Elements of Fiction Notes

CHARACTER A person or creature in a story Ex: Cinderella…Big Bad wolf…Batman

Characters Protagonist - the main character of the story Antagonist - the character that opposes or blocks the protagonist

Round characters - complex and multidimensional, like real people Types of Characters Round characters - complex and multidimensional, like real people Flat characters - one dimensional and superficial; can be described in a single sentence; minor characters Dynamic characters - make an important change during the course of the story

Types of Characters (Continued) Static characters - do not change much or at all during a story Stock characters are predictable stereotypes of people. Motivation is the underlying force(s) that causes a character to act a certain way.

series of related incidents that make up a story PLOT series of related incidents that make up a story Climax Falling Action Rising Action Ending: Resolution Beginning: Exposition

SETTING Time and Place where the story happens Ex: 1945…England….Middle Ages...haunted mansion…winter…afternoon

the real meaning of the story/ the story beneath the surface THEME the real meaning of the story/ the story beneath the surface Dig deep….what’s the underlying message?

POINT of VIEW who is telling the story/ whose perspective If these two broke up, would they tell it to their friends the exact same way?

Different Points of View 1st Person - the narrator is a person in the story/ the narrator reveals his/her own experiences and thoughts, but can’t tell any other character’s private thoughts 3rd Person Limited - the narrator is outside the story, but tells the story from only one character’s vantage point 3rd Person Omniscient - the narrator knows everything that’s going on in the story

the problem that is present in the story CONFLICT the problem that is present in the story

Conflict can be…. Internal Conflict: conflict that happens within the character External Conflict: conflict that happens between one or more characters or between a character and some other element in the story

Types of Conflict Person vs. Person: A struggle between two or more people (verbal or physical) Ex: hitting, any type of competition, yelling, etc.

Types of Conflict Person vs. Nature: A struggle between man and some part of nature Ex: Hurricane, Tornado, Rain, etc.

Types of Conflict Person vs. Machine: A struggle between man and some sort of machine or device Ex: car, pencil sharpener, hairdryer, computer etc.

Types of Conflict Person vs. Environment: A struggle between man and his surroundings or setting Ex: being cold in a classroom, being locked out of your house, etc. “TOO LOUD!”

Types of Conflict Person vs. Society: A struggle between man and society’s view of an issue Ex: people expressing their views against abortion, racism, war, etc.

Types of Conflict Person vs. Supernatural: A struggle between man and some supernatural force Ex: God, a ghost, the devil/demons, etc.

Types of Conflict Person vs. Himself: A struggle within one’s own self Ex: deciding what to do in a certain situation, dealing with guilt, etc. Should I cheat on my girlfriend?

TONE the attitude a writer takes toward the reader, subject, or a character (shown through a writer’s choice of words or details)(Ex: sarcastic…angry…sad… lonely) “The spoiled little princess ran away with tears falling out of her eyes.” OR…. “The woman turned and walked away hiding her teary eyes to uphold her dignity.”

FORESHADOWING the use of clues to hint at what is going to happen later in the plot (Ex: a storm comes on the night before the character is to die, [in a movie] the suspenseful music starts to play)

FLASHBACK when the present action of a story is interrupted to look back to an earlier time to tell what happened All because when I was a little girl….

ALLUSION a reference to another work of art, person, place, or thing (outside the text) (Ex: She is the Mother Teresa of our family because of her kindness and caring attitude.)

IRONY the difference between what you expect to happen and what actually occurs

Situational Irony When one expects one thing to happens, but the opposite occurs (Ex: if a fireman’s house caught on fire)

Verbal Irony When someone says something, but they mean the opposite (Sarcasm)   (Ex: the teacher tells her wildest class that they are her little “angels”)

Dramatic Irony When the reader knows what is going to happen, but the character does not Ex: When the audience knows that the killer is behind the door that the woman is about to open, but the woman does not. Killer’s in the closet!!!!! (Prom Night)