Elements of Fiction

Plot is the series of events of the story. It answers the question, “What happened in the story? 

The plot always involves some kind of conflict. 

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Exposition- story background, meet characters, learn setting

Rising action- events that lead to the climax (conflict revealed)
Climax- the most intense part of the story, turning point
Falling action- events that follow the climax and tie up the story

Resolution- solution

Characters are your actors in the story. Characters can be :

• Round- you know a lot about them

• Flat- you do not know a lot about them

• Static- they do not change

• Dynamic- they change

• Protagonist- the hero/good guy

• Antagonist- villain/the bad guy

Point of view is the position from which the story is told.

First person- “I”, main character

Second person- the writer is talking to “you” 

Third person- story being told by an outsider

• Omniscient- author (all knowing) 

• Limited omniscient- a single point of view

​The conflict is the problem in the story.

Internal- The character is struggling with a problem inside.

Ex) Having to overcome fear of heights

Ex) Struggling to make a choice or a decision

​External- The character is facing a problem with an outside force.

1. Character vs character

2. Character vs society

3. Character vs nature 

Theme

• The message/life lesson

• More than one word

• Not always positive

  • Topic- love

  • Theme- love conquers all

• Ask: What can we learn from reading this?

Symbolism

• A symbol is something that represents something else

  • Ex) red rose = love

  • Open door = opportunity