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1)PLOT:

•The action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result. In order to have a result, we must have an initial event, or conflict.

Stages of a Plot

•Introduction of characters

• The situation: Initial conflict

•The generating circumstances, which create a

•Rising action – heightened anticipation for the reader

•Climax – highest point of anticipation – “make or break” for the main character.

•Falling action and Conclusion. These two are also known as a denouement.

Short stories usually have properties like the following:

•Dramatic conflict. Usually the basis of the story. Source of the problems which may or may not be overcome in the climax.

•Foreshadowing. May be used to leave clues in the story to lure readers to try to predict the ending.

•Repetition. At the least, it helps drive home a point. It can also be used to create other literary devices.

•Suspense. Draws readers to the work.

2)SETTING:The background against which the incidents of the story take place. Not merely a place, it includes the place where, the time when, and social conditions under which the story moves along.

This can include atmosphere , the tone and feeling of a story, i.e. gloomy, cheery, etc.

In one form or another, setting is essential to the story. Often, the relevance of the story is lost in another setting.

3)CHARACTERS:There must be living beings in the story that think or act in order to keep the story going. They must seem like living and feeling individuals in order for us to feel strongly about them

The worst thing that could happen for is writer is that you feel indifferent toward the characters.If we don’t care for the characters, we are not inclined to keep reading.

FOUR METHODS OF PRESENTING A CHARACTER:

•Actions or thoughts of the character.

•Conversations the character engages in.

•conversations of other characters about a third character.

•Author’s own opinion. This might be overt, or may be implied.

4)THEME:The total meaning of the story. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TIED UP IN A SIMPLE MORAL. In many cases, stories are packages that allow readers to see the outcomes of certain behaviours. Without a theme, the story lacks meaning or purpose.

Sometimes the theme is stated, sometimes it is only implied. In other stories, the theme may be a direct refutation of a traditional theme.

protagonist

antagonist

irony

characters

resolution

conflict