Elements of Fiction
Reading Notes
8th Grade
Characters
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A CHARACTER is a person, animal, or imaginary creature
2 Kinds of Characters:
Protagonist: main character or hero;
Example: Little Red Riding Hood
Antagonist: another character which causes conflict for
the protagonist; sometimes the villain; The antagonist
can be a character, society, or object.
Example: The Wolf
Types of Characters:
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Minor Characters: have a small role in the text;
example- Red Riding Hood’s Mom
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Major Characters: have a major role in the text;
example: Red Riding Hood, The Wolf
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Flat Characters or Static Characters:
characters that do not experience any changes; they stay the
same; only one side to them
Example: Grandma in Red Riding Hood
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Round or Dynamic Characters:
characters that change, grow, or learn something; many sides
to them
Example: Red Riding Hood
Kinds of Characters:
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Scrooge:
a. static
b. dynamic
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Superman:
a. flat
c. protagonist
b. round
d. antagonist
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The Little Mermaid: a. static
b. dynamic
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Cinderella’s stepmother: a. flat
b. round
Characterization
A description of individuals in a story
5 Ways to Develop a Character:
1. Physical Description of Character
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Example: tall, dark, brunette, blue eyes, etc.
2. Character’s Speech, Thoughts, and Actions
Example: “I must not punish, but punish with impunity.”
–Narrator in Edgar A. Poe “The Cask of Amontillado”
3. The Speech, Thoughts, and Actions of Other
Characters
Example: Jane exclaimed “Tom is an honest person.”
4. Eye-Awakening Situations
Example: the death of a loved one; graduation, moving, etc.
5. Direct Statement about Character
Example: Grandpa loves to tell stories.
Setting and Mood
Setting: Where and When a story takes place
Examples:
• 2010
• Morning, Afternoon, Evening,
• Chicago, India
• Airport, Restaurant, Bookstore, School
Mood: emotional atmosphere of a story; the feeling
created in a reader by a text
Examples:
• Scary
• Calming
• Romantic
• Hopeless
• Fearful
Plot
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The sequence of events in a story
5 Parts of Plot:
1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling Action
5. Resolution [Dénouement]
Plot Diagram
Climax
Rising Action
Exposition
Falling Action
Resolution [Dénouement]
Plot- Exposition
-the beginning part of a story that:
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Sets the tone
Establishes the setting
Introduces characters
Gives the reader important
background information
Plot- Rising Action
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series of actions which lead the
story to the climax
Plot- Climax
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“turning point” of the story
The climax is the point of maximum
interest. It usually occurs toward the end
of a story, after the reader has understood
the conflict and become emotionally
involved with the characters.
At the climax, the outcome of the plot
becomes clear.
Plot- Falling Action
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occurs after the climax
conflicts are beginning to be
resolved- loose ends are tied up
Plot- Resolution
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part of the story where the
problem or conflict is solved
occurs after the climax and falling
action
“the end”
Conflict
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struggle between a character and
an opposing force
2 Kinds of Conflict:
Internal Conflict
External Conflict
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External Conflict
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struggle between a character and an
outside force such as society, nature, or
another character
Man (character) vs. Man
Man (character) vs. Nature
Man (character) vs. Society
Man (character) vs. Animal
Man (character) vs. Machine
Man (character) vs. Supernatural
Internal Conflict
WITHIN a character’s mind
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struggle
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usually occurs when a character has to
make a decision or to deal with feelings
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Man Vs. Self
Theme
The underlying message in a story that
deals with life or human nature
When determining theme, think about:
 The title
 the way a character changes and what
they learn
 Big ideas such as courage and freedom
 Theme can be stated directly or
implied
Examples of Theme
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Love/Hate
Death
Nature
Time
Good over Evil
Betrayal
Courage
Justice
Self-Discovery
Friendship
What’s the theme in The Ant and the
Grasshopper?
____________________________________
Dialogue:
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Dialogue: conversation between two or more
characters
Why Dialogue:
 Moves the action of a story
 Builds suspense
 Arouses reader interest
 Develops a character
 Establishes conflict
 Makes a character seem real
Example of Dialogue
“Potter attacked me, sir—”
“We attacked each other at the
same time!” Harry shouted.
Allusion
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A reference made to a famous person,
place, or event.
Readers must recognize the references in
order to be effective.
Examples:
The auto shop worker swept in like Superman,
repaired my tire in a flash, and rescued me
from the roadside.
What does the allusion to Superman suggest?
_________________________________________________
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Allusion
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Allusions can refer to:
Historical Events (Great Depression)
Geographic Locations (The city that never sleeps)
Bible Verses (An eye for an eye)
Mythology (Pandora’s Box/Hercules)
Poems/Books (Achilles’ Heel)
Stories
Characters (He’s such a Scrooge)
Music (King of Pop)
Movies, Plays, or Art (Three Stooges)
Examples of Allusions
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Cale is my Prince Charming.
Kevin doesn’t do so well in math, but in art class he’s
a regular Picasso.
Brain, remember to leave your library book in the
living room. If that book finds its way into the black
hole in your bedroom, it will never find its way out!
He’s my Hercules; he rescued me from drowning.
My husband is no Romeo; he’s not the roses and
chocolate kind of guy.
We are all going to die. Nothing gold can stay.
“Promise me that you will never change, that you will
stay gold, Ponyboy,” said Tom to his friend Joe.
Foreshadowing
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Foreshadowing: hints about what will
happen in a story
Why Foreshadowing;
 Develops Plot
 Sets a mood of intrigue- what’s going to happen
next
 Prepares the reader for what is to come
What examples of foreshadowing are in Little Red
Riding Hood? What clues should Little Red
have recognized to realize that her
grandmother was not really her grandmother?
Foreshadowing Continued
“The clouds began to grow dark with mystery,
the lights shuddered on and off, and my heart
began pounding harder and faster.”
What does this foreshadow?
___________________________________________________
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As the student began to misbehave, the teacher
walked straight to her desk and picked up the
phone.
What does this foreshadow?
__________________________________________________
Flashback
Flashback: an event that occurred
before the current events in a
story
Why Flashback?
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Provides background information that
clarifies current actions in the story.
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2.
What are some of the reasons an author might
choose to use flashbacks instead of beginning at
the start of a story and telling it chronologically?
What are some ways that flashbacks are
accomplished in novels and short stories or
movies and plays?