The Elements of Narrative

Element Definition Discussion Questions

1. Plot The events that happen in the story.
• Exposition: Information given at the beginning
of the story that sets the stage for the story.
• Rising Action: When the action gets good –
the problem gets worse, emotions high.
• Climax: the most dramatic point of the story,
where a big action happens that begins to end
the story – turning point of story.
• Falling Action: What happens after climax,
how things get finally resolved.
• Resolution: How everything turns out.
• Tell me about the story, from
beginning to end.
• Was the story realistic to you?
Why?
• What parts of the story did you
like? Why? Which did you not
like? Why?
• Divide the story you read into
the different plot elements.
• What would you have changed
about the story?

2. Characters The people, animals or imaginary beings that

take part in the action of the story. • What did you think about the
characters?
• What are some adjectives you
• Main character(s): the story revolves around
would use to describe them?
them.
What’s your evidence?
• Minor character(s): they help the story move • Did you agree with the
along, but aren’t as important. decisions made by the
characters? Why/why not?
• Character traits: What personality does the
character have? The author gives us clues: • What would you have done in
what the character says, does and thinks; how that character’s position?
they look…
3. Setting Where and when the story takes place. • How do you think the story
would have been different if
• Examples of place: house, city, town, backyard, the setting had changed to a
a kitchen, Mars, etc. different place or time?

• Examples of time: year, season, time period, • How would the character’s
time of day, etc. decisions and choices been
different?
4. Conflict The problem(s) encountered in the story, • What were some of the
usually by the main character. conflicts in the story?
• Were the conflicts realistic?
• External conflicts: character versus another • How do you feel about the
character, character versus nature, character ways the conflicts were
versus society or an idea solved?
• Internal conflicts: character versus him/ • Was the way the characters
herself handled the conflicts realistic?

• The story revolves around the main character • What would you have done to
trying to solve this conflict. solve these problems?
5. The message(s) or insight about life that the • What do you think are some
Theme author is trying to get across. life lessons we can learn from
this story?
A theme is a big, important idea about life. It’s a
message or a thought about life the author wants • What do you think the author
to leave us with. was trying to tell us by telling
this story? Do you agree?
Why?