 Short Stories: May 18, 2022 Issue [#11357] |
This week: The 5 Elements of a Short Story Edited by: Lilli 🧿 ☕  
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| This week we will cover a few things essential to a successful story. |
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There are 5 important elements to make a short story great. This week, we are going to take a closer look.
1. Exposition
The exposition of a story is the first paragraph or paragraphs in which the characters, setting (time and place), and basic information is introduced. This is also the time the conflict, or problem, is introduced.
 Characters
A character is a person, or sometimes an animal, who takes part in the action.
How we get to know them:
Through the author’s physical description of them
Through their actions
Through their words (dialogue)
Through their inner thoughts
Through what other characters say and think about them
Setting
The setting is the time and place in that a story occurs.
We often use descriptions of landscape, scenery, buildings, seasons, or weather to provide a strong sense of setting.
Example:
Expositions are the place to show the reader a little bit of the location and what kind of time is involved in the story, along with some of the major characters.
Tommy kicked angrily at the rocks in front of him as he walked to the little store up the road. The gravel road was quiet, with only the dust from his feet rising up from the ground. The Texas spring was hotter and drier than normal, causing a slight drought. Tommy wished he still had his bike, but he had broken the frame last fall when he and his friends did some trick rides. “Man, that was some fun, though!” he remembered with a smile.
Another way of creating the exposition is through characters talking to each other. They may discuss previous events, issues that impact the story, and other characters. This conversation clues us in as to the where, when, and who.
2. Rising action
The rising action starts right after the period of exposition and ends at the climax. Beginning with the inciting incident, rising action is the bulk of the plot. It is composed of a series of events that build on the conflict and increase the tension, sending the story racing to a dramatic climax. The conflict begins to affect the characters, complicating their lives.
 For example, in the story of "Little Red Riding Hood," the rising action includes everything that takes place after Little Red sets off for Grandma's house—up to the moment she comes face to face with the Big Bad Wolf. In other words, most of the story is rising action, which is often the case.
In the classic fairy tale “Cinderella,” the rising action leads up to Cinderella attending a ball, where she loses her slipper.
3. Climax
The climax of a story is a dramatic turning point in a narrative—a pivotal moment at the peak of the story arc that pits the protagonist against an opposing force in order to resolve the main conflict once and for all.
The climax is the high point of a story. Without a climax, a story lacks excitement or meaning. The climax is considered an absolutely necessary element of the plot.
Example: At the story’s most climactic moment – Cinderella’s turn to try the slipper – the story reaches its highest tension.
4. Falling action
Falling action is a literary term that refers to the elements of the plot after a story's climax and before the resolution. The story begins to slow down, showing the results of the climax.
Cinderella example: The prince’s recognition of Cinderella begins the story’s falling action, leading to its resolution (next step): their wedding and happily ever after.
5. Conclusion/Resolution
The resolution is the end of the story. It occurs after the CLIMAX. It is when you learn what happens to the characters after the CONFLICT is resolved.
I hope these explanations will prove helpful! |
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