LITERARY ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY OR NOVELS
The novel or short story is always a popular form of fiction. Like other types of
fiction, a short story has a plot, characters, characterization, setting and theme.
Although all short stories are different, they all share the same basic elements.
The Plot.
This is the sequence of events in a story that are linked by cause and effect – earlier
events advance the plot by bringing about later ones. As a problem in a short story
gets worse, the plot builds to the point of greatest tension, called the climax. Then
there is a resolution, or solving the problem, and the story ends.
The plot includes the following elements:
Exposition: introduction of setting, characters and basic situations.
Conflict: the story’s central problem. The word problem used in this context
is however literal. It may mean a peasant experience, sad experience, or
sometimes a combination. We get to know whether the story is a comedy,
tragedy, or cometragedy.
Climax
Events Falling Action
Rising Action
Events
Events
Events
Resolution
Exposition
Rising Action: the various events that increase tension in the story.
Climax: high point of the story, a turning point when the story’s outcomes
become clear.
Falling Action: events that follow the climax. A short story doesn’t have
many falling actions after the climax has been reached.
Resolution: the final outcome of the story’s problem.
Conflict.
Is a problem between opposing forces.
An internal conflict takes place in the mind of a character. The character
struggles to make a decision, take an action or overcome an obstacle.
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An external conflict is one in which a character struggles with an outside
force such as another character or a force of nature.
Characters.
These are the people or animals who take part in the action.
Characterization.
This refers to the method by the author to bring a character to life.
The author of a short story can achieve this by looking at:
The character traits of a character i.e. the qualities in a character or the
attributes of that character. This helps the reader to understand the
character and their actions. Character traits are always brought about by
using descriptive phrases and adjectives to show; intelligence, stubbornness,
dependability etc.
The author can also characterize by looking at a character’s motives i.e.
the reasons for his or her actions. This can include the thoughts, feelings or
desires of a character.
Setting.
Is the time and place of the story’s action. Details of setting can include the year,
the time of the day, or even the weather. The setting of the story can serve as the
background for the plot and create a feeling or atmosphere.
In contemporary story, one that takes place in recent times, the made up world of
the setting usually include details that are realistic.
Stories based on events from history may include a mixture of fact and fiction.
Theme.
This is a message about or insight into life. The theme of a story may be stated or
implied.
A stated theme is the one expressed directly by the author.
An implied theme is the one which is suggested, or stated indirectly
through what happens to the characters.
A universal theme is a message about life that is expressed regularly in
many cultures and time periods. It is got by focusing on the story’s main
character, conflicts the character faces, changes he or she undergoes, and
the effects of these changes.
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The Narrator and Point of View.
The narrator is the voice that tells a true or imagined story.
Point of View
Is the perspective from which the story is told. The following two points of view are
most common:
First-person point of view (singular + plural)
In this point of view, the narrator participates in the action of the story. The readers
know only what the narrator sees, thinks, and feels.
Third-person point of view.
The narrator does not participate in the action of the story. They are an outside
observer and only shares information that the characters do not know.
In creating an interesting story, especially those written in classroom situation by a
student, they should use the first-person point of view. This would help to make the
story lively, interesting, and the reader can easily follow narrator’s role in the plot of
the story. However, it is sometimes difficult to use the first-person point of view
strictly.
The writer can integrate the two point of views to show his role, as well as the roles
of the other character (s).