2.4 Explore Elements of a Short Story

A Recipe for the Elements of a Story

So to help you remember the elements of story, first imagine a chef baking a big cake.

The chef is a key player because the story won’t get made without someone to mix all the ingredients together. Think of the chef as the main character of the story. Anyone helping in the kitchen or who will be eating the cake can be seen as the other characters in the story.

Think of the frosting on the cake as the setting. It is the outside exterior that everyone sees.

Think of the frosting message written on the cake as the theme. This is the message the chef wants delivered to the people eating the cake. It is the reason why the cake was made. It could range from "Happy Birthday!" to "Congratulations!"

Think of the layers of cake as the plot. The tiers of the cake going up and up are the rising action with the top layer of the cake being the climax of the story.

Think of the little figures on the top tier as representing the point of view. Whoever is situated there, it is their point of view the story is told from.

The cake won’t bake up without heat! Think of the heat from the hot oven as the conflict. It’s what causes the cake's ingredients to cook up a delicious treat for the reader.

Now get creative and do Cooking Up the Elements of a Story activity.