Elements of

Short
Stories
& Novels

What is a Short Story?

A

brief, imaginative narrative

containing few characters, simple
plot, conflict, and suspense which
leads to a climax and a swift
conclusion.
A piece of prose fiction marked
by relative shortness and density,
organized into a plot with some
kind of denouement at the end.

Short Story cont.

Can

be read in one sitting

The plot may be comic, tragic,
romantic or satiric.
It may be written in the mode of
fantasy, realism or naturalism
Focuses on one important event
in the lives of a small number of
central character.

What is a Novel?
A

fictional prose narrative of

considerable length typically
having a plot that is unfolded by
the actions speech and thoughts
of numerous characters placed in
a number of different situations.

THE ELEMENTS OF
SHORT STORY & NOVEL
WRITING
PLOT
SETTING
CHARACTER
POINT

OF VIEW
CONFLICT
THEME

@@@ THE PLOT @@@

Shows how the author arranges
events to develop his basic idea.
A planned logical series of
events.
The sequence or chain of events
in a story.

* Main Parts of the Plot

1. Introduction / Exposition
2. Inciting Incident
3. Rising Action
4. Climax
5. Falling Action
6. Resolution / Denouement

PLOT GRAPH
An excellent way to map out a
storys plot

* Introduction
Introduces the reader to:
Setting
Basic situation
Characters involved
Narrative Hook: question or
statement that grabs the readers
attention

@@@ THE SETTING @@@

The

time (time of day, season,

present, past, future) and the location
(country, planet, town, buildings, PLUS
a description of the surroundings)
where the action occurs.
The time and location in which the
story takes place.
Helps to create the mood and
atmosphere of the text.

* ATMOSPHERE OR
MOOD
The

feeling that the setting

evokes (i.e. mysterious, happy,
eerie).
The authors emotional attitude
toward the subject matter (i.e.
excitement, nostalgia).
NOT the mood of the characters.
What feeling is created at the
beginning of the story?

* PLACE
Providing

a scenic, geographical
location where the action of the
story takes place.

* TIME
When

is the story taking place

(historical period, time of day, year,
etc)?

* WEATHER CONDITIONS
Is

it sunny, stormy, rainy, etc.?

Provides a sense of enticing with
the story as it brings the readers in
the imaginative setting of the story.

* SOCIAL CONDITIONS
What

is the daily life of the

characters like?
Does the story contain local color?

* LOCAL COLOR
Writing

that focuses on the speech,

dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of
a particular place.
Providing a sense of novelty and a
feeling of connection as how the
setting is characterized (i.e. serenity
of the forest, cool breeze at the
seashore, slow-paced life in the
barrio, busy noise in the city et.al)

@ Enticing Incident
The

first major action in the story

that sets the story in motion
(gets the ball rolling).

@Rising Action
Incidents

which carry the plot

along.
This is where the events in the
story become complicated and
the conflict in the story is
revealed.

* Rising Action cont.

The

rising action may be

creatively or uniquely presented
using the by employing
techniques such as:
Foreshadowing
Flashback
Suspense
Irony

Catharsis
Epiphany
Poetic Justice

 FORESHADOWING
The

giving of hints about the

things to come in later as the plot
develops.

 FLASHBACK
The

insertion of an earlier event into the

time order of a narrative.
A technique which takes the narrative
back in time from the point the story has
reached, to recount events that
happened before.

 SUSPENSE
The

feeling of
excitement and
curiosity that keeps
the reader turning
the pages; created
by making the
readers wonder
how the conflict will
be resolved

 CATHARSIS
Refers

to emotional involvement (of any

kind) by readers or audiences with
characters or circumstances that lead to
deeper appreciation of the narrative.
It transcends experiences that free or
cleanse the soul.

 EPIPHANY
Described

as a moment of self-realization
or discovery that enlightens or reveals the
persons character.

 POETIC JUSTICE
A

literary outcome in which bad characters

are punished and good characters are
rewarded.

 Irony
The

difference between what someone

does or says in relation to what is
understood about what is done or said.
Verbal Irony is the use of words to convey
something other than, and especially the
opposite of the literal meaning of words to
emphasize, aggrandize or make light a
circumstance or subject.
Situational Irony occurs in literature and in
drama when persons and events come together
in improbable situations, creating a tension
between expected and real results.

@ THE CLIMAX
The

highest point of
interest in the story
when the character(s)
solves his/her struggles
Usually the point of
highest emotion
The climax can be
SUBJECTIVE (there may
be different answers,
so you must prove your
choice)

@ FALLING ACTION
The

character
completes the action
of his/her decision.
The events and
complications begin
to resolve
themselves.
The reader knows
what has happened
next and if the conflict
was resolved or not
(between the climax
and the denouement)

@ THE RESOLUTION /
DENOUEMENT
The

final workings of a storys

conflict
All of the loose ends are tied up
(usually)

Narrative

Twist: a surprise ending

@ THE RESOLUTION /
DENOUEMENT Cont.
This

is the final outcome or untangling

of events in the short story.
It is helpful to consider climax as a
three-fold phenomenon:
1) the main character receives new
information
2) Accepts the information (realizes it but
does not necessarily agree with it),
Acts on this information (the character
makes a choice that will determine whether
or not he or she achieves his or her goals).

@@@ THE CHARACTERs

@@@
Any

personalities
who are involved in
the plot of the story
(people, animals,
fantasy characters)
Are life-like people ,
sometimes animals
and even objects
that make the
storyrealistic.

* GENERAL CLASSIFICATIONS
OF CHARACTERS
Consistent

Character a character
whose actions, decisions attitudes and
feelings are consistent with what the
reader has been made to believe.
Dynamic Character a character who
changes or develops in the course of
the story from bad to good or vice
versa.
Static Character a character who
does not change or develop.

* SPECIFIC CLASSIFICATIONS
OF CHARACTERS
PROTAGONISTS

(HERO / HEROINE)

ANTAGONISTS
CONFIDANTE
FOIL
BACKGROUND

CHARACTERS

* CHARACTER TRAITS
Physical and personality characteristics
that
are revealed through:
1. What the character does?
2. What the character says?
3. What other characters say or do about
the character?
4. What the author states directly?
5. What the author infers?

* PROTAGONIST
Hero

/ Heroine - the
good guy in the story.
A central character in the
story who triumphs and
supports the good side,
thus the readers
sympathy is usually
expected to lie in him.
The main character that
we follow.
The character that strives
to solve the conflict.

* ANTAGONIST
Villain

- the bad guy in the

story.
A character who contradicts
the good motives or deeds of
the protagonists.
He does evil deeds and
thwarts the good intention of
the hero, therefore,
considered as enemy.
Usually creates conflict for
the main character.

* CONFIDANTE
A

character
who
supports
the
protagonist
in the story,
often called
as the
heros
sidekick.

* FOIL
A

character who is good when

the protagonist is around and bad
when not around.

* SECONDARY CHARACTERS
Other

characters who
are necessary to
moving the plot along,
but may not be
involved with the
central conflict.

* CHARACTERIZING A
CHARACTER

In order for a story to seem real to

the reader, its characters must
seem real.
Characterization an
information that the author gives
the reader about the character
themselves.

* TECHNIQUES IN REVEALING
A CHARACTER
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Physical appearance
Dreams, thoughts or motives
Speech or words
Actions
What others say about him / her and
how others react to him or her.

@@@ THE POINT OF

VIEW@@@
Refers

to the method of
narration employed by the
author.
This method reveals whether
the author or the narrator is
part of the story or outside
the story.

@ INNOCENT EYE
The

story is told through the

eyes of a child (his / her
judgement being different
from that of an adult)

@ STREAM OF CONCIOUSNESS
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.

@ FIRST PERSON
The

story is told by the protagonist

or one of the characters who
interacts closely with the
protagonist or other characters
(using pronouns I, me we, etc.)
The reader sees the story through
this his 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
judgement being different
from that of an adult)

@ OMNISCIENT
A

way of presenting a point of

view where the narrator tells
the story from one character to
another, event to event, having
free access to the thoughts,
feelings and motivations of his
characters and he introduces
information where and when he
chooses.

@ TYPES OF OMNISCIENT
POINT OF VIEW
Omniscient

Limited

The narrator tells the story using the

third person (through pronouns they,
he she, it, etc.)
We know only what the characters
knows and what the character allows
him / her to tell us
We can see the thoughts and
feelings of the characters if the
author chooses to reveal them to us.

@ TYPES OF OMNISCIENT
POINT OF VIEW
Omniscient

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 or heard.
The reader is placed in the position of
spectator without the author there to
explain, hence, the reader interprets
events on his own.

@@@ THE CONFLICT

@@@
It

is what prevents the main character

from getting what he or she wants.
The plot is driven by climax and it is
THE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE OF
THE STORY.
Core of the plot without the conflict,
there is no plot.
It is the opposition of forces which ties
one incident to another and makes
the plot moves.

@@@ THE CONFLICT

@@@
Conflict

is not merely limited to

open arguments; 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 within many minor ones.

@ TYPES OF CONFLICT
External

Conflict

A struggle with a force outside ones

self.

@ TYPES OF CONFLICT
Internal

Conflict

The author tells the story in the third

person.

* Internal Conflict
PERSON VS. SELF

* External Conflict
PERSON VS. PERSON

* External Conflict
PERSON VS. SOCIETY

* External Conflict
PERSON VS.THE ENVIRONMENT

* External Conflict
PERSON VS. FATE

* External Conflict
PERSON VS. TECHNOLOGY

* External Conflict

PERSON VS. THE SUPERNATURAL

@ THE THEME
The central idea about life that the
story
highlights; THE MAIN IDEA (universal
truths).
The message the author is conveying.
1. Determine the specific conflict
2. Decide what side of the conflict the
story represents
3. How is the conflict resolved? Who
wins? Who loses?

* THEME
Theme

is NOT the moral of the

story
Theme is NOT plot
Theme IS the general subject
matter of a work of art
Theme may contain a message

* THEME
Not

all short stories have a

theme; some are just for
entertainment or fun

THEME OR NOT A THEME?

1) Red Riding Hood is about how you shouldnt
trust strangers
2) Stars Wars is a movie about Luke Skywalker
3) Apocalypse Now is about the insanity of war.
4) This painting is about loneliness
5) That story is about two guys who steal a car
6) Romeo and Juliet is about love
7) Romeo and Juliet is about two families fighting
8) I saw a movie last night about survival
9) Hansel and Gretel is about two children
10) Cinderella is about poetic justice