The parts that make up a story are three: the beginning, the middle and the outcome. All stories usually have a similar structure and each of its parts corresponds to a specific moment in the narrative.
He start it is a presentation of the characters and their environment (once upon a time, a long time ago, in a kingdom, in a forest, there was a princess, there lived a girl).
He knot It is the part where the problems of the main characters take the story to the point of greatest tension (the princess bit the fruit poisoned by the witch, the wolf pretends to be the grandmother to deceive the girl).
He outcome provides a solution to these problems, thanks to a wonderful person or event (the princess wakes up after receiving a true love kiss, the hunter frees the grandmother and the girl from the wolf’s belly).
The short story is a literary genre that briefly narrates events of a fabulous nature. Its argument is simple and its transmission can be done orally or in writing.
The elements involved in this genre are time, space, action, characters and the narrator. The purpose of a story is to entertain and provide readers with a lesson or moral.
Next we will see in more detail each of the parts that make up a story.
Start
The beginning is the first part of the story and can receive other names such as beginning, exposition, introduction or approach.
In it a description of the environment and the main characters is made, a temporal and spatial context is drawn.
The plot is framed within a pleasant and calm atmosphere, a moment that precedes the conflict of the action.
From the first sentence, the story tries to capture the reader’s attention, hinting at the events that are to come to keep their interest awake.
introductory example
Once upon a time there was a beautiful town called Hamelin, known throughout the kingdom for its bountiful crops and flocks. All its inhabitants lived happily, lacking deficiencies and worries.
One day hundreds of mice came to the town and slipped into the pantries of the houses and the barns. The neighbors came to the governor’s aid, fearing that the plague would destroy their food and leave them with nothing.
The governor promised a succulent reward to whoever managed to drive the mice away from the lands of Hamelin.
The same day a stranger appeared who promised to end the plague, just with the help of a flute.
He began to play and the mice, to the sound of the melody, left their hiding places to meet the piper, and followed in his footsteps until they left the town.
Knot
The second part, also known as the middle, development or conflict, brings us closer to the moment in history in which a less peaceful atmosphere is created.
The antagonists, enemies or villains make their appearance, that is, the characters that have to generate the conflict and face the protagonists.
The knot presents the protagonist’s purposes to end the problem and the obstacles that hinder his work.
The main character must play his role as hero/heroine to reach the solution and lead the story towards a favorable outcome.
knot example
Freed from the plague, the town of Hamelin shone again, the streets were filled with children, laughter and games, and the villagers prepared banquets and parties to celebrate it.
The flutist returned to town to collect his reward, but the governor refused to pay because he considered that the musician’s effort was not worth the amount of money he had promised.
All the inhabitants of Hamelin despised the favor of the piper.
The piper, annoyed at the lack of consideration he had received, began to play a melody even prettier than the one used to drive out the mice.
Upon hearing the melody, the children began to follow the piper, who was trying to get them away from Hamelin, under the spell of his music.
Suddenly, someone noticed what was happening and began to shout that the piper was taking the children.
Outcome
The denouement is the last part of the story, it is also called the end or conclusion.
This part explains how the main character finds a solution to the conflict, overcoming himself, an adversity of fate or his enemies.
The situation is resolved by meeting the reader’s expectations, although the ending does not have to be as expected.
When it comes to children’s stories, the endings are usually happy, but there are other types of stories that can have a tragic ending. In some stories this ending provides a moral lesson.
Outcome Example
The governor understood that his attitude and greed had caused this situation, and he went out with his neighbors in search of the children.
They had spent hours searching when they found the piper, apologized to him, and after paying him the reward, begged him to return their beloved children.
The piper played his melody again and the children began to leave the forest to reunite with their families.
The inhabitants of Hamelin learned that they should not be greedy. The piper continued on his way in search of people he could help.
References:
Grimm, W., Grimm, J., (2016). Hamelin’s futist. Santillana Loqueleo.
Imbert, E.A. (1979). Theory and technique of the tale. Marymar Editions.
Urbano, NM (2011). The story as an educational tool.
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