Short Story Literary Elements

When the setting or scene causes an emotional response in the reader...

• Atmosphere

• Conflict

• Situation Irony

• Mood

This is where the story begins.  In this section you are introduced to the characters, the setting, and the mood.

• Exposition

• Inciting Incident

• Resolution

• Climax

This is where the reader is introduced to the conflict.

• Rising Action

• Exposition

• Inciting Incident

• Resolution

This is where most of the action happens.  It is also where tension and suspense is built.

• Rising Action

• Falling Action

• Climax

• Exposition

This is the most exciting part of the story.  It is where the conflict reaches its highest point.

• Rising Action

• Inciting Incident

• Falling Action

• Climax

This is where the conflict begins to resolve.  The problems are starting to be 'cleaned up'.

• Exposition

• Falling Action

• Resolution

• Inciting Incident

This is where the conflict has completely resolved and all questions are answered.  Not all stories have this! 

• Resolution

• Exposition

• Climax

• Falling Action

Another way of describing an omniscient narrator is…

• Second Person View

• Third Person View

• First Person View

• Fourth Person View

The audience or reader is 

aware of something one or 

more of the characters is not 

aware of...

• Dramatic Irony

• Verbal Irony

• Theme

• Situational Irony

Irony involving facts or events are unknown to a character in a story but are known to the reader, audience, or other characters

• Dramatic Irony

• Situational Irony

• Verbal Irony