elements of fiction

What is a short story?

a brief, fictional narrative that covers a shorter period of time. in a short story, the characters are less fully developed, conflicts are resolved quicker, and it is usually read in one sitting.

What are the elements of fiction?

1. Plot

2. Setting

3. Characters

4. POV/Narrative Voices

5. Theme

6. Literary Devices

Explain Plot

the order of events and action of a story. there are five parts to a plot: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion. 

what is introduction?

the reader is introduced to the setting, characters, and initial conflicts.

what is rising action?

obstacles that the protagonist has to overcome

What are the types of obstacles?

1. Complicating Incident: an incident which complicates and intensifies the story

2. Conflict: the struggle between 2 opposing forces, can be internal or external

3. Crisis: main character makes a decision which affects their future

External Conflicts

• character vs. character

• character vs. nature

• character vs. society

• character vs. technology

• character vs. supernatural

Internal Conflicts

• character vs. self

Explain character vs. character

characters physical/emotional struggle with another character

what is complicating incident

an incident which complicates and intensifies the story

Explain character vs. nature

struggle against the environment

Explain character vs. society

struggle against the ideas of others

Explain character vs. technology

struggle against technological advances

Explain character vs. supernatural

struggles against things that cannot be controlled (ghosts, gods, fate)

what is conflict?

the struggle between 2 opposing forces, can be internal or external

what is crisis?

the turning point where the main character makes a desicion which affects their future

what’s climax?

the highest point of tension/interest in the story - also a turning point

what’s falling action?

the part following the climax that gives explanation and ties up loose ends

what’s conclusion?

end result of the climax. there has usually an important moment of recognition from reader or character.

explain Setting

when and where a story takes place

what are the 3 aspects of setting?

1. Place

2. Time

3. Mood/Atmosphere

What’s integral setting?

where the setting plays an important role + provides depth to the story (titanic)

What’s backdrop setting?

where the setting doesn’t play an important role in the story + story wouldn’t change if the setting was different

explain place

city, country, surroundings

explain time

time of day, month, season, historical period

explain mood/atmosphere

feelings or emotions evoked in the reader during the story

what’s character?

who the story is about - participants sin the story

what’s a protagonist?

main/major character in the story

what’s a antagonist?

force of conflict for protagonist who usually acts against protagonist 

what are the character types?

1. dynamic

2. static 

what’s a dynamic character?

character that aways undergoes somekind of change throughout the story

what’s a static character?

a character who remains the same throughout the entire story

what are the types of character depths

• flat

• round

what does flat character depth mean?

character reveals 1 or 2 personality traits in a t=storty that do not change and lack detail

what does round character depth mean?

a well-developed character who shows many personality traits

what is a stock/stereotypical character?

a character who’s personality is bases on social stereotypes and are easily recognizable. (professor, wicked stepmother)

what’s a foil character?

a character who’s personality is opposite to anther character making them contrast each other making each others personalities stand out.

What is characterization?

how a characters personality is revealed.

how can a characters personality be revealed?

1. characters speech (indirect)

2. characters appearance (indirect)

3. characters thoughts (indirect)

4. characters actions (indirect)

5. what others say or think about the character (indirect)

6. explicit/direct statements from the narrator (direct)

what does indirect mean?

shows the audience what the personality of a character is through speech, thoughts, actions, appearance.

what does direct mean?

tells the audience what the personality of a character is. statements made by the narrator.

what is point of view?

the perspective of which a story is told.

what are the most common POV’s?

1. first person

2. third person

what are the types of first person?

1. first person major

2. first person minor

what is first person major?

where the main character tells the story from their perspective

what is first person minor?

where the minor character observes the main character telling the story from their perspective

what are the types of third person?

1. Third Person Omniscient

2. Third Person Limited

3. Third Person Objective

what is third person omniscient?

where a narrator outside of the story presents the thoughts of all characters (like a god)

what is third person limited?

when the narrator tells the story as one who observes actions but presents the thoughts and emotions of one character only

what is third person objective?

where the narrator does not reveal the thoughts or emotions of any character  and only says what is observable.

what is theme?

a universal message that the writer is trying to send/implying about the human condition, that can usually be about lice, society, or human nature, and can sometimes be a lesson.

what are literary devices?

techniques writers use to engage their readers beyond the literal meaning of the text

What are the literary devices?

1. alliteration

2. hyperbole

3. imagery

4. metaphor

5. onomatopoeia

6. personification

7. repetition

8. simle

9. rhyme

what’s alliteration

repetition of the same beginning word in a sequence

Ride Rides Rollercoasters

what’s a hyperbole

where exaggeration is used but not taken literally

I am freezing

what’s imagery

descriptive words that appeal to the 5 senses and create a picture in the readers mind

The golden sun

what’s a metaphor

where two things are compared, usually by saying that one thing is another

Her heart is gold

what is onomatopoeia

where words are use to imitate sounds

Boom

what’s personification

where things are given human attributes

Leaves dancing in the wind

what’s repetition

a word or line that is repeated usually to evoke an emotion or tocrate a rhythm

Heart to heart

what’s simile

where two things are compare during words like “as” or “like”

This class is like a zoo