PHILIPPINE

L I T E R AT U R E
UNIT 3 – SHORT STORY
CONTENTS
 The Short
Story
 Elements of
Short Story
 Other
Literary
Terms

Intended Learning
Outcomes
At the end of Unit 3, you should be able to:

a. identify the elements of short story on the literary

piece;
b. explain the values and lessons found in the story;
and
c. arrange the important events of a short story.
Philippine Literature: Its
Overview
Engaging Activity: Complete
the graphic organizers for your
a n s w e r s . U s e k e y w o r d s o n l y.

1. What is short story?

Short Story

2. What are some elements of short story?

Elements
of Short
Story
 Longer stories that cannot be
called novels are sometimes considered
Short Story "novellas" or novelettes and, like short
stories, may be collected into the more
A short story is a piece of prose marketable form of "collections", often
fiction that typically can be read in one containing previously unpublished stories.
sitting and focuses on a self-contained Sometimes, authors who do not have the
incident or series of linked incidents, with time or money to write a novella or novel
the intent of evoking a single effect or decide to write short stories instead,
mood. The short story is one of the oldest working out a deal with a popular website
types of literature and has existed in the or magazine to publish them for profit.
form of legends, mythic tales, folk tales, In terms of length, word count
fairy tales, fables and anecdotes in various is typically anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000
ancient communities across the world. The for short stories, however some have 15,000
modern short story developed in the early words and are still classed as short stories.
19th century. Stories of fewer than 1,000 words are
The short story is a crafted form sometimes referred to as "short stories", or
in its own right. Short stories make use of "flash fiction".
plot, resonance, and other dynamic Short stories have no set length.
components as in a novel, but typically to a In terms of word count, there is no official
lesser degree. While the short story is demarcation between an anecdote, a short
largely distinct from the novel or story, and a novel. Rather, the form's
novella/short novel, authors generally draw parameters are given by the rhetorical and
from a common pool of literary techniques. practical context in which a given story is
Determining what exactly produced and considered so that what
separates a short story from longer fictional constitutes a short story may differ between
formats is problematic. A classic definition genres, countries, eras, and commentators.
of a short story is that one should be able to Like the novel, the short story's
read it in one sitting, a point most notably predominant shape reflects the demands of
made in Edgar Allan Poe's essay "The the available markets for publication, and
Philosophy of Composition" (1846). the evolution of the form seems closely tied
According to William Faulkner, a short story to the evolution of the publishing industry
is character driven and a writer's job is to and the submission guidelines of its
"...trot along behind him with a paper and constituent houses.
pencil trying to keep up long enough to put As a point of reference for the
down what he says and does.” genre writer, the Science Fiction and
Some authors have argued that Fantasy Writers of America define short
a short story must have a strict form. story length in the Nebula Awards for
Somerset Maugham thought that the short science fiction submission guidelines as
Short Story
story "must have a definite design, which having a word count of fewer than 7,500
includes a point of departure, a climax and words.
a point of test; in other words, it must have
a plot". This view is however opposed by
Anton Chekov who thought that a story
should have neither a beginning nor an end.
It should just be a "slice of life", presented
suggestively.
The following elements of the
Short story writers may define short story are taken from the book entitled
their works as part of the artistic and Philippine Literature: Through the years by
personal expression of the form. They may Kahayon and Zulueta (2000, pp.338-340).
also attempt to resist categorization by
genre and fixed formation. 1. Plot - is a series of events or episodes
that make up the action. It is the skeletal
Short stories have deep roots structure of the story. The parts of the plot
and the power of short fiction has been are:
recognized in modern society for hundreds
of years. As William Boyd, the award- a. Motivation - the cause or
winning British author and short story reason that compels
writer has said: [short stories] seem to a character to act as he does.
answer something very deep in our nature b. Struggle or conflict - the
 1. Inner conflict - a a. Omniscient - a story is told
struggle by the author
between conflicting forces using the third person
b. Limited Omniscient -
within the heart or mind
author
associates with a major or minor
of the protagonist
character;
2. External spokesperson or
conflict - a struggle mouthpiece
between the protagonists and
c. First Person - story is told
the
using the first
antagonist or between the
person "I"; focus of the story is
protagonist and the
with the narrator
forces of nature.
6. Style - the distinctive manner in which a
c. Complication - somebody or
writer uses language, his choice and
something that interferes with
arrangement of words.
the wishes or
destiny of the main character. 7. Symbol - an object that stands for, or
The character works represents an idea, belief,
cross purposes. superstition, social or political
Other Literary Terms
institution
d. Suspense - struggle and
complication led to
suspense. It is the reader's
feeling of
excitement, curiosity or
expectation about
the outcome of the struggle.
1. Hero - the male character who is usually
e. Climax - the point of highest the central or main character, also
interest or dramatic intensity. called a protagonist
Usually it marks a turning
2. Heroine - the female counterpart of the
point in the action, since the
hero.
reader is no longer in doubt
about the outcome. 3. Antagonist - the force (usually a
person) that appears as the
f. Outcome - the part when the
main character (protagonist) in his
character gets what he wants
attempt to solve a problem, and thus
and the result is
resolve the conflict in which he is
satisfactory or his wishes go
involved. He is also called the
unsatisfied and the
villain.
ending is either happy or
sad. 4. Poetic justice - an outcome of event that
rewards the virtues and
g. Denouement - the final
punishes the vicious and ending in which
action. It is the
each character gets exactly what he
unveiling of the plot, following the
deserves.
climax in which the writer
explains how and why 5. Foreshadowing - the cropping of
everything turned out as it did. important hints by the author to prepare
The denouement should not the reader for what is to come and to help
be confused with the climax. him to anticipate the outcome.
2. Characters - the persons in a play or 6. Epigram - a short witty statement
story: sometimes an animal or an sometimes having a satirical or ironical
object. meaning
a. Dynamic character - a 7. Realism - a manner of writing in which
character who changes people, women and events are
or develops during the presented as they are in real life,
course of the story. without romantic or realistic coloring.
b. Static character - a 8. Moral - the lesson or teaching that is
character who does not brought out through the action or is
change or develop in the course explicitly stated or implied by one of the
 Gikabyonan man sa kahinugon
ug kalibog, igo na lamang sa pagtuman si
Short Story Example Dodong sa mando sa iyang amahan.
Kamagulangang anak si Dodong. May edad
ANG SALINGSING na ang iyang amahan kay ikaduha na mung
asawa nini ang iyang nanay. Wala kiniy anak
ni Edgar S. Godin sa unang asawa nga namatay sa kanser sa
(First prize for short story in 2002, uterus. Haruhay ang iyang mga ginikanan
BATHALADD-MINDANAO) kaniadto sa nagnegosyo pa kini didto sa
Sugbo. Apan gidemalas kini. Gilungkab sa
mga tawong supat og balatian ang ilang
MADASIGONG nanaytay si tindahan ug nahurot-hurot ang mga baligya.
Dodong sa siotong dalan nga nagtadlas May diyotayng nahabilin apan wala na kini
padulong sa ilang uma niining udtoha. makabangon pa.
Nakahunahuna siya pagkuhag kamunggay
Sa nahitabo, napugos pagbalik
didto aron nila sa paniudto. Gimingaw na
ang iyang amahan sa yuta. Namauli sila sa
siyag sud-an. Gihidlaw na ikasuwa siya sa
Bohol, dala ang duha pa lang ka liwat siya
linaw-oyng kamunggay. Kaganinang buntag,
ug si Atoy nga parehong wala pay kabuot
kinudkod nga lubi lang ang ilang gisuwa sa
niadtong tungora. Sa Bohol, naglisod pag-
kamoteng tinanok nga ilang pamahaw.
ayo sila. Hilabihan kapait ang panguma sa
Kagabii ang nahabiling tulo ka Haon sa
ilang dapit tungod sa tuman kabatoong yuta
putong balanghoy nga mikaging na- kay
ug sa grabeng paspanghasi sa siawng mga
niadto pa man kining usang adlaw giluto -
unggoy, Sipat kaayo ang maong mga amo
maoy ilang gipanihapon nga giparesag
nga kinahanglan gayong bantayan kay
linugawng binlod. Hinuon, naanad na si
listisin man niini ang mabisan unsang
Dodong niining matanga sa mga pagkaon.
matang sa tanom.
Mao na kini namat-an niyag buot.
Niining gabhiona, walay ganang
Ang ilang abot nga mais dili
mikaon si Dodong sa ilang pagpanihapon.
gayod makalahutay hangtod sa sunod nga
Nanumbalay ang kahumot sa pinadukot nga
tingsanggi busa gikinahanglan nga abagan
kamote apan nagtimitimi ang bata. Laay
kinig mga duma. Sa sud-an, labi pa silang
ang matag ingkib niya sa labo kaayong
adlaw. Panagsa daw kaayo silang makatilaw
duma. Tulo na ka adlaw nga kamote ang
og lab-as. May mga hayopan unta sila sama
ilang gikaon ug wala pa gayoy sud-an. Ang
sa mga manok, kanding ng baboy apan
asin nga ilang gidildil, alang kang Dodong,
sagad nga kabaligya kini - kanang wala na
dili gayod mosangay sa kamote. Dili siya
gayod silay laing mahikap aron iseguro
lamian.
pagpalit og bugas. Mao nga ang utan
kamunggay usa na ka lamang sud-an alang Nakamatikod ang inahan sa
kang Dodong. Kiniy ilang madali. Lamian iyang pagtimitimi, midasig kini, "Kaon na,
ang linaw-oyng kamunggay nga butangag Dong. Gusto nimong bahogan og tubig?"
tangad ni Nanay niya bisan walay subak. Ampay ni Dodong ang kamoteng init nga
Labi na kon una sa ginamos ang itempla, butangan og tubig. Nasayod ang inahan
pastilan, panington gyod si Dodong og niini. Apan wala mokilo ang bata.
hinigop sa dalag-dalag nga sabaw. Naghinuktok kini. Ingon sa may lawom nga
gihunahuna.
Nakurat si Dodong sa iyang
nakita pagdangadanga na niya sa ilang "Ingon nimo, Tay, mangita tag
uma. Maoy iyang nalantawan ang usa ka ikasud-an. Wa man lagi!" Kalit nga
tawo nga nagdalag sundang ug nanghabas namulong si Dodong sa basag nga tingog.
sa ilang mga tanom nga kamunggay. Dihay nikagalkal sa iyang tutunlan. "Unsaon
Misamot pagkitiw ang mga tiil sa bata aron man, Dong, wa may nakalugar, alam-alam
pagsuta gayod sa iyang nakita. Ug sa iyang sa amahan, "Nag-agpas si Nanay nimo nga
paghiduol, dali siyang nangutana dihang mahuman ang iyang gigamang banig aron
nailhan niya ang tawo: "Nganong imo mang ikabaligya na. Ako pod, dili nako kabiyaan
gipamutol ning atong mga kamunggay, Tay? ang atong maisan nga nagbanay na kay
naay daghang unggoy. Gisugdan na man
gani bisan mao pay pagpamuhok-buhok."
"Guwang na kini, Dong, busa akong gipul-
"Kon wa pa lang nimo pamutla
ongan." "Apan wala na hinuon tay mautan
ang atong kamunggay, makautan pa unta
niini sa sunod adlaw, Tay!“
taron.” Nangahulog na gayod ang luha ni
“Sagdi lang. Dong. Mangita lang god tag Dodong. Nahimukdalan ang amalan. Ngano
laing ikasud-an, Naa may daghang mautan ba tuod nga gidungan man niyag pamul-ong
 "Bitaw, Dong," sıkgaw sa “Oo, D-Dong, m-m-may s-
inahan. "Kon dili na maayog dahon ang salingsing na... pugsanay na maalsa ang
punoan, ang salingsing kalaoman." kamot sa hamtong nga mikusukuso
paghinay sa buhok sa anak.
Sa nadungog, bisan wala
makatugkad, mikalma si Dodong. "Tana, lagi, Tay! Ayawg higaa..
Naghingos-hingos na lamang kini. Unya ayawg tulog." Gibitad ni Dodong ang bukton
mipunit siyag dakong kamote ug miingkib. sa amahan aron pabangonon. Apan wala na
Dala sa kahidlaw sa sud-an, nilupad ang kini mokihol.
iyang hunahuna sa paghandom sa mga
"Tay...! Tana lagi, Tay!"
laming sud-an nga iyang natilawan, maoy
padayong bitad ug yugyog ni Dodong.
gibunhaw sa iyang kaisipan kadtong gidala
"Tana, Tay! Ayawg tulog dinhi, Tay!..Tay...
siyas pamista ni Tatay niya didto sa
Tay....!"
nagtuwang. Ang tinuod, niini lamang mga
okasyona nga makakaon silag laming sud-
an. Panagsa, kanang dunay kaslon ug usab, ANG KATAPUSAN
kon dunay mamatay.
SAYO nga miadto sa ilang uma A c t i v i t y # 1 :
sila si Dodong ug ang iyang tatay niining
buntaga. Gidala sa anahan ang anak aron
mabati kini sa buhat ug usab, aron
makatabang pagbantay sa ilang maisan nga
taros na niining tungora- ang edad sa mais
nga kinaham sa mga unggoy. Comprehension Check: Answer the
Samtang nagbuwag pagbantay following questions.
ang anak sa ilang kamaisan, misibaw ang 1. Why did Dodong cry one supper? What
tingog ni Dodong. was his problem?
"Tay..! Tay..." Puno sa kadasig 2. What was the news that Dodong
ang tingog ni Dodong nga misuot sa excitedly wanting to tell to his parents?
kamaisan aron pangitaon ang amahan.
"Tay...! Tay...!" padayong singgit sa bata 3. What would you do if you were in
samtang kusog nga misuot. "May salingsing Dodong’s shoes and your father was
na ang mga kamunggay, Tay...” bitten by a snake?
Unya, sa tunga-tunga sa A c t i v i t y # 2 :
kamaisan, muoy nakita ni Dodong ang iyang
amahan nga daw hubog nga naglakaw.
Nagsusapinday.
"Hala, naunsa man ka, Tay?"
"Napaakan kog ha's, Dong...ha's Questions What I Thought
nga ugahipon." Fill in the chart below.
“Tana, Tay. manguli ta. Ako pod
sultihan si Nanay nga may salingsing na 1. How does Dodong
ang mga kamunggay.” perceive life?

"Dali, Dong, patukora

2. What is the symbol of
ko...pugunita ko sa imong abaga."
the “Salingsing” in the
Nanglakaw [Link] hinay story?
kaayo. Pugsanay nang mabikang sa amahan
3. Relate yourselves in
ang mga tiil niini. the situation of Dodong.
"Dong, pagtinarong gyod sa What can you learn from
imong pag-eskuyla. Ayaw pasagdi si Nanay him?
nimo. "Oo, Tay. Moeskuyla gyod ko aron
lami na pirme atong sud-an. Parehas ni
Nong Dario ba, nagtrabaho sa banko, di
daghan siyag kuwarta kanunay, di ba. Tay?“
“Taym pa, Dong... mopahulay sa ko."
Ug inanayng nalusno ang
amahan. Nahayaka kini sa yuta ug dayong
kaligdas. "Dong, tabangi gyod si Nanay
 A c t i v i t y # 3 :

Fill in the chart below and answer the following elements of short story.

Title Author Point of Setting Type of Characte Character Theme

View Conflict rs Developme
nt

A c t i v i t y # 4 :

RADIO PLAY: For your final task in this semester, look for
a short story masterpiece and create a radio play out of
it. This task will be best executed by group.