YOU! Think of yourself. What are 3 character traits that could be used to describe you?

1. YOU! Think of yourself. What are 3 character traits that could be used to describe you? • Honest · Light-hearted · Leader · Expert · Brave · Conceited · Mischievous · Demanding · Thoughtful · Keen · Happy · Disagreeable · Simple · Fancy · Plain· Excited · Studious · Inventive · Creative · Thrilling · Independent · Intelligent · Compassionate · Gentle · Proud · Wild · Messy · Neat · Joyful · Strong · Bright · Courageous · Serious · Funny · Humorous · Sad · Poor · Rich · Tall · Dark · Light · Handsome · Pretty · Ugly · Selfish· Unselfish · Self-confident · Respectful · Considerate · Imaginative · Busy · Patriotic · Fun-loving · Popular · Successful · Responsible · Lazy · Dreamer · Helpful · Simple-minded · Humble · Friendly · Short · Adventurous · Hard-working · Timid · Shy · Bold · Daring · Dainty · Pitiful · Cooperative · Lovable · Prim · Proper· Ambitious · Able · Quiet · Curious · Reserved · Pleasing · Bossy · Witty · Fighter · Tireless · Energetic · Cheerful · Smart · Impulsive · Loyal

2. Elements of Fiction

3. Characters the people, animals, or imaginary creatures that take part in the action of the story

4. 2 Types of Characters: A. Protagonist- often referred to as the story's main character. He or she (or they) is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. Usually we see the story through the protagonist’s eyes and root for him or her to come through victorious. B. Antagonist- The antagonist is a force opposing the protagonist. This is usually a person— the ‘bad guy’—but can be a natural disaster or an oppressive society or a boring math class, or just about anything else

5. Dynamic Character—Maincharacter(s) that go through a big change; he/she/they evolve into a new or better person. Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol

6. Character: The evil stepmother in Cinderella is mean in beginning and mean in the end. Static Character—this type of character is usually a minor character. In other words, this character does not change from the beginning of the story to the end of the story.

7. Identifying Character Traits • When we talk about a character, we often describe that character is terms of character traits, descriptive adjectives such as happy, sad, brave, funny that tell us specific qualities of the character. They’re the same type of words we could use to describe ourselves or others, but we are using them to describe fictional characters. What is a character trait?

8. Identifying Character Traits • The author may tell us these traits directly • OR • author will show us these traits in action. As a reader, you mustdraw a conclusion about the character's traits (to infer them) from • what the character says, thinks, and does. • something a character does only once, • from a series of things the character says and does. How do we find character traits?

9. Example of Character Traits • Honest · Light-hearted · Leader · Expert · Brave · Conceited · Mischievous · Demanding · Thoughtful · Keen · Happy · Disagreeable · Simple · Fancy · Plain· Excited · Studious · Inventive · Creative · Thrilling · Independent · Intelligent · Compassionate · Gentle · Proud · Wild · Messy · Neat · Joyful · Strong · Bright · Courageous · Serious · Funny · Humorous · Sad · Poor · Rich · Tall · Dark · Light · Handsome · Pretty · Ugly · Selfish· Unselfish · Self-confident · Respectful · Considerate · Imaginative · Busy · Patriotic · Fun-loving · Popular · Successful · Responsible · Lazy · Dreamer · Helpful · Simple-minded · Humble · Friendly · Short · Adventurous · Hard-working · Timid · Shy · Bold · Daring · Dainty · Pitiful · Cooperative · Lovable · Prim · Proper· Ambitious · Able · Quiet · Curious · Reserved · Pleasing · Bossy · Witty · Fighter · Tireless · Energetic · Cheerful · Smart · Impulsive · Loyal

10. Activity #1: YOU! Think of yourself. What are 3 character traits that could be used to describe you? Activity #2: Think of the story, “The Three Little Bears”. What are some character traits of Goldilocks? Practice: CharacterTraits

11. Setting: The setting is where and when the story takes place. The setting could be a specific time or place Ex: The south during the 1950s The setting could be make-believe such as a faraway kingdom or outer space Ex: Hogwarts

12. Setting and Mood • Setting contributes not only to the plot, but also to the mood. For example, a story about vampires could be an old, dark mansion tucked away in a foggy bayou. • This setting lends an air of suspense and uneasiness to the plot and characters. • IF the setting were the busy streets of New York City, there would be a different mood. PLACE

13. Setting (time) How I would travel to Raleigh in 1890…. • One important element of setting is time. • The period of time in which a story takes place dictates how the characters will talk, dress, act, react to each other, or even travel. How I would travel to Raleigh in 2010…yea right TIME

14. Plot: Plot is the series of events. Plot centers around the conflict of the story! Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain All fictionispresented in a structured format called PLOT The sequence of events in the story (what the story is about)

15. C B D A E • Exposition Stages of Plot: Exposition • 1) Exposition is the beginning. It establishes the setting, introduces the main characters, and sometimes hints at the conflict. • The way things are before the action starts. “The exposition sets the tone for the entire story.” Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle

16. Rising action is the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax.” Harry Potter C B. Rising Action D A Stages of Plot: Rising Action 2) Rising Action- Events that move the story forward Suspense builds Complications start to arise

17. C. Climax C B D A E Stages of Plot: Climax “When determining the climax, find the greatest conflict of the story and then find the turning point when that problem starts to get solved.” Peter Pan • 3) Climax- • Turning point of the story • Point of greatest interest of suspense

18. C B D A D. Falling Action E Stages of Plot: Falling Action “Falling action is the contrast to the rising action which leads up to the plot's climax.” Alice • 4) Falling Action • story dies down • events and problems fall into place

19. Stages of Plot: Resolution Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters, and a release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. 5. Resolution- The end. The conclusion. The tying up of all the threads and loose ends. Juliet

20. Resolution C B D E. Reolution A E

21. 1. Exposition 2. Rising Action Putting It All Together Beginning of Story 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution 3. Climax Middle of Story End of Story

22. Stages of Plot Climax Rising Action Falling Action Exposition Resolution

23. Practicing Plot Diagramming • Where does the following events go? • Cinderella and the prince prepare to marry. • The step sisters prepare to go to the ball; a fairy godmother appears • and gives Cinderella a gown to wear to the ball and coach and footmen • to take her there; she goes to the ball and dances with the prince; she • leaves at midnight, losing a slipper on the steps; the prince finds the • slipper and agrees to marry the woman whom it fits. • They live happily ever after. • Cinderella lives unhappily with her step-mother and two step sisters; an • invitation to a ball at the palace arrives. • The prince visits the home of Cinderella; the two sisters try to fit in to • the slipper, but Cinderella appears is discovered to be the wearer of the • slipper.

24. Theme • The main message the writer wishes to share with the reader. • In fiction, theme is not presented directly at all. You extract it from the characters, action, and setting that make up the story. In other words, you must figure out the theme yourself.

25. Theme: “Make new friends, but keep the old ones.” “Never give up, persevere.” “Love is what makes the world go around.” “Good friends stick by each other.” Common themes appear in many works of fiction. Some of the themes you will see in short stories, novels, and poems include:

26. Third-Person point of view: has a narrator who does not take part in the action of the story and who • Uses : He, she, they, them • First-Person point of view: shows the action through the eyes of one of the characters. • Uses: I, me, us, we Point of View The point of view is the perspective that the story is being told (first or third person).

27. Third Person Omniscient the “all knowing” point of view. The narrator knows everything about the characters and their problems and uses the pronouns he, she, and by their character names. Can tell reader about the past, present and future and what the characters are thinking and what is happening in several different places and to several different characters at the same time. Narrator does NOT take part in the story’s action, but stands above the action and watches like a puppeteer or a sun up in the corner of a picture

28. C. Third Person Limited • This narrative type also uses the pronouns "he," "she," "it" and "they," but the reader stays firmly with one character at a time. • The character can only report what has happened, and cannot look into the minds and motives of the other characters, beyond basic speculation. Character "switches" may take place during scene or chapter breaks. • This is the most common type of narrative.

29. Conflict - a struggle between two opposing forces

30. Conflict The conflict is a problem or struggle that drives the story. Usually the entire story revolves around a main conflict.

31. External Conflicta character struggles against another character or an outside force • Man vs. Man: a fight; argument • Man vs. Nature: man lost in woods • Man vs. society: an inventor or prisoner

32. Internal Conflict -the struggle is within a character. Man vs. Himself: Ex: Man unable to make a decision Character struggling with guilt.

33. Reading for Conflict: As you read a story: identify the main characters decide what conflict they face look for steps they take to settle that conflict see if the steps cause other conflict watch for clues and try to predict what the characters will do enjoy the buildup of suspense put yourself in the story decide if you would have solved the conflict in the same way

34. The End 