Elements of Fiction

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Elements of Fiction

• Los Alisos Intermediate School

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Plot

• The action that makes up the story, following a
  plan called the plot line

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5 Elements of Plot

• Exposition The part of the story, usually near
  the beginning, in which the characters are
  introduced, the background is explained, and the
  setting is described.
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution

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5 Elements of Plot

• Exposition
• Rising Action The central part of the story
  during which various problems arise.
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution

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5 Elements of Plot

• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax The high point or climax in the action of
  a story.
• Falling Action
• Resolution

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5 Elements of Plot

• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action The action and dialogue following
  the climax that lead the reader into the storys
  end.
• Resolution

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5 Elements of Plot

• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution The part of the story in which the
  problems are solved and the action comes to a
  satisfying end.

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Plot Line
Climax

• The planned action or series of events in a story.

Resolution
Exposition
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Subplots

• plots that are part of the larger story but not
  as important.

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Parallel Episodes

• occur when the storyteller repeats the main
  outline of an episode several times (example 3
  Little Pigs)

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Conflict

• A problem or struggle between two opposing forces
  in a story.

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5 Basic Conflicts

• Person vs. Person
• A problem between characters
• Person vs. Self
• A problem within a characters own mind
• Person vs. Society
• A problem between a character and society,
  school, the law, or some tradition
• Person vs. Nature
• A problem between a character and some element of
  nature a blizzard, hurricane, mountain climb,
  etc.
• Person vs. Fate (God)
• A problem or struggle that appears to be well
  beyond a character's control.

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2 Categories of Conflict

• External Conflict -the character struggles with
  an outside force
• Person vs. Person
• Person vs. Society
• Person vs. Nature
• Person vs. Fate (God)

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2 Categories of Conflict

• Internal Conflict -the character struggles within
  his own mind
• Person vs. Self

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Characterization

• The ways in which a writer develops a character,
  making him or her seem believable.
• Sharing the characters thoughts, actions and
  dialogue.
• Describing his or her appearance.
• Revealing what others in the story think of this
  character

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Character

• One of the people (or animals) in the story.

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Types of Characters

• Narrator
• The person or character who actually tells the
  story, filling in the background information and
  bridging the gaps between dialogue.
• Protagonist
• The main character in a story, often a good or
  heroic type.
• Antagonist
• The person or force that works against the hero
  (protagonists) of the story.

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Dialogue

• The conversations that characters have with one
  another

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Point of View

• The angle from which a story is told. The angle
  depends upon the narrator, or person telling the
  story.

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Types of Point of View

• First-Person point of View
• One of the characters is telling the story.
• Example Linda is my older sister, beautiful and
  popular, and so Ive given up on being noticed at
  all.
• Third-Person point of View
• Someone from the outside is telling the story.
• Example Linda is her older sister, beautiful
  and popular, and so shes given up on being
  noticed at all.

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Three types of Third-Person Point of View

• Omniscient
• Point of view allows the narrator to share the
  thoughts and feelings of all the characters.
• Limited Omniscient
• Point of view allows the narrator to share the
  thoughts and feelings of only one character.
• Camera View
• Allows the story-teller to record the action from
  his or her own point of view, being unaware of
  any of the characters thoughts or feelings.

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Setting

• The place and the time frame in which a story
  takes place

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Theme

• The message about life or human nature that is
  hidden in the story that the writer tells.

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Tone

• The attitude or feeling that comes across in a
  piece of literature, revealed by the characters,
  the word choice, and the general writing style.
  The tone can be serious, funny, satiric, etc.

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Mood

• The feeling a piece of literature creates in a
  reader.

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Moral

• The lesson a story teaches.