1. Elements of Fiction

2. Plot Plot is the events that tell the story. Every plot is a series of events that are related to one another.

3. Plot Diagram 2 1 3 5 6 4

4. 1.Exposition (Introduction) The beginning of a short story. The characters are introduced. The setting is described (geography, time) Conflict is introduced. 2 1 3 4 6 5

5. Point of View Who is telling the story? Third Person Omniscient: The narrator tells the story from an all-knowing perspective  Unlimited scope: reader knows everything everyone in the story is thinking and doing  Loss of intimacy: the reader isn’t drawn into the story

6. Point of View Who is telling the story? Third Person Limited: Third person, told from the viewpoint of one character in the story.  The narrator restricts his knowledge to what one character sees and does.  The reader’s perception of other characters is affected by the narrator’s prejudices and personal limitations

7. Point of View Who is telling the story? First Person: Story is told from point of view of one of the characters who uses the first person pronoun “I.”  Reader feels as if he is “in” the story  A strange or fantastic story is easier to believe if told by someone who is supposedly part of the story  The reader can see, hear, and know only what the narrator sees, hears, and knows

8. Characters There are at least two main characters in a story  Protagonist – the main character in the story; he or she may not be the good guy, but is the main character  Antagonist – the character that opposes the protagonist; he or she may not be the bad guy, but always opposes the protagonist

9. Characterization Every character can be characterized as one of the following:  flat - the reader doesn't know or learn much about the character over the course of the novel  round - the reader knows and learns many things about the character over the course of the novel  static – the character doesn't change over the course of a novel  dynamic – the character changes greatly over the course of a novel

10. Character Motivations The plot is developed through the internal and external responses of the characters:  Intellectual motivation  Emotional motivation  Physical motivation  Status seeking

11. Character Motivations The plot is further developed through unique human qualities  Courage/fear  Ambition/laziness  Honesty/dishonesty

12. Setting The setting means where and when a story takes place It includes the time the story takes place  present (now)  past (before now)  future The setting includes important details or objects in the environment  Abandoned warehouse  Beautiful mountaintop

13. Conflict The problem(s) the main character has to resolve. Types of conflict:  Internal: Man vs. self  External: Man vs. man Man vs. society Man vs. nature Man vs. machine

14. 2. Initial Action The first event that begins the story. 2 1 3 4 6 5

15. 3. Rising Action This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). The story gets interesting. 3 1 4 5 6 2

16. 4. Climax The turning point of the story. The main character’s conflict must be resolved. The main character changes in some way. 2 1 4 5 6 3

17. 5. Falling Action The conflict(s) and climax are resolved (ended). 2 1 3 4 5 6

18. 6. Dénouement The story comes to an ending. 2 1 3 4 6 5

19. Putting It All Together 1. Exposition 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Dénouement Beginning of Story Middle-to-End of Story End of Story