Elements of Fiction Reference Points Pages

Shifts in Time Flashback Flashback Looking into the past Looking into the past Examining events that may have even taken place before start of novel/story Examining events that may have even taken place before start of novel/story Sympathy Sympathy Understanding Understanding Character Character Foreshadowing Foreshadowing A hint of the future A hint of the future

Point of View The vantage from which a story is told The vantage from which a story is told Through whose eyes we see the action Through whose eyes we see the action The perspective of the story The perspective of the story Told from inside a character Told from inside a character Told from an outside narrator Told from an outside narrator Omniscient Narrator Omniscient Narrator Limited Omniscient Narrator Limited Omniscient Narrator First Person Narration First Person Narration

Omniscient Objective Objective Third-person Third-person Reveals more than any one character can possibly know Reveals more than any one character can possibly know “A Bird’s Eye view “A Bird’s Eye view Mind Reading Mind Reading Eavesdropping Eavesdropping

Limited Omniscient Objective Objective Third-person Third-person Not part of the story’s characters Not part of the story’s characters Narrates from the point of view of one character Narrates from the point of view of one character

First Person Subjective Subjective Narrator is completely involved in the story Narrator is completely involved in the story The “I” feature is usually a give-away The “I” feature is usually a give-away

Pros Third-Person (Omniscients) Third-Person (Omniscients) Detailed or intimate knowledge of characters Detailed or intimate knowledge of characters Past events Past events Future happenings Future happenings Limited Omniscient Limited Omniscient Reader can still make own judgments because only one character’s thoughts & motivations may be known Reader can still make own judgments because only one character’s thoughts & motivations may be known

Pros and Cons First-Person First-Person Reader will quickly identify with narrator as story is ‘first-hand’ Reader will quickly identify with narrator as story is ‘first-hand’ More focused and coherent because only one person’s reactions/feelings/thoughts are provided More focused and coherent because only one person’s reactions/feelings/thoughts are provided Sense of realism Sense of realism Only one character’s thoughts & feelings (C) Only one character’s thoughts & feelings (C) Uniform speech patterns (C) Uniform speech patterns (C) Avoid ‘inserting’ yourself into the main character (C) Avoid ‘inserting’ yourself into the main character (C)

Tone Author’s feelings toward the characters and/or subject matter Author’s feelings toward the characters and/or subject matter Word choice and style Word choice and style See examples pg 157/158 See examples pg 157/158

Irony Differences between reality and appearance Differences between reality and appearance “Things are not always as they seem” “Things are not always as they seem” When the unexpected happens When the unexpected happens Three types: Three types: Verbal Verbal Dramatic Dramatic Situational Situational

Verbal Irony What a character says, and what he or she really means What a character says, and what he or she really means Example Example In story “Stone Cold” about a serial killer of homeless people, the killer says he will keep them in stitches when a homeless person laughs at him. In story “Stone Cold” about a serial killer of homeless people, the killer says he will keep them in stitches when a homeless person laughs at him.

Dramatic Irony When there is a difference between what a character says/believes/does and what the audience actually knows When there is a difference between what a character says/believes/does and what the audience actually knows In this case, the character is unaware that what they are saying or doing has other interpretations In this case, the character is unaware that what they are saying or doing has other interpretations

Dramatic Irony Example Example Ginger explains how he can spot the ones who will help the homeless; he says it is “INSTINCT”. He then approaches the serial killer. Ginger explains how he can spot the ones who will help the homeless; he says it is “INSTINCT”. He then approaches the serial killer. Ginger does not realize that he has just approached the killer and not someone who is helpful Ginger does not realize that he has just approached the killer and not someone who is helpful

Situational Irony For the audience/reader there is a difference/incongruity between what was expected and what actually happened For the audience/reader there is a difference/incongruity between what was expected and what actually happened Example Example In Lamb to the Slaughter, one does not expect the pregnant, doting, 50’s housewife to be a killer. In Lamb to the Slaughter, one does not expect the pregnant, doting, 50’s housewife to be a killer.

Additional Types of Irony Hyperbole Hyperbole Deliberate exaggeration Deliberate exaggeration “That fish must have been five feet long” “That fish must have been five feet long” Intentional Understatement Intentional Understatement Downplaying or minimizing the significance of an event Downplaying or minimizing the significance of an event Catching an award winning fish but being concerned with hook that got bent Catching an award winning fish but being concerned with hook that got bent

Activities Page 159 Page 159 #’s 1 and 2 #’s 1 and 2 1. Ransom of Red Chief 1. Ransom of Red Chief 2. Rewriting a folk tale or myth 2. Rewriting a folk tale or myth