The World of Fiction
The Writing and Reading Program
At Western New England College
Definition
• The world of fiction is the world of the
imagined. Although authors sometimes
draw on their experiences and even certain
periods in history when they write, fiction
tells an invented story using prose.
Hallmarks of Fiction
• Realistic characters
• Human experiences
• Identifiable setting
Key Terms
• Characters
– In any story, the characters support the plot.
– The main character is often called the
protagonist.
– Dialogue (including diction), actions, gestures,
and appearance are all keys to understanding
character.
– The term “characterization” refers to the way
the author reveals and develops characters.
Key Terms
• Setting
– The geographical,
historical, and social
location of the story
refers to its setting.
– Setting tells the reader
a great deal about tone
and overall purpose.
Key Terms
• Tone
– The mood of a story is often referred to as the
tone. Tone is conveyed by:
Sentence structure
Diction
Key Terms
Point of View
• The phrase “point of
view” refers to the person
or persons telling the story
or relating the ideas.
First Person
– If the story is told in the “first person,” the narrator will
use the pronouns “I,” and / or “we” to convey
information. Of course, the first person narrator’s
perspective is limited.
“In walks these three girls in nothing but bathing suits. I’m in the
third check-out slot, with my back to the door, so I don’t see them
until they’re over by the bread.”
“A&P”
John Updike
Problems with First Person
• What are some of the
limitations of the first
person narrator?
First person narrators interject
their own idiosyncratic view
of the world. They may have
a severely limited perspective.
Third Person
– Another common point of view is the third
person (he, she, it, or they). There are three
basic approaches to using this perspective:
• Omniscient
• Limited Omniscient
• Objective
Omniscient Point of View
– The third person “omniscient” narrator
understands the full significance of the action.
This “all-knowing” narrator even understands
the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
“In a house, in a suburb, in a city, there were a man
and his wife who loved each other very much […].”
Nadine Gordimer, “Once Upon a Time”
Limited Omniscient
• A narrator who knows the thoughts, feelings and
motivations of one character is said to have
“limited omniscience.”
“They were the same woods, she thought sleepily as they drove through
the early morning darkness – deep and immense, covered with
yesterday’s snowfall, which had frozen overnight.”
“Doe Season” by David Michael Kaplan
Objective Point of View
• Often called the “dramatic viewpoint,”
objective narrators tell the story without
delving into the thoughts or feelings of the
characters.
• The objective point of view relates dialogue
and reports action and events without
adding interpretations.
Objective Point of View
• “A girl and a soldier
went by in the street.
The street light shone
on the brass number
on his collar. The girl
wore no head covering
and hurried beside
him.”
“A Clean, Well-Lighted Place”
E. Hemingway
Key Terms
• Plot – the events of the story that make a
cohesive whole
– A flashback is a return to an earlier time.
– Foreshadowing provides a hint of something to
come.
Theme
• The central or main idea of a work is its theme.
The following elements can provide clues about
the theme:
–
–
–
–
–
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Title
Setting
Point of View
Characters
Plot and Conflict
Use of symbolism
• The stories and novels
you read combine
elements with endless
variations.
• Enjoy learning about
the world and yourself
as you experience
great authors of
fiction.