Short story

• Short Story


  A type of fictional narrative that is shorter and more concise than a novel, usually focusing on a single significant event or experience
• How to read a short story

  1. Examine the setting

  2. Analyze the characterization

  3. Understand the plot and structure

  4. Identify the narrator and point of view

  5. Recognize the conflict

  6. Identify the climax

  7. Determine the theme

  8. Analyze the style
• Setting


  • Description of where and when the story takes place
  • In a short story there are fewer settings compared to a novel, and the time is more limited
  • Consider geography, weather, time of day, social conditions, etc.
  • Examine how the setting is created and what role it plays in the story
• Characterization


  • How the characters in the story are described
  • Short stories usually have fewer characters than novels, and focus on one central character or protagonist
  • Characters can be described through dialogue, physical appearance, thoughts and feelings, and interaction
  • Characters can be static/flat (do not change) or dynamic/round (do change)
  • Consider the type of characters and whether they are believable
• Plot and structure


  • The main sequence of events that make up the story
  • In short stories, the plot is usually centered around one experience or significant moment
  • Consider the most important event, how the plot is structured (linear/chronological or moving around), and whether the plot is believable
• Narrator and Point of view


  • The person telling the story
  • Short stories tend to be told through one character's point of view
  • Consider whether the narrator and main character are the same, and from whose eyes the story is being told (first person "I" or third person "he/she")
• Conflict


  • The main struggle or tension in the story, usually related to the main character
  • In a short story there is usually one main conflict, which can be internal (within the character) or external (caused by the surroundings or environment)
• Climax


  • The point of greatest tension or intensity in the short story, where events take a major turn as the story races towards its conclusion
• Theme


  • The main idea, lesson, or message in the short story, which may be an abstract idea about the human condition, society, or life
  • Consider how the theme is expressed and whether there is more than one theme
• Style


  • The author's use of vocabulary, tone, and feeling in the story, which can be ironic, humorous, cold, or dramatic
  • Consider the author's use of figurative language, symbols, and symbolism