well.

1. Plot - As outlined by Aristotle, Plot is the arrangement of incidents. There is a difference between plot and story.
E .M Forster says, The King died and the queen died, is a story. The King died and the queen died of grief is a
plot. Plot is a story or the foundation of the novel. It is an essential element of a novel. Plot is like a pillar of the
building. In case we remove the pillar, the whole building will certainly collapse. Similarly, without plot the edifice of
novel is impossible.
Typically, the plot of every novel consists of Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and
Dnouement. These are important elements of a plot.
Exposition The exposition is the very first phase of the plot. Every single novel starts with the
introduction of a number of characters. These characters interact with each other and advance
the story head.
Rising action The rising action is the consequence of exposition. Action of the novel steadily
moves forward and goes on till it reaches up to its peak, often referred to as the climax of a plot. It
is a series of events, animosity, conflicts, and adversary. It is additionally labeled as complication.
Climax - It is the most essential stage of a plot. It is actually the heightened peak of Rising Action.
The culmination of Rising Action is the starting point of Climax. In almost any novel, this phase is
considered the most poignant, turbulent, thought provoking and also inciting position in the plot.
Falling Action - The culmination of Climax is the onset of Falling Action in the plot. In a plot, each
time the action gets reversed and the main character undergoes a significant change, then it is
the Falling Action of a plot.
Dnouement - Also called as Resolution, the Dnouement is the final stage of plot. It brings an
end to the plot and thereby settles the long lasting conflict.

Now lets move on to discuss some types of plots in a novel. William Foster-Harris, in his book, The Basic
Patterns of Plot, has discussed the following three types of plot:

A Happy Ending Plot - As the very name reveals its connotation, it is the plot which has a happy
ending. Charles Dickens Great Expectations is an example in this regard. Pip and Estella are
united at the end of the novel after having passed through many tribulations and hardships.
An Unhappy Ending Plot - A novel, which has an unhappy ending, is referred to as An Unhappy
Ending Plot. In this type of plot, usually, the main character sacrifices his life for the sake of a
great cause. This cause may be anything, but not less in its magnitude and importance.
Inconclusive Plot - Inconclusive plot is a plot, wherein the ending of the novel is ambiguous.

2. Character The character element is the person or people in a story. Sometimes the characters are not human,
but may be animals or spirits. Even when non-human characters are used, they tend to have human
characteristics. Characters are usually of two types: the protagonist and the antagonist.
The protagonist is the main character. He or she is in conflict with another character known as the
antagonist. An example of a protagonist and an antagonist are Superman, the protagonist, and Lex Luthor, the
antagonist.

Characterization is an essential element of a novel. It is the craft of creating characters in a novel or

drama. The author unveils the personality of the character through characterization. There are two different types
of characterization: Direct Characterization and Indirect Characterization.
In direct characterization, the author straightforwardly lets us know about the identity of the character.
He can make use of different descriptive words to expose the disposition of the character. Identity incorporates
many things i.e., name, location, relationship, age, profession, mindset, behavior, etc.
In indirect characterization, the author employs multiple techniques to bring out the personality of the
character. He uses his behavior, speech, action, and appearance to reveal the personality of the character.

3. Setting - Setting is yet another compelling element of a novel. Setting means the location, where the events of
the novel have been taken place. It might be one place or it might cover more than one place. Setting generates a
visual sketch in the minds of readers, which in turn, causes it to be easier for the readers to have an
understanding of the environment around the characters. An ambiguous and non-realistic setting can mar the
quality of a novel. The novelist has got to showcase the location to the readers like a mirror reflecting an image.
The more vivid the description of the setting, the more the reader will grasp the meaning of the novel.
Setting encompasses quite a few factors like weather, geography, socio-economic status,
surroundings, etc. These elements have an effect on the entire atmosphere of the novel. The weather conditions
give the reader an insight into the emotional conditions of the characters.

Setting can:

Create atmosphere for your fiction, help your reader imagine the scenes.
Convey information about a character. For example, if your character's life is in chaos, you could
express this by showing her in her messy home.
Provide plot opportunities. For example, if your setting is a Florida swamp, and you put a hungry
alligator in your character's path, then something interesting is likely to happen.

4. Point of View - Point of view is usually an important element of a novel. Point of view is the mode of narration of
the author to portray the events in a novel. It is the utilization of pronouns to express the point of view of the
author. Usually, there are three types of points of views: First Person, Second Person & Third Person.

First Person Point of View - First Person Point of View is the mode of narration, whereby the author
utilizes first person pronouns to narrate the entire story of the novel. It is the use of pronouns I, me, we
and us. In this particular point of view, the narrator is normally the author himself, or any other character
like hero, heroine, who tells the story. It really is an important and also natural method of narrating the
story.
The First Person Point of View provides credibility to the story of the author. The author himself
tells the story to his readers, which gives rise to an impression that the story, the author is telling, is based
on realities and there is absolutely no element of artificiality.

Second Person Point of View - Second Person Point of View is the mode of narration, whereby the
author employs 2nd person pronouns to narrate the story of the novel. This point of view is also called
Objective Point of View. It is very occasionally employed by novelists because it is the most challenging
point of view. The author needs to use the pronouns you, your, and yours to take the story ahead. In this
particular point of view, the author turns out to be a spectator. He barely watches the action of the story.

Third Person Point of View - Third Person Point of View is the mode of narration, whereby the author
makes use of third person pronouns to tell the story. The author utilizes the pronouns he, she, it, and they.
It is more widely used by authors on account of having flexibility in narrating the story of the novel. The
novelist has many choices to obtain information about any character or event. It is the point of view, which

gives us insight in the personality of any character. That is why it is also called the Omniscient Point of
View.

5. Theme - Theme is the crux of the matter that the author wants to explain through the events of the novel. It is the
principal idea of the novel. The entire story of the novel revolves around one main idea and the authors purpose
is almost always to make aware the reader about his main idea. Without having a clear idea in your mind, you
wont be able to compose a stunning novel. Every novel and every story has a theme, which the author would like
to elucidate. Consequently, theme has assumed a key role in a novel.

6. Dialogue - Dialogue is a key element of a novel. Dialogue may be defined as a written conversation between two
or more people in a novel. Dialogue seems to have many functions. It does not simply move the story of the novel
ahead, but additionally discloses the personality of the character. It offers us an awesome piece of information
about the setting, time, age and location of the characters. It also provides us a good chance to get insight into the
mindset of various characters. Their words and intonation lay bare the personality of characters.
Without dialogue, the entire structure of a novel sounds like a monotonous essay. It enhances the flow of
thoughts and provides you with a sort of pleasure. The readers wont get sick and tired, in case the text is being
presented in the form of dialogue. Merely prose wont make up the novel. Novel is not an essay; it is a
representation of real life. For this reason; dialogue is extraordinarily important in a novel.

According to W.H Hudson, dialogue must fulfill the following requirements:

It should be an organic element and an inseparable part of the novel, and should really contribute,
directly, either to the movement of the plot or the elucidation of the characters in their relation with it.
Dialogue, to be really and fully effective, should be natural, appropriate, and dramatic. The novelist
should take care, that the language employed in conversation is in keeping with the personality of
the speaker and suitable to the situation in which it occurs. The novel reflects life as it is actually
lived and if the language is not in harmony with the character and talent of the speaker, the novel
will become unrealistic.