Elements of Fiction

1. Elements of Fiction Notes

2. Cover page • Your cover page needs to be awesome. • Color it! 

3. Parts of a Plot • The story we are reading next is in the genre of Fiction. • Fiction: A work of literature where the characters and events are invented by the writer. • Every piece of fiction has a Plot. • Plot: the sequence of events in a story • Take a minute and draw the cover or write the title of your favorite fiction book.

4. Parts of a Plot • Exposition: beginning; may include characters and setting. • Rising Action: the events that happen as the main character tries to solve the conflict. • Climax: emotional highpoint of the story • Falling Action: the events in between the climax and resolution where the loose ends get tied up. • Resolution: the outcome of the story. • We will come back to this page to doodle as we read.

5. All fiction stories have… • Setting: where and when a story takes place • Conflict: the struggle between two forces • External Conflict: struggle against an outside force • Internal Conflict: struggle is within a character • Characters: people (or animals) that take part in the story’s plot • Protagonist: main character/hero • Antagonist: opponent that works against main character

6. Types of Characters • Dynamic Character: a character that changes in a dramatic way • Round Character: a character that is presented in a complex way; reader learns a lot about the character • Static Character: a character that remains the same throughout the story • Flat Character: a character that is represented with just a single character trait • Doodle the words representing their meanings.

7. How do we know what’s happening?! • Dialogue: the conversation between characters. • Take a minute and fill in possible dialogue between the two people in your notes. • Narrator: the person or voice that tells the story.

8. Point of View • Point of View: the perspective from which the story is told. • 1st person: the narrator is part of the story; uses words like “I” and “we”. • 2nd person: the narrator uses words like “you” to speak directly to the reader; used in recipes and directions, but rarely in fiction. • 3rd person: the narrator is not part of the story; uses words like “he” and “they”. • Omniscient: 3rd - person narrator that is an all-knowing, all-seeing speaker who understands the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters. • Limited Omniscient: 3rd - person narrator that is knowledgeable about a few or just one of the character’s thoughts or feelings.

9. Other Elements of Fiction… • Genre: type of literature characterized by a particular form or style (ex: historical, mystery, science fiction, realistic fiction, fable, poetry) • Imagery: words or phrases that appeal to the readers’ senses; sensory details • Mood: the feeling or atmosphere that an author creates through a story • Symbolism: an object, person, place, or event that represents something else entirely. • Theme: the central idea or message about life that the author wants to convey. • Tone: the author’s attitude or feelings about characters, situations, or topics.

10. Other Elements of Fiction… • Irony: a contrast between what is expected and what actually happens. • Verbal Irony: exists when a person says one thing, but means another. • Situational Irony: exists when the outcome of a situation is the opposite of what one would expect. • Dramatic Irony: exists when the reader knows something that a character does not know. • Flashback: when earlier events are inserted into the story. • Foreshadow: when authors give clues or hint at events that will happen in the future.

11. Bring this to class each day! • We will use it, doodle in it, and refer back to it as we read our novel. • You also have a test over this material on Friday!