Elements of Fiction

Commercial Fiction vs. Literary Fiction Commercial Fiction is meant to entertain, it appeals to mass audiences, and is primarily published to make money. Literary Fiction is written by someone with serious artistic intentions who hopes to broaden, deepen, and sharpen the reader’s awareness of life. The categories are not clear-cut. We should apply these terms to the novel and not the author

Characterization Characterization- the various literary means by which characters are presented

Commercial vs. Literary Commercial characters are unrealistically created often with favorable qualities including attractiveness, bravery, and good-heartedness. They are made to be liked by the reader. Literary characters have a blend of both “good” and “bad” qualities- jealousy, selfishness, sympathy, and compassion, for example- that model what real human nature is like. They have multiple dimensions and complexity the way real people are.

Presentation Indirect Presentation is when the author shows us the character through his/her actions; we determine what they are like by what they say or do. Dramatized to seem more believable; they are shown speaking and behaving, as in a stage play. Direct Presentation is when a character is described straight out by exposition or analysis; another character might talk about them or they are analyzed by the author. Used sparingly as to keep the interest.

Principles of Characterization Consistent: they do not behave one way on one occasion and a different way on another unless there is a clear reason for the change. Motivations: the character’s words and actions must spring from motivations that the reader can understand and believe. Lifelike/Plausible: the author must convince the reader that the character might have well existed so that, at least while we’re reading, we have the illusion that the person is real and forget we are reading fiction at all.

Flat vs. Round Flat characters are just as they sound; flat and pretty basic with only a couple apparent traits that don’t need a lot of explanation. Round characters however, have many “dimensions” that real people would have so they seem even more realistic.

The Stock Character Stock characters are stereotyped figures who have recurred so often in fiction that we recognize them at once: the strong, silent sheriff, the brilliant detective with eccentric habits, the mad scientist who performs fiendish experiments on living people, the glamorous international spy, the cruel stepmother, etc.

Static and Dynamic Static characters are characters that do not go through much change throughout the story, they stay basically the same. Dynamic/Developing characters however, have a distinct and obvious change somewhere along the lines, whether it concerns their perspective or entire personality. It is something significant. Note that these developing characters may undergo an epiphany, or sudden realization of spiritual insight regarding the character’s situation within the story.

“Miss Brill” Miss Brill’s wrap Ermine toque