Final answer:
Point of view is the element of short fiction that refers to the question of who narrates the story. It can be first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The element of short fiction that refers to the question of who narrates the story is called point of view. Point of view refers to the perspective from which the story is being told and can vary depending on the narrator's relationship to the events and characters in the story.
First person point of view:
This is when the narrator is a character in the story, using pronouns like 'I' or 'we' to tell the story. Examples include 'The Catcher in the Rye' by J.D. Salinger and 'To Kill a Mockingbird' by Harper Lee.
Third person limited point of view:
The narrator is an observer outside of the story, using pronouns like 'he,' 'she,' or 'they' to tell the story, but is limited to one character's thoughts and experiences. Examples include 'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.
Third person omniscient point of view:
The narrator is an all-knowing observer who can reveal the thoughts and experiences of multiple characters. Examples include 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy and 'The Lord of the Rings' by J.R.R. Tolkien.