## Short story structure

The basic structure of a short story consists of 5 parts, as you can see in the diagram above.

1. Exposition: This is the introductory part of your story. It should introduce the reader to the most important characters and to the setting. You are 'setting the scene'.
2. Rising Action: Here the central dramatic question, the question the reader desperately wants to know the answer to, is introduced. This central dramatic question will be 'the engine' of the story. A series of obstacles is placed in the way of the main character to increase suspense and tension, as the story moves toward the climax.
3. Climax: The climax is the dramatic high point of the story. The reader's interest reaches its peak (they should be glued to their seats) and the emotions rise to their most intense.
4. Falling Action: Now the conflict is resolving and we are being led out to the story’s end.
5. Resolution: The central dramatic question has been answered (most of the time), usually in either a happy or tragic manner.

Watch out: there are different kinds of endings (resolutions), which you will learn about in the next lesson. In short: not all endings answer the central question, and some scary short stories even stop at the climax, for dramatic effect. The story 'Clap, Clap' is an example of a story that stops at the climax. (See the document at the bottom of this page).

Below, you can see the structure of the famous (short) story 'The Three Little Piggies'
("So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew the house down," remember?)

If you don't remember this story, find and read the story online and then look at the structure again.

Note: in the diagram above the label 'Resolution' is missing at the end, but it is there: "Pigs have the best supper ever and live happily ever after". Now isn't that a happy ending (resolution) to this story!

Now you've seen an overview of the structure of a short story, as well as an example.

Activity 1:
- After reading these instructions, go back to the super short story on the previous page.
- Write the story in your notebook or in a document. It's super short, so this shouldn't take you long.
- Now give each part of the structure in the story a different color (with your highlighters/pens).
- Make sure to write which color marks which part of the story structure.

Your teacher will discuss the answer in class.

Activity 2:
Just to repeat what you've learned, do the activity below.

A different story structure: 'Clap Clap'