Short Story Elements

the use of clues in a story to hint at events to come

The people or animals that take part in the action of a story

the central message in a story

The reasons for a character's actions

This struggle takes place in the mind of a character

use of scenes within a story that interrupts the sequence of events to reveal past experience

the perspective from which a story is told

What is a struggle between opposing forces?

introduces the setting, characters, and basic situation

introduces the conflict or problem of the story

this is suggested, or stated indirectly through what happens to the characters

When one character struggles with an outside force or another person

the sequence of events of a short story

a secondary story line that adds depth to the main plot

the turning point of the story (most exciting part)

the emotional atmosphere of a story

the qualities, attitudes, and values that a character possesses

this is a message that is expressed directly by the author

when the story is told from the perspective of a narrator outside the story

a recurring message about life that is found across different cultures

the time and place of the action in a story

presents the story from the perspective of a character in the story

the contrast between an actual outcome and what the reader or the characters expect

tools that writers use to enhance their writing

when a narrator knows everything that happens, and reveals what each character thinks and feels

the part of the story when the conflict lessens

The story's conclusion