Short Stories
What is a short story?
There are a number of definitions for a short story. One of the simplest is, “a short story is a piece of prose fiction which can usually be read in one sitting.”
Of what importance is the short story?
The short story is intended to create an impression through its various elements. Every detail contributes to the unity of effect. The short story is a distinct art form in which every word counts.
Elements of a Short Story
There are seven (7) elements to a short story. These are:
1. character
2. setting
3. theme
4. plot – which is composed of a series of incidents or crises, one of which becomes the climax
5. mood and tone
6. point of view
7. style
1. Characterization:
Characterization may be revealed directly or indirectly:
*Direct characterization involves the reader being told exactly what the person is like. For example, the writer may say, “he was a quiet man, not given to talking about himself, and the things that he had done.”
*Indirect characterization is much more effective. The reader must draw his/her own conclusions by referring to a number of clues. These clues may include all or some of the following:
a. The character’s name
b. The character’s general appearance
c. What the character says and how he/she says it (or how he/she thinks)
d. What others say about him
e. What the character does, including his/her mannerisms
It is important to remember that we must evaluate the character as a sum of these qualities, and we can never judge a character by only one of these elements.
2. Setting
The setting includes every item that adds to the actual place, time, and mood of the story. Time may include several factors – century, year, season, month, day, and hour.
3. Theme
The theme is an observation of life which serves as the controlling idea in a literary work. A theme is usually a universal abstract concept which addresses aspects of life and the human condition.
4. Plot
The plot of a story concerns not only what happens, but also the way things happen – the way different scenes relate to each other, so the reader is satisfied when the story is concluded. To begin with, a plot usually gets the reader involved quickly. The reader wonders, “What will happen next?” Without a “what will happen next” question, the reader’s mind will wander, and the reader will lose interest. A well-written plot has a careful sequence of events and action that progress through conflict and rising action to a climax. A resolution or a surprise ending may follow the climax.
Conflict and rising action: all plots depend on conflict and rising action. A conflict develops when two opposing forces meet. The writer creates excitement, or rising action, by making each plot problem, or conflict more interesting than the one before it.
i. There are four main kinds of conflict:
1. Character vs. Character
2. Character vs. Self (emotional, psychological, spiritual)
3. Character vs. Society/Technology
4. Character vs. Nature
The climax: this is often referred to as the turning point in the story, or the highest point of tension. The climax, or most exciting part of the story, comes at or near the end. It is at this point that the final major conflict is resolved
Resolutions/surprise endings: some stories end quickly after the climax. These types of stories end with a short, single sentence – a punch line. A quick, unexpected ending is called a surprise ending. In other short stories, a short resolution follows the climax. A resolution solves any unanswered minor questions, and gives the story a rounded-out feeling.
1. Introduction – usually introduces the setting and atmosphere, the characters and situation, and the conflict.
2. Inciting Force – this is the point at which the conflict will begin, or an incident that makes the character take action.
3. Rising Action – this is the series of crises/events/obstacles that lead to the climax. Suspense will build.
4. Climax – this is the point at which the main conflict is about to be finally resolved.
5. Resolution/Denouement – this is the conclusion that will clarify and remaining details after the climax has occurred.
5. Mood and Tone
Two very useful words in the discussion of literature are mood and tone. They sometimes seem to mean the same thing, but it is helpful to make a slight difference clear.
The mood of a piece of literature is the feeling it gives the reader. For instance, some stories create a mood of fear, or even terror. A suspenseful mood makes the reader desperate to know what will happen next. Other stories can make you sorrowful, thoughtful, or tender. Some others leave you joyful.
The word tone refers to the attitude the writer seems to have toward the subject matter. For instance, some writers pretend to be critical about the subject matter, but they really aren’t. Others treat heavy subjects in a light-hearted way, or light subjects in a serious way. Besides being critical, light-hearted, and serious, the tone can be humourous, horrified, or sarcastic. The tone can also show the writer’s attitude toward the reader. The writer has many options about what tone to use.
6. Point of View
The point of view is the position from which the story is told. The two most common points of view are the first person and third person.
In the first person point of view, the narrator is a main character in the story. Everything that happens in the story must be presented as observed, and interpreted by this character. In others, the narrator is not the main character, but another character who always happens to be around when the important action takes place. Words such as I, me, my, we, us, and our, are indicative of the first-person point of view.
In the third person point of view, the narrator, or storyteller is not a character in the story. Sometimes the narrator presents the feelings and thoughts of a single character. This is called the third person limited point of view. At other times, the narrator skips around and enters the mind of one character and then another at will. The reader learns what each character thinks and feels. This is called the third person omniscient. Words indicative of the third person point of view are: he, she, they, him, her, them, his, her, and their.
7. Style
Style is the way in which the author uses language effectively. There are three elements of style: diction, sentence types, and figurative language.
Diction, simply speaking, refers to the types of words selected by the author. Does he/she use simple, sophisticated, descriptive, formal, and/or informal words?
Variety and types of sentences. Does the author use a variety of interesting sentence structures, like simple, compound, complex, and/or compound-complex?
Figurative language, properly used, provides the reader with good, clear images. Does the author employ metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole? Are symbols used, and if so, are they clearly defined?
**Please note: Most of this information is applicable to the study of the novel.