Elements of Short Story
12 characteristics of a short story.
Let's list the 12 characteristics of a short story!
1)TITLE: An idea of what the story is about.
2)PLOT: The draft of the events in a story
A: Exposition: Introduction of characters
B: Rising Action: A conflict begins between one character and another.
C: Climax: The emotions show themselves.
D: Falling Action: Tension decreases until it reaches a solution.
SETTING: Include both time and space.
CHARACTERS: The main character is the *protagonist*. *Antagonis* is the character who conflicts with the protagonist. Characters are classified as static and dynamic. Also, flat or round, and if a character includes all of the features, it is called a stereotype.
THEME: It is the author’s general message.
Point of View: Determined by the narrator. There are 5.
A: Omniscient: Knows everything about the story
B: Limited or third person: Knows about only one character
C: First person: Narrator uses *I*
D: Dramatic: the writer avoids using a narrator. The writer uses only actions or words.
E: Stream-of-consciousness: The story has been played in the character’s mind.
- STYLE: The language is used to tell the story.
A: Simile: Using *as* or *like* in a sentence to compare 2 things.
B: Metaphor: Not using as or like.
C: Personification: Animals or inanimate objects are given human qualities.
D: Synecdoche: Allows a part to stand as a whole.
E: Irony: Refers to the difference between reality and expectations. There are 3 ironies.
Verbal: The Actual meaning of the statement is the opposite.
Situational: What happens is the opposite of what is expected.
Dramatic: The character is unaware of something that the narrator knows.
8: ALLUSION: It is a reference to a well-known character.
9: IMAGERY: It is all about senses. There are 6 senses.
A: Visiual= sight B: Auditory= hearing C: Gustatory= taste
D: Alfactory= smell E: Tactile= touch F: Kinesthetic= movement
10: DENOTATIVE AND CONNATATIVE: D means dictionary meaning and C means the meanings are what the words recall in our mind.
TONE: Author’s attitude or feelings toward the subject.
MOOD: Emotional part of the story.