JOSE ENDOENCA MARTINS SHORT STORIESLets say that short stories present these aspects: problem, complication and resolution. Lets also say that these three aspects are visible in three characters actions. The protagonist acts to fulfill his wish; the antagonist acts to prevent the protagonist from fulfilling the wish he has; and the helper acts to mediate the conflict that exists between the protagonist and antagonist. These characters actions make these three aspects visible: problem, complication and resolution. We may say that problem is associated with the protagonist, complication with the antagonist, and resolution with the helper.A brief definition of a short story comes in Franklins (1986) words. In his writing, a story consists of a sequence of actions that occur when a sympathetic character encounters a complicating situation that he confronts and solves (FRANKLIN, 1986: p. 71). The sympathetic character is the protagonist, who confronts a complicating situation proposed by the antagonist, by means of which he prevents the protagonist from fulfilling his desire. In order to overcome the complicating situation the protagonist acts with the support of the helper. Thus, the resolution takes place.ComplicationComplication puts the protagonist and the antagonist in opposite sides. They fight in order to accomplish what they are looking for. That is why complication always comes from the outside, is external, caused by the antagonist. However, it causes internal effects in the character also. A complication is always a threat to what he wishes to achieve. A consequence of the battle involving the protagonist and antagonist, and the conflicts they bring to the story, is TENSION, or suspense. Franklin (1986) explains that TENSION raises a question in the readers mind as to how the outcome will be solved, and what the outcome will mean to (and tell about) the character (FRANKLIN, 1986: p. 74). The characters act because the conflict must end, and complication be solved.Complication must have literary value. Franklin (1986) explains about the literary value of complication, saying, to be of literary values a complication must, first of all, be basic (...) and be also significant to the human (FRANKLIN, 1986: p. 75). When love, hate, pain, death, are present in complication, they tend to involve the characters in dramatic events. Thus complication becomes basic, human, and possesses literary value. ResolutionAny change in the characters situation taking complication to an end is resolution. Either physical, or psychological, internal or external, resolution accomplishes one thing only, that is, it eliminates TENSION or suspense. Franklin (1986) explains the ties that connect complication to resolution: what makes resolution so valuable is that while a majority of complications dont have resolution, resolutions almost always have complication (FRANKLIN, 1986:p. 78).Resolution of complication helps the reader learn something new. The new lesson comes through his appreciation of the characters efforts to take their conflicts to an end. For Franklin (1986), resolutions with literary value are those that are products of the characters own efforts (FRANKLIN, 1986: p. 82).ActionIn stories possessing literary value, complication and resolution depend on action. Action involves movement that combines physical and psychological efforts. For Franklin (1986), to be