Literary Elements of a Short Story or Novel

What is a Short Story or Novel? They’re a work of fiction presenting a sequence of events. They share a wide range of possibilities like taking place in a similar town to being on a different planet. They may give you new ideas or remind you of events in your own life.

What are the elements? Plot Characters Exposition Setting Theme Conflict both Internal and External Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Denoument

1.Characters Characters are the people or animals in the story, novel or play. Main Characters are at the center or main focus of the story. Supporting Characters are the other people or animals in the story. *Protagonists are main or lead characters in a story, novel or play. *Antagonists are characters that oppose/challenges another character.

2. Exposition *The exposition is the background information of a story, the story before the story.

3. Point of View *1 st Person Narrator-Uses I and We and the story is told from his perspective while revealing unspoken thoughts of characters *3 rd Person Narrator-Uses he, she, it, they.. Never uses I *3 rd Person Omniscient-told by storyteller who is not a character but knows ALL the character’s thoughts and facts.

4. Setting *The setting is the time and place in which the characters live and the events occur. Having a setting is very important with “painting a picture” in your head. *Tone and *Mood are set. This is where your word choice (strong and weak words) come into play!

5. Plot *Plot is the sequence of events that keeps the story moving. The *rising action, events in the story, lead towards the heart of the plot where there is a problem. Events build to a *climax, or turning point. The climax is followed by a *denoument, or resolution, of the story.

6.Theme *Theme is the central message or main message expressed in the story. One may say it is the “lesson learned”from the story.

7. Conflict There is always a conflict within a story. *Conflicts are the dilemma, issue or struggle the main character has. *Internal Conflict- Man vs. Self *External Conflict- Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Man, Man vs. Society

8. Prologue * A prologue is the introduction to a book or play. Does your AR book have a prologue?

9. Epilogue *An Epilogue is a final section that brings to an end and summarizes or comments on the action or characters of a story. Sometimes the epilogue will simply just tie up loose ends.

Synopsis Synopsis is a brief statement or outline of a story. Every novel has a synopsis. You can find it in the book jacket or on the back of the book.

10. Diagram of a Plot Let’s draw a Plot Chart Diagram or Freytag’s Triangle…. *