ELEMENTS OF FICTION
Fiction – Stories based on imagination and not presented as fact.
Science fiction – Is a special division of fantasy that involves scientific principles or is based on scientific
principles. Science fiction includes scientific facts and speculation and often comments on important issues
in society that result in life lessons for the reader.
Fantasy – Imaginative writing that takes the reader into an invented, unrealistic world.
The main elements fiction writers use to develop a story include:
setting
style
characters
tone
conflict
mood
plot
symbolism
theme
irony
point of view
SETTING
Stories actually have two types of setting: Physical and Chronological.
Physical setting is where the story takes place. It can be very general (a small farming community) or very
specific (222 West Milton Avenue).
Chronological setting is the when and can be equally general or specific.
CHARACTERS
The characters are the people or animals that act out the story.
Main character – the protagonist; the most important character in the story; the one the story is about
Minor character - person of less importance than the main character; they help move the story along
Antagonist - A character or force that opposes the protagonist.
Characterization is the process by which the author reveals the personality of a character.
Characterization is revealed through the characters
 speech – what the character says; how he/she speaks
 thoughts – what the character thinks and feels
 actions – what the character does; how the character behaves
 appearance - what the character looks like; how the character dresses
 effect on other characters – how other characters feel about the character; what other
characters say about the character
CONFICT
Conflicts occur when the protagonist struggles against an antagonist, a character or force that opposes the
protagonist. The author creates the conflict by describing one of the following types of interactions:
1. person against self
2. person against person
3. person against society
4. person against nature
PLOT
The plot is the order in which things move and happen in a story. It is what gets us interested in reading.
The plot can be handled in two ways:
1. Chronological order is when a story relates events in the order in which it happened.
2. Flashback is when the story moves back in time. Flashbacks are more problematic. Easier if they
occur in a dream.
The plot may also encounter foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is the use of hints or clues to suggest what will
happen later in the story.
PLOT STRUCTURE COMPONENTS
Exposition (AKA Introduction) – the beginning of the story where the characters and the setting are
revealed
Rising Action – the series of events in the story that lead to the climax; the conflict in the story is
revealed
Climax – the turning point; the most intense moment; the main character can make a decision that will
change the outcome of the story
Falling action – the events which follow the climax; the events and complications begin to resolve
themselves; the reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not
Resolution/Denouement – how the problem was resolved or worked out; occurs after the falling action and
is typically where the story ends
THEME
Theme is the message the author is trying to convey about life, people, or the world we live in. Some
examples of common themes from literature include:
 things are not always as they appear to be
 good things come to those who wait
 love is blind
 good things happen to good people
 believe in yourself
 appreciate what you have
 don’t be afraid of change
 good conquers evil
 enjoy life while you can
 hard work pays off
 live life to the fullest
Some themes can be expressed through common idioms:
you reap what you sow - the things that happen to you are a result of your own actions
you can’t judge a book by its cover - you should not judge something based just on outward appearances
honesty is the best policy - you should always tell the truth, even when it seems as if it would be useful to
tell a lie
POINT OF VIEW
Point of view is the perspective or angle from which the story is told; who tells the story and how it is told
First Person - The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who interacts closely with the
protagonist or other characters (using pronouns I, me, we, etc). The reader sees the story through this
person's eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels.
Second Person - Narrator addresses the reader directly as though she is part of the story. (i.e. “You walk
into your bedroom. You see clutter everywhere and…”)
Third Person - A method of storytelling in which a narrator relates all action in third person, using third
person pronouns he, she, it, they, etc…)
Third-Person Omniscient- a method of storytelling in which the narrator reveals the thoughts and
feelings of all the characters in the story.
Third-Person Limited – third-person limited point of view is a method of storytelling in which the
narrator reveals only the thoughts and feelings of a single character, while other characters are
presented externally.
Third-Person Objective – It is also referred to as the camera’s eye because the narrator
describes only what can be seen, not what the characters are thinking. It appears as though a
camera is following the characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard.
There is no comment on the characters or their thoughts. No interpretations are offered. The
reader is placed in the position of spectator without the narrator there to explain. The reader has
to interpret events on his/her own.
STYLE
Style is the way an author writes. It's the voice readers "hear" when they read an author’s work. All of the
following help in identifying an author’s style, and they work together to establish mood, images, and
meaning in the text.
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word choice
figures of speech
literary devices
sentence structure
sentence arrangement
TONE
Tone is the author’s attitude toward the writing (his characters, the situation) and the readers. A work of
writing can have more than one tone. An example of tone could be both serious and humorous. Tone is set
by the setting, choice of vocabulary and other details.
Amused
Humorous
Pessimistic
Angry
Informal
Playful
Some Words That Describe Tone
Cheerful
Clear
Ironic
Matter-of-fact
Pompous
Serious
Horror
Formal
Light
Resigned
Sad
Suspicious
Gloomy
Optimistic
Witty
MOOD
Mood is the general atmosphere created by the author’s words. It is the feeling the reader gets from
reading those words. It may be the same, or it may change from situation to situation.
Fanciful
Melancholy
Frightening
Some Words That Describe Mood
Mysterious
Gloomy
Frustrating
Sentimental
Romantic
Happy
Sorrowful
Joyful
Suspenseful
SYMBOLISM
A symbol is something that means something else. Frequently it’s a tangible physical thing, which
symbolizes something intangible. Think about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. What do you think the
apple symbolizes in the story?
Something that on the surface is its literal self but which also has another meaning or even several
meanings. For example, a sword may be a sword and also symbolize justice. A symbol may be said to embody
an idea. There are two general types of symbols:
1. universal symbols that embody universally recognizable meanings wherever used, such as light to
symbolize knowledge, a skull to symbolize death, etc…
2. constructed symbols that are given symbolic meaning by the way an author uses them in a literary
work, as the white whale becomes a symbol of evil in Moby Dick.
IRONY
Irony is about expectations.
Irony: the opposite of what is expected.
Something that is ironic is unexpected.
3 kinds of irony:
1. Verbal Irony - A character says one thing but means the opposite.
Also called sarcasm or being sarcastic.
Examples
The locker room smells really good.
Awesome! Another homework packet!
2. Dramatic Irony - When the reader understands more about the events of a story than a
character.
You know something that a character doesn’t. If unexpected by a character, it’s dramatic.
Examples
Tim’s parents are proud of the “A” he got on the test, but we know he cheated.
Alex writes a love poem to Judy but we know that Judy loves Devin.
3. Situational Irony - When what actually happens is the opposite of what is expected.
Something about the situation is completely unexpected.
If unexpected by everyone, it’s situational.
Example
Mr. Smith had just finished childproofing his house when he noticed his one-yearold was choking on an outlet cover.