Final answer:
The importance of character, setting, and plot can vary, but plot is often foundational, providing the sequence of events and conflict. Characters bring the narrative to life with their actions and growth, while the setting contextualizes the story. The 'Who, What, When, Where, How?' approach leads to an understanding of these elements and sets the stage for theme exploration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The elements of short stories - character, setting, and plot - are all integral to the narrative, but their importance may vary depending on the story. To rank these in order of importance is a subjective task, as each element serves a vital role in storytelling. However, broadly speaking, one could argue that the plot is typically seen as the foundation because it defines the sequence of events and the conflict, which are the backbone of any narrative. Characters are crucial as well, as they personify the story and engage the reader by their actions, growth, and experiences. The setting provides a backdrop that contextualizes the characters and plot, giving depth to the story's environment and situation.
Considering these elements, we can apply a 'Who, What, When, Where, How?' approach to literature analysis. We start with plot to understand 'What is happening?' and 'How does it happen?', we explore character to find out 'Who is involved?', and we examine setting to identify 'When and where is it happening?'. Through this analysis, we can then understand the theme and build a comprehensive interpretation of the story.
The significance of setting can fluctuate dramatically between stories; some narratives are deeply rooted in their setting, which is essential to the narrative events and characterisation, whilst in others, it is simply a backdrop to the actions of the characters and the unfolding plot.