Question

how does the interplay of the elements of the short story create a meaningful whole?

Answer 1

There has to be more to the question here. what short story was it you read?

Answer 2

The most effective way to answer this question is to consider the composition of short stories. Short stories tend to be told in a narrative format, dealing with only a few characters. The relationship between these characters and these characters' emotions tend to be the focus of a short story, as opposed to longer pieces, which tend to be more focused on plot. It is the interplay between the characters, the mood, and the purpose of the story that create a meaningful whole.