Hands Which Cannot Write

Understanding the Short Story

Understanding the Short Story

Short story - short work of fiction, usually less than 10,000 words.
- aims for unity of theme, effect, and characterization.
- most popular type of narrative in our time.

Basic elements of short story:

1. Characters - the central mover in the story; may be a person or an animal.

2. Setting - the time and place in which the story happens; also includes physical and social conditions as well as atmosphere or mood.

3. Plot - the story line, consisting of events and the actions of the characters.

4. Conflict - the struggle in the story, which might be between characters, a character and the environment, or the character and himself.

5. Theme - the central idea of the story.