Story Elements

What elements does a story need to have in order to be

a well-written story?

Story Elements for the Aesop fable,“The Peacock”

• characters• conflict• plot, including resolution• setting

character

A character is a person or an animal in a work of literature.

Examples:• August Pullman in Wonder • Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the

Sorcerer’s Stone • Greg Heffley in Diary of a Wimpy Kid

conflictThe conflict is the major struggle between characters or between opposing forces. A conflict may be external or internal. Some stories have both kinds of conflict.• External Conflict: The main character struggles with

another person or with an outside force, like the sea.• Internal Conflict: The main character struggles with

opposing ideas or feelings within his or her own mind, like wanting to make friends at a new school but also being very shy.

plotThe plot is the series of related events that make up the story. Most plots go this way:• exposition-The beginning of a story, including who the main characters are

and what the main conflict is.• rising action- The series of events where the conflict is presented and

complications arise as the plot moves towards the climax.• climax-The most exciting part of the story where the main character faces

and/or makes a huge decision which solves the conflict. Also usually the most suspenseful part of the story.

• falling action- The section after the climax where the action begins to drop off and the events of the plot become clear or are explained in some way, leading toward the resolution.

• resolution-Occurs at the end of the story. The writer tells what the main characters feel or do now that the conflict is settled.

plot

settingThe setting is the time, place, and atmosphere in which a story’s events occur.

• Time is the period during which all events, conditions, and actions happen.

• Place is the location or area. In literature, place is also known as the physical setting.

• Atmosphere is the general feeling or mood in a work of literature. Writers create atmosphere by using imagery and descriptions. Readers can describe atmosphere in just a word or two-for example, “A scary poem,” “an exciting scene,” “a story filled with sadness.”