Lumen Learning. “Elements of a Short Story.” Lumen, courses.lumenlearning.com/sanjacinto-englishcomp2kscope/chapter/reading-a-short-story/.
A short story is a work of short, narrative prose that is usually centered around one single event. It is limited in scope and has an introduction, body and conclusion. Although a short story has much in common with a novel, it is written with much greater precision. Any time you are asked to write an essay that is based on a piece of fiction, the following guide and questions may help you.
Once you examine these narrative elements, you want to look for PATTERNS, or MOTIFS, in the work. Pay attention to words & images that are related
Setting is a description of where and when the story takes place. In a short story there are fewer settings compared to a novel. The time is more limited. Ask yourself the following questions:
Study the time period, which is also part of the setting, and ask yourself the following:
Characterization deals with how the characters in the story are described. In short stories there are usually fewer characters compared to a novel. They usually focus on one central character or protagonist. Ask yourself the following:
The plot is the main sequence of events that make up the story. In short stories the plot is usually centered around one experience or significant moment. Consider the following questions:
CONFLICT: Conflict or tension is usually the heart of the short story and is related to the main character. In a short story there is usually one main struggle.
CLIMAX: The climax is the point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story. It can also be the point where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion.
RESOLUTION: The resolution is the end of the story. It focuses on how the conflict is ultimately resolved.
The narrator is the person telling the story. Consider this question: Are the narrator and the main character the same?
By point of view we mean from whose eyes the story is being told. Short stories tend to be told through one character’s point of view. The following are important questions to consider:
The author’s style has to do with the his or her vocabulary, use of imagery, tone, or the feeling of the story. It has to do with the author’s attitude toward the subject. In some short stories the tone can be ironic, humorous, cold, or dramatic.
The theme is built on a topic, such as death, hope, the American dream, etc. and how the topic affects the human condition, society, or life. As a reader, focus on what the story is revealing about the topic. The theme should be expressed as a statement, a general observation about human nature.
To help you write a thematic statement, consider the following:
What a theme is NOT:
To help you construct the thematic statement, make a list of important images, topics, etc. found in the text. Try to create a statement that includes the words in your list.
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