Short Story Elements

this is a message that is expressed directly by the author

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

The story's conclusion

When one character struggles with an outside force or another person

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

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

the time and place of the action in a story

What is a struggle between opposing forces?

the emotional atmosphere of a story

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

This struggle takes place in the mind of a character

the perspective from which a story is told

the part of the story when the conflict lessens

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

The reasons for a character's actions

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

introduces the setting, characters, and basic situation

introduces the conflict or problem of the story

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

a recurring message about life that is found across different cultures

a secondary story line that adds depth to the main plot

the central message in a story

the sequence of events of a short story

the qualities, attitudes, and values that a character possesses

tools that writers use to enhance their writing

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

the turning point of the story (most exciting part)