Elements of Fiction
What are the ingredients
of a great story?
The Main Ingredients
Fiction’s main
ingredients are
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Plot (Setting)
Conflict
Characters
Point of View
Theme
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Plot
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Plot is the sequence of events in a
story. Plot tells “what happens.”
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There is a natural pattern of how the plot
happens in stories, and we call this
pattern, the plot line.

Good readers know what part of plot is
happening at different times in the story.
Plot Line
Climax: The turning point. The
most intense moment (either
mentally or in action.)
Falling Action: all of the
action which follows the
Climax.
Exposition: The start of the
story. The way things are
before the action starts.
Resolution: The
conclusion, all
conflicts are
resolved.
Setting
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The setting is where the story happens
at, usually known as the Time and the
Place. Setting can also include the
atmosphere.
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Setting can include
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The geographical location (Sterling)
The time period (1902, or 2400)
The specific area or space (Sterling Middle School,
the backyard)
The atmosphere (cold, dark night or bright, sunny
afternoon)
What Is Conflict?

Conflict is a struggle or clash between
opposing characters or opposing forces.

Conflict is
the driving force of a story.
 the problem that the characters must solve or
overcome.

 Without
plot.
conflict there is no
Two Main Types of Conflict
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Two basic types of
conflict are
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External Conflict
Internal Conflict
External Conflict
External conflict is a struggle between a
character and some outside force—another
character, a group, or nature (can be
supernatural, too).
Amanda Trimble

Internal Conflicts
Internal conflict is a
struggle between
opposing desires or
emotions within a
person.

Internal conflicts
may take place
within a character’s
mind or heart.
Amanda Trimble

Conflicts
Person VS Person
Person VS Nature
Person VS Society
Person VS Himself
Person VS Supernatural
Characters

Characters are the people (or animals
and things presented as people)
appearing in a literary work.

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We learn about characters by what they
say, do, think, and how they act.
Protagonist
the main character in the story who is trying to solve
the problem.

Antagonist
the character or force working against the
protagonist.
Point of View

Point of view is the perspective from
which a story is told.

In first-person point of view, one of the
characters, using the personal pronoun I, is
telling the story.
I rapped on the cottage door and wondered why it
was taking Granny so long to answer. Finally I
heard a hoarse voice cry, “Come in, Little Red.”
Different Points of View

In the Third-person point of view the narrator is
distant from all of the characters, and uses their
names or pronouns, instead of “I” or “Me.”
Riding Hood rapped on the cottage door and wondered
why it was taking Granny so long to answer. Finally, she
heard a hoarse voice cry, “Come in, Little Red.”

In an omniscient point of view, the narrator
knows everything about the characters and their
problems.
As Little Red Riding Hood rapped on the cottage door,
the Wolf finished tying Granny’s wrists and shut her in
the closet. The Wolf wriggled into Granny’s nightgown,
scrambled into bed, and cried out, “Come in, Little Red.”
Practice with:
___________________
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Before Reading: Asses you views on
topics found in the story.
While Reading: Record the main events of
the story on a plot line.
After Reading: Reevaluate your views on
the topics in the story.
Now, let’s do a deeper
reading!
It isn’t enough to simply identify
the elements of a short story. You
also need to be able to analyze
these elements.
1. Characterization
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Characterization is how a writer reveals
character. There are two types of characterization:
direct and indirect.
When an author uses direct characterization,
he/she directly states a character’s traits.
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Example: “He was a tall man past middle age, for his hair
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No interpretation necessary!
was a vivid white; but his thick eyebrows and pointed
military mustache were as black as the night from which
Rainsford had come” (Connell 44). ~ Zaroff
Characterization Continued
Sounds like Connell is indirectly
describing General Zaroff as being
vampire-like!
 Break here for practice with
characterization…
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2. Theme
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Theme is an idea about life that the
story reveals. Theme is the author’s
message.
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What is one theme of
TMDG?
Usually the theme is not stated directly in
the story. You have to figure it out.
Theme is a complete sentence!
There can many themes in a single story.
When looking for themes, think of which
things are repeated throughout the story.
These must be important to the author.
STOP!
There is more!

To analyze literature you
will need to do more than
just look at the main
ingredients of ______,
_______, __________,
_________, _______, and
________. You will also
need to interpret stylistic
choices of the author.
3. Figurative Language
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Expressions, which put aside literal meanings
in favor of imaginative connections,
describing one thing in terms of another.
Examples: metaphor, simile, personification,
analogy, symbolism, allusion, and imagery
It is called figurative language because you
have to figure it out.
Types of Fig. Language
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Analogy: A comparison of an unfamiliar object or idea to
a familiar one.
Metaphor: direct comparison without like or as
Simile: Comparison using like or as
Hyperbole: a grand exaggeration
Irony: something that happens that is the opposite of
what is excepted.
Symbolism: when one thing stands for or represents
another.
Personification: giving human qualities to non-human
things.
Figurative Language Continued
Figurative Language Challenge:
 Pick TWO of the following visuals. Write
a sentence using figurative language
that ties your chosen visual to “The
Most Dangerous Game”

PICK TWO:
Warm Up

Please preview the
short stories that we
will be using for
presentations.

Select your top
three stories and put
them in order.

Thanks!
4. Tone
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The attitude an author takes toward his/her
subject, audience, and characters.
Established by careful selection (diction) and
placement (syntax) of words, and by
purposeful use of details and images.
Tone is the hallmark of a writer’s personality!
Mood is the emotional effect that the story
creates.
Tone vs. Mood
Mary Poppins Trailer
Watch the Mary Poppins Trailer. Write
down two words to describe the tone
two words to describe the mood.
 Scary Mary Poppins Trailer
Watch this version of the trailer and write
down two words to describe the tone
and two words to describe the mood.
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Tone Continued
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Think Fast: What is the primary tone of “The
Most Dangerous Game,” in your opinion?
______________________________
Identify a text example and page number
showing this tone.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
6. Style
Style is defined as the way in which an
author chooses to write.
 Style is not what is said, but how it is
said.
 Literary style may be described in a
variety of ways, such as formal,
conversational, journalistic, wordy,
archaic, poetic, or dynamic.
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6. Style Continued
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Elements of style include
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Break here for practice with style!
Complete style chart analysis of Richard
Connell’s style in “TMDG.”
descriptive writing,
word choice (diction), sentence length, tone, figurative
language, dialogue, strong verbs, adjectives, difficult
vocabulary, and point of view.