The Elements of The Elements of FictionFiction

Short StoriesShort Stories

SETTINGSETTING

A. The setting is where the story takes place. Setting includes the following:

1. The Geographical Location (for example: Wyoming, London, Cairo, Vancouver)

2. The Time Period(for example: 1865, during WWII, today)

3. The Socio-Economic Characteristics of the Location (for example: wealthy suburbs, depression dustbowl)

4. The Specific Building or Room (for example: a prep school, a log cabin, a bus, a military base)

► B. The setting can B. The setting can be used to tell be used to tell readers about the readers about the characters.characters.

► C. The setting can C. The setting can also be used to set also be used to set the atmosphere for the atmosphere for the story.the story.

CharactersCharacters

A.A. The people (or animals, The people (or animals, things, etc. presented as things, etc. presented as people) appearing in a people) appearing in a literary work.literary work.

““Me fail English, that’s Me fail English, that’s unpossible.”unpossible.”

Character ContinuedCharacter Continued

1. 1. Round Characters: Round Characters: are convincing and are convincing and true to life. They have many different and true to life. They have many different and sometimes even contradictory personality sometimes even contradictory personality traits.traits.

2. 2. Dynamic Characters:Dynamic Characters: undergo some undergo some type of change or development in the story, type of change or development in the story, often because of something that happens to often because of something that happens to them.them.

3. 3. Flat Characters:Flat Characters: are stereotyped, are stereotyped, shallow, and often symbolic. They have shallow, and often symbolic. They have only one or two personality traits.only one or two personality traits.

4.4. Static Characters: Static Characters: do not change in the do not change in the course of the story.course of the story.

B. Protagonist:B. Protagonist:

The main character in a literary The main character in a literary work (like Cinderella or Snow White work (like Cinderella or Snow White in fairy tales)in fairy tales)

C. Antagonist:C. Antagonist:

The character who opposes the The character who opposes the protagonist (like the wicked protagonist (like the wicked stepmothers in the fairy tales)stepmothers in the fairy tales)

CharacterizationCharacterization

A. Direct CharacterizationA. Direct Characterization

The author develops the personality The author develops the personality of the character by direct statements.of the character by direct statements.

PatrickPatrick: Well, you're still yellow! And do : Well, you're still yellow! And do you you know what else is yellow?! know what else is yellow?!

SpongeBobSpongeBob: WHAT?! : WHAT?!

PatrickPatrick: YOU ARE! : YOU ARE!

B. Indirect CharacterizationB. Indirect Characterization: Revealing : Revealing a character’s personality through:a character’s personality through:

1. the character’s thoughts, words, and 1. the character’s thoughts, words, and actionsactions

2. the comments of other characters2. the comments of other characters

3. the character’s physical appearance3. the character’s physical appearance

PlotPlot

A. Plot is the literary element that A. Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangement of events It shows arrangement of events and actions within a story.and actions within a story.

Plot Components Plot Components

1. 1. ExpositionExposition: the start of the story, the : the start of the story, the situation before the action starts.situation before the action starts.

2. 2. Rising ActionRising Action: the series of conflicts and : the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax.crisis in the story that lead to the climax.

3.3. Climax Climax: the turning point, the most : the turning point, the most intense moment-----either mentally or in intense moment-----either mentally or in actionaction

4. 4. Falling ActionFalling Action: all of the action which : all of the action which follows the climaxfollows the climax

5. 5. ResolutionResolution: the conclusion, the tying : the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threadstogether of all of the threads

Plot ConflictPlot Conflict

is the dramatic struggle between is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is not plot.conflict, there is not plot.

Types of ConflictTypes of Conflict

a. a. Human Human vs. vs. HumanHuman

b. b. Human Human vs. vs. NatureNature

c. c. Human Human vs. vs. SocietySociety

d. d. Human Human vs. vs. SelfSelf

Point of ViewPoint of View

The Point of View (POV) is the perspective from The Point of View (POV) is the perspective from which the story is told.which the story is told.

1. Omniscient Point of View: 1. Omniscient Point of View: The author is The author is telling the story directly.telling the story directly.

2. First Person Point of View: 2. First Person Point of View: Told from the Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters, using the viewpoint of one of the characters, using the first person pronoun “I.”first person pronoun “I.”

ThemeTheme

The theme is the central idea or The theme is the central idea or central message of the story. It central message of the story. It usually contains some insight into usually contains some insight into the human condition – telling the human condition – telling something about humans and life.something about humans and life.

The theme can be stated directly or The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in implied by the events and actions in the story.the story.

SymbolismSymbolism

A symbol represents an idea, quality, A symbol represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than itself.or concept larger than itself.

1. A journey can symbolize life.1. A journey can symbolize life.

2. Water may represent cleanliness 2. Water may represent cleanliness and renewal.and renewal.

3. A lion can be a symbol of 3. A lion can be a symbol of courage.courage.

4. A red rose can represent love.4. A red rose can represent love.