Elements of Fiction
First Nine Weeks
Setting- the time and place
• Integral- settings are key to a story, it affects
the plot
• Background- settings are simply a backdrop
for the action
-Character• Traits- personal qualities of a
character
Example: friendly, suspicious, selfish,
rude depressed. Developed through
a character’s speech, actions, or
thoughts
Main Characters- these characters play a major role
in the story
• Protagonist- The main
character in a story, around
whom the events of the story’s
plot revolve.
• Antagonist- A character or
group of characters that
represent opposition to the
main character of a story
Minor Characters- these characters play a small role
in the story
Plot- What happens in the
story, the nuts and bolts
•
Five Parts of plot
1.Introduction- The Beginning, Characters,
Setting & Problem laid out
•
2.Rising Action- Complications arise with
the problem, The Plot Thickens!
•
3.Climax- Highest point of
interest/suspense, a.k.a. the Turning Point,
the outcome is decided
4. Falling Actions- events that follow the
climax and end in resolution
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5.Resolution- The ending, loose ends are
tied up, everything comes together
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Elements of Fiction
A – Characters – who is in the story
B – Setting – where and when the story takes place
C –Conflict – problem
D – Rising Action – story gets better (most of plot fits here)
E – Climax – Highest point of interest in the story
F – Falling Action – events that follow the climax and end in
resolution
G – Resolution – solution to the problem
Plot Continued
• Conflict- The problem, there are four different
types, a story may have more than one.
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1. Character v. Character – External Conflict
2. Character v. Nature – External Conflict
3. Character v. Society – External Conflict
4. Character v. Self – Internal Conflict
Style- How the author writes,
the techniques they use to write
• Foreshadowing- A hint to the
future, a change in setting
• Flashback- A brief return to the
past, a change in setting
Point of View (POV)- Who is telling
the story, three different types
•
First Person- Told by someone IN the
story, uses “I” and “me”
•
Third Person Limited- Told by a
narrator, OUTSIDE the story, the
narrator only knows thoughts of one
character, uses the pronouns “he”,
“she”, and “they”
Third Person Omniscient- Told by a
• Suspense- A feeling of tension
the author creates
•
narrator OUTSIDE the story, the narrator
knows what all characters are thinking,
narrator is all knowing (om=all), uses the
pronouns “he”, “she”, or “they”
Theme• The message about life that author is trying
to express (moral) it is a statement
•complete thought, not one word! “Love” is a
message, but “love heals all wounds” is a theme
Authors Purpose
• An author writes for many reasons. An author may give you facts or
true information about a subject. Some authors write fiction stories or
stories that are not true. They write these stories to entertain you.
Other authors may write to persuade or to try to get you to do
something.