FICTION

WHAT IS FICTION? Story from an author’s imagination.

May be based on real-life eventsOr totally made up

Opposite of Nonfiction

WHAT IS FICTION?Genres:-types of writing within fiction

Stories Novels Poetry DramaJust to name a few

WHY READ FICTION?

FIVE ELEMENTS OF FICTIONThese five elements work together to tell

the story: Setting Plot Conflict Character Theme

SETTING Where and when the story takes place Be as specific as possible!

Examples:

Bloomsburg, 1975 An apartment at dinnertime.

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story

CONFLICT The problem in the story

Motivates the plot and moves the story forward.

CHARACTERS

People, animals or other figures in the story who perform the action

THEMEThe author’s main message or the overall

meaning of the story.

Stories can (and usually do!) have more than one theme.

They are the Central Ideas that run throughout the story

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story

Five parts:ExpositionRising ActionClimax Falling Action Resolution

The beginning of the story.

Introduces the characters, setting and main conflict of the story.

The conflict is growing.

This part is full of suspense and action and the plot moves forward.

The most exciting point of the story aka- “the turning point. ”

Something changes in the story to allow the conflict to eventually be resolved.

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story

Five parts:ExpositionRising ActionClimax Falling Action Resolution

The events are winding down.

The conflict is on its way to being solved.

All loose ends are tied up.

The conflict is completely solved and the story is ending.

CHARACTERSPeople or other things who perform the

action of a story.

2 types:

Dynamic- the character changes or grows over the course of the story

Static- the character stays the same from beginning to end with little growth.

CHARACTERIZATIONhow an author informs the reader about

the character’s attitudes, beliefs, appearance and personalities

CHARACTERIZATIONMethods of Characterization:

Direct1. Direct statement- the author tells

the reader through a narrator.(Dylan was always optimistic.)

CHARACTERIZATION Indirect2. Character’s Words and Actions- the

author gives the reader clues based on what the character says and does in the story (Throughout the whole story Dylan always finds the positive in every situation.)

3. Other character’s words and actions- the author gives the reader clues in what other characters say and do and how they react to the character. (Nick found Dylan to be very annoying because he always found the positive in every situation.)

CONFLICT The problem in the story Motivates the plot and moves the story

forward.

Usually appears in the exposition Reaches its highest “boiling point” at

the climax Is resolved during the resolution

CONFLICT2 types: Internal External

CONFLICT Internal:

Goes on inside a character’s headUsually involves a decisionWritten as “Man vs. Self”

CONFLICT External- outside of a character

3 types:Man vs. Man- two or more characters

opposedMan vs. Nature- character is against

forces of nature (ex: survival stories)Man vs. Society- character is against rules

of the civilization/society (ex: rags to riches story)