Characters: The people (or animals, objects, etc.) who populate the short story and drive the plot. Characters can be static (unchanging) or dynamic (changing) throughout the course of the story.
Setting: The time and place in which the short story takes place. Setting can be used to create atmosphere, mood, and conflict.
Theme: The central idea or message of the short story. Themes can be explicit (directly stated) or implicit (hinted at but not directly stated).
Style: The unique way in which the author tells the story. Style includes elements such as word choice, sentence structure, and figurative language.
These five elements work together to create a cohesive, descriptive piece of literature. The plot drives the story forward and creates suspense, the characters bring the story to life and interact with the plot, the setting provides a context for the story, the theme gives the story meaning, and the style makes the story memorable.
When all of these elements are present and working together effectively, the result is a short story that is both engaging and memorable.