SAINT ANTHONY’S ACADEMY OF GONZAGA FIRST QUARTER: MODULE 3

SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021

“MODES OF FICTION”
SUBJECT: CREATIVE WRITING/ MALIKHAING PAGSULAT
I.INTRODUCTION
This lesson was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you master the various elements,
techniques, and literary devices in various modes of fiction. The scope of this module permits it to be used in many
different learning situations. In this lesson, you will be learning the essential elements, techniques and literary devices in
various modes of fiction. I will also show sample works of well-known local and foreign writers.

II. STANDARDS
The learners will have the understanding of fiction as a genre and are able to analyze its elements and techniques.
LEARNING COMPETENCIES
Identify the various elements, techniques, and literary devices in fiction
Note significant details in a literary piece.

III. TRANSFER
The learners will produce at least one striking scene for a short story.

IV. LESSON PROPER and ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Acrostic
Directions: Think of a word / phrase that you can associate with the word “LITERATURE” to arrive its meaning.

What is Literature?
Literature, in its broadest sense, is any written work; etymologically the term derives from Latin literatura/litteratura
"writing formed with letters", although some definitions include spoken or sung texts. More restrictively, it is writing that
possesses literary merit, and language that foregrounds literariness, as opposed to ordinary language.

Importance of Literature
 Serves as an art form used for expression
 preserves cultural ideals, customs, and morals.
 gives us a deeper context into the lives and livelihood of people distinct from ourselves.
"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires
and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become."
- C.S. Lewis, a British scholar and novelist.
What is genre?
\zhän-rə\ is a French word for "kind" or "sort is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or
entertainment, e.g. music, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria.

What is Prose?
Prose is a form of language that possesses ordinary syntax and natural speech rather than rhythmic structure; in
which regard, along with its measurement in sentences rather than lines, it differs from poetry.
Normal everyday speech is spoken in prose, and most people think and write in prose form. Prose comprises of
full grammatical sentences, which consist of paragraphs, and forgoes aesthetic appeal in favor of clear, straightforward
language. It can be said to be the most reflective of conversational speech. Some works of prose do have versification, and
a blend of the two formats that is called “prose poetry.”
Example of a Poetry Verse vs. the Prose Form
POETRY FORM (stanza) PROSE FORM (paragraph)
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. “The woods look lovely against the setting darkness
But I have promises to keep, and as I gaze into the mysterious depths of the forest,
And miles to go before I sleep, I feel like lingering here longer. However, I have
And miles to go before I sleep.” pending appointments to keep, and much distance to
cover before I settle in for the night, or else I will be
(Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost) late for all of them.”

The above paragraph is conveying a similar message, but it is conveyed in ordinary language, without a formal
metrical structure to bind it.

Function of Prose
While there have been numerous basic discussions over the right and substantial development of composition, the
explanation behind its selection can be credited to its inexactly characterized structure, which most authors feel great
utilizing when communicating or passing on their thoughts and considerations. It is the standard style of composing
utilized for most spoken exchanges, anecdotal just as effective and genuine composition, and talks. It is additionally the
normal language utilized in papers, magazines, writing, reference books, broadcasting, theory, law, history, technical
studies, and numerous different types of correspondence.

Some Common Types of Prose

1. Nonfictional Prose: A literary work like essays, biographies and autobiographies that are mainly based on fact, though
it may contain fictional elements in certain cases.
2. Fictional Prose: Holistically or partially imagined stories like novels and stories.
3. Heroic Prose: A literary work that might be recorded or recounted, and which utilizes a significant number of the
standard articulations found in oral custom. Models are legends and stories. Epics and Legends may be examples of this.
4. Prose Poetry: A literary work that shows poetic characteristics and nature and utilizing passionate impacts and
elevated symbolism. However these are written in exposition rather than section.

Examples of Prose in Literature

Prose in Novels - This is usually written in the form of a narrative and may be entirely a figment of the author’s
imagination.

Example #1: David Copperfield (By Charles Dickens)

“Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages
must show.”

Example #2: Anna Karenina (By Leo Tolstoy)

“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”

These examples of prose have been taken from novels, where the writers have employed their imaginations. They are
examples of fictional prose.

Prose in Speeches- Prose used in speeches often expresses thoughts and ideas of the speaker.

Example #3: Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech (By Mother Teresa)
“The poor are very great people. They can teach us so many beautiful things.”

Example #4: Equal Rights for Women speech (By U.S. Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm)
“As for the marriage laws, they are due for a sweeping reform, and an excellent beginning would be to wipe the existing
ones off the books.”

These prose examples have been taken from speeches where the writing is often crisp and persuasive and suits the
occasion to convey a specific message.

Prose in Plays - Prose written in plays aims to be dramatic and eventful.

Example #5: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (By Tennessee Williams)

“You can be young without money, but you can’t be old without it.”

Example #6: As You Like It (By William Shakespeare)

“All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.”

Prose in plays is frequently in conversational mode and is conveyed by a character. Notwithstanding, its style remains
the equivalent all through the play as indicated by the character of the character. Fiction incorporates short stories,
books, fantasies, anecdotes, sentiments, and legends. For the most part, center around one or a couple of significant
characters that manage issues or challenges in their lives.

A. ELEMENTS OF FICTIONAL PROSE

1. SETTING - The time and location in which a story takes place is called the setting. There are several aspects of a
story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):
a. place - geographical location.
b. time - When is the story taking place?
c. weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc?
d. social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like?
e. mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story?

2. CHARACTER
 People who take part in the story
 Individuals that do the action in the story
 The representation of a person in the story
 Is revealed by the tone of voice
 Occasionally, it could be an animal or object given human qualities
 There are two meanings for the word character: The person in a work of fiction. The characteristics of a person.
 Protagonist – the chief figure who struggles against opposing forces
 Antagonist – the force, most often another character, that opposes the protagonist Dynamic Character – one whose
attitudes and values are affected by the events in the story
 Flat Character – a character having only a single trait or quality
 Round Character – a multi-dimensional or a complex character
 Static Character – one whose personality, attitudes, and beliefs remain fixed, no matter what kinds of situations he
encounters
Characterization - The development of characters as done by the short story writer. The way in which an author presents
and reveals his/her characters.

Ways to do Characterization
Direct presentation – the author makes explicit/outright statements or explanations about the characters. Examples:
As the years passed, Makato grew tall and handsome.
He never idled. He never complained and was always satisfied.
He did every kind of work—carrying heavy things, clearing away the forest, or feeding pigs.
Indirect presentation - the author reveals the characters through actions and dialogues Example:
“I would like to go on a journey for an adventure,” said Makato.

3. PLOT - The plot is the logical arrangement of events in a story or play. The plot is an organized. logical series of
events having a beginning, middle, and end.

KINDS OF PLOT
1. Linear Plot
In literature, a linear plot begins at a certain point, moves through a series of events to a climax and then ends up
at another point. Also known as the plot structure of Aristotle, it is possible to represent a linear plot line with the drawing
of an arc. The primary advantage of using a linear plot is that the reader knows, or at least has an idea, of where the plot
goes next, and the reader is guaranteed to get a beginning and ending.
a. Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.
b. Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events
between the introduction and climax).
c. Climax - This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen
next; will the conflict be resolved or not?
d. Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next
and if the conflict was resolved or not (events between climax and denouement).
e. Denouement - This is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

2. Modular Plot
Nonlinear narrative, disjointed narrative or disrupted narrative is a narrative technique, sometimes used in
literature, film, hypertext websites and other narratives, where events are portrayed, for example out of chronological
order, or in other ways where the narrative does not follow the direct causality pattern of the events featured, such as
parallel distinctive plot lines, dream immersions or narrating another story inside the main plot-line. It is often used to
mimic the structure and recall of human memory, but has been applied for other reasons as well.
It is a story that does not follow a linear narrative. That is, it doesn’t move in a chronological order, instead
jumping around within the story or between different stories. Sometimes, the different sections don’t even feature the
same characters or world. Instead, they are united by thematic meaning.

3. Episodic Plot
Made up of a series of chapters or stories linked together by the same character, place, or theme but held apart by their
individual plot, purpose, and subtext.
4. CONFLICT - Conflict is essential to plot. It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes
the plot move. Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with
many minor ones.
There are two types of Conflict:
External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.
Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper,
resist an urge, etc.
There are various kinds of Conflict:

1. Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of
nature, or animals. A character struggles with another character. Protagonist vs. Antagonist. The classic “good guy” vs.
“bad guy” situation.
Example: - Spiderman. This is the story of Peter Parker who is nerdy high-schooler.
One day while on an excursion to a laboratory a runway radioactive spider bites him... And his life changes in a
way no one could have imagined. Peter acquires a muscle-bound physique, clear vision, ability to cling to surfaces and
crawl over walls, shooting webs from his wrist... But the fun isn’t going to last.
An eccentric millionaire Norman Osborn administers a performance enhancing drug on himself and his maniacal
alter ego Green Goblin emerges. Now Peter Parker has to become a Spider-Man and take Green Goblin to the task... Or
else Goblin will kill him. They come face to face and the war begins in which only one of them will survive at the end.

2. Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing
him/her.

3. Man vs. Nature - A character struggles with a force of nature (natural disaster, desolation, animal, etc.) Usually, the
character is struggling to survive.
Example: San Andreas. In the movie, A series of massive earthquakes hits Nevada and California. Caught in the middle is
a helicopter rescue pilot, Raymond Gaines. Flying his helicopter, he must first rescue his ex-wife, Emma, and his
daughter, Blake. Meanwhile, a pre-eminent seismologist, Dr Lawrence Hayes, is trying to predict where the next
earthquake will hit.

4. Man vs. Society - In this conflict, a character, or a group of characters fight against the society in which they live. The
character fights against social traditions or rules (fight for freedom, rights, for a cause etc.) Society becomes a “character”
of its own. Usually used to comment on positive or negative aspects for real society. (SATIRE) Example: Avatar. In the
movie Avatar a man is put into an army to get rid of a civilization of blue creatures. They want the civilization to move to
another location cause their town is built over rich treasures. But the civilization prays to their God in that one location.
Jake Scully (main character) is told to go into a replica of a body from civilization. After getting used to how they live he
wants to help them fight for their land, so he starts a war to help keep their land.

5. Man vs. Self - The character’s Struggle takes place in his/her own mind. Usually has something to do with a choice
(choosing between right or wrong), or it may have to do with overcoming emotions or mixed feelings.
Example: Tangled (Rapunzel). In the movie Tangled Rapunzel, experiences man vs. Self throughout the movie. She
cannot decide if she want to stay in the tower or defy her “mother’s wishes and leaved the tower. When she finally decides
to leave, she is very hesitant and does not know if what her “mother” has told her is true or not. She goes back and forth
with herself wondering what will happen if she continues.

6. Man vs. Supernatural - is a conflict between a character and something that is not normal in some way. Supernatural
elements include ghosts, omens, and superstitions.
Example: Predator
The U.S government hires a team of commandos. The group goes to Guatemala and they battle and invisible extra-
terrestrial with superhuman strength.

7. Man vs. Fate - This type of Conflicts occurs when is trapped by an inevitable destiny, freedom and free.
Example: Fahrenheit 451
In part of Fahrenheit 451, “Burning Bright,” Montag’s Fate is to be hunted and killed. The Hound, programmed to kill
Montags, is chasing him, and has the TV says, “The Mechanical Hound never fails” (page numbers vary by edition)..

8. Man vs. Technology - The protagonist must overcome a machine or technology. Most often the encounter with the
machine or technology is through the character's own doing. For example, it may be technology or a machine that they
created, purchased, or owned with the assumption that it would make their life easier. Over time the protagonist must
overcome the technology, in some instances, even destroying it before it destroys them.
Example: The Matrix. Thomas A. Anderson is a man living two lives. By day he is an average computer programmer and
by night a hacker knows as Neo. Neo has always questioned his reality, but the truth is far beyond his imagination. Neo
finds himself targeted by the police when he is contacted by Morpheus, a Legendary computer hacker branded a terrorist
by the government.

5. POINT OF VIEW- Point of view, or P.O.V., is defined as the angle from which the story is told.
1. Third Person P.O.V – The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters but let us
know exactly what the characters feel. (uses third personal pronoun he, she, it, they)
2. First Person - The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who interacts closely with the protagonist or
other characters (using pronouns I, me, we, etc).
The reader sees the story through this person's eyes as he/she experiences it and only knows what he/she knows or feels.
3. Omniscient- A narrator who knows everything about the characters is all knowing or omniscient.
a. Omniscient Limited - The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns they, she, he, it, etc). We
know only what the character knows and what the author allows him/her to tell us. We can see the thoughts and
feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us.
b. Omniscient Objective – The author tells the story in the third person. It appears a camera is following the
characters, going anywhere, and recording only what is seen and heard. No interpretations are offered. The reader
is placed in the position of spectator without the author there to explain. The reader must interpret events on his
own.

6. THEME - The theme in a piece of fiction is its controlling idea or its central insight. It is the author's underlying
meaning or main idea that he is trying to convey. The theme may be the author's thoughts about a topic or view of human
nature. The title of the short story usually points to what the writer is saying, and he may use various figures of speech to
emphasize his theme, such as: symbol, allusion, simile, metaphor, hyperbole, or irony.
Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film are: things are not always as they appear to be
-Love is blind
-Believe in yourself
-People are afraid of change- Don't judge a book by its cover

Presenting the theme of the prose:

 the feelings of the main character about the subject written about
 through the thoughts and conversations of different characters
 the experiences of the main character in the course of a literary work
 the actions and events taking place in a narrative

Theme Vs. Subject

A poem’s subject is the topic of the poem, or what the poem is about
The theme is an idea that the poem expresses about the subject or uses the subject to explore
Example: In the Edgar Allan Poe poem “The Raven”, the subject is the raven, who continually repeats a single
word in response to the speaker’s questions.
The theme of the poem, however, is the irreversibility of death—the speaker asks the raven, in a variety of ways,
whether or not he will see his dead beloved again, to which the raven always replies “nevermore.”
Motifs
 Look for meaningful repeated elements in the poem, or motifs.
 An example from the poem “The Raven” is the repeated word “nevermore.”
 Whenever an element is repeated in a poem, you should assume it is both intentional and meaningful.
 Motifs are often connected to the theme of the poem, as is the case with “nevermore.” This connection is so close
that many people use the words “theme” and “motif” interchangeably.

7. TONE- When you speak, your tone of voice suggests your attitude. In fact, it suggests two attitudes: one concerning
the people you’re addressing (your audience) and the other concerning the thing you’re talking about (your subject).
That’s what the term tone means when it’s applied to poetry as well. Tone can also mean the general emotional weather
of the poem.
Example: “And the trees all died. They were orange trees. I don’t know why they died, they just died. Something wrong
with the soil possibly or maybe the stuff we got from the nursery wasn’t the best. We complained about it. So we’ve got
thirty kids there, each kid had his or her own little tree to plant and we’ve got these thirty dead trees. All these kids
looking at these little brown sticks, it was depressing.”

B. TECHNIQUES AND LITERARY DEVICES

A literary device is a technique that shapes narrative to produce an effect on the reader. It is a literary or linguistic
technique that produces a specific effect, esp. a figure of speech, narrative style, or plot mechanism.

1. PLOT DEVICE – an object, character or a concept introduced into the story by the author to introduce its plot.
a. Flashing arrow- technique used to focus the reader’s, but not the characters’ attention on an object, or location.
Example: The Shutter
A man wonders on his consistent neck ache without knowing that he is carrying the ghost all those times.
b. Red herring- it distracts the reader’s attention from the plot twist. It is used to maintain tension and uncertainty.
Example: Professor Snape of Harry Potter
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Severus Snape is a red herring, sneaky and behaving suspiciously but
not, eventually guilty. In fact, Snape's chequered path through the books is littered with red herrings. Less
ambiguously, Sirius Black is painted as an evil character, to be feared, which is undermined when he finally meets
Harry.
c. Death trap- device that the villain uses to try to kill the protagonist and satisfy his own sadistic desires.
Example: Different Death scenes in Final Destination stories
d. Reverse chronology- is a technique where the story begins at the end and works back toward the beginning.
 Example: The White House Story where the story begins at the end and progressed the story while taking the
story backward.
5. ‘In medias res’- the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning. Other events are often
introduced through a series of flashbacks. Example: The Odyssey of Homer. The story started in the middle
instead of the beginning of the story. Flashbacks were used to introduce the initial events in the story.

2. VISION - character share with the reader visions of the past or the future to explain a character’s motives.
a. Dream sequence- series of dreams which allows the character to see events that occur or have occurred in another
time
Example: The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Ebenezer Scrooge had a series of dreams which allowed him to see the events happened in another time with the
help of the Christmas ghosts of the past, present and future and led him to change his attitude.
b. Analepsis (flashback)- prevents events from before the current time frame. Flashbacks are usually presented as
characters’ memories and are used to explain their background.
Example: Titanic. The story used Rose, the main character, to tell the events happened to Titanic.
c. Prolepsis (flash-forward)- presents events that will occur in the future. Example: Final Destination seeing what will
happen in the future.
d. Prophecy- is often used in science fiction to underline their futuristic structures.
Example: Breaking Dawn’s Final Rival Scene between the Volturi and Bella Swan and Edward Cullen’s family.
Alice who has a premonition supernatural presented the prophecy, the possible event that can be happened once
the action will be continued.
e. Foreshadowing- is a premonition, muck like a flash-forward, but only hints at the future.
Example: Toy Story 2. The use of Buzz’s glass space helmet to ignite the rocket string was foreshadowed when
Buzz was accidentally burnt because of the glass lens.

3. ENDING – refers to story endings

a. Cliff-hanger- an abrupt ending that leaves the plot incomplete, without denouement, it often leaves characters in a
precarious or difficult situation which hint at the possibility of a sequel. Films with sequel are examples of this.
b. Twist ending- is an unexpected finale that gives an entirely new vision on the entire plot. It is a powerful technique
but may leave the reader dissatisfied and frustrated.
Example: Planet of the Apes. Twist: As Taylor escapes with mute companion Nova (Linda Harrison), he is
stunned to discover that he didn't land on a distant planet, he was back on Earth, centuries into the future.
c. Happy ending- a finale when everything ends in the best way for the hero.
Example: Since the target audience are the children, Disney Movies have Happy endings.
d. Deus ex machina- plot dating back to ancient Greek theater, where the conflict is resolve through a means (god, or
dues) that seem unrelated to the story. This allows the author to end the story as desired without following the logic and
continuity of the story.
For a plot device to be a Deus Ex Machina, it has to satisfy the following conditions:
 The plot is facing an impossible and hopeless problem, no existing characters can solve.
 A new element is introduced.
 The element itself usually doesn't have any plot/character development to set it up.
 Even if the element was previously mentioned, it was never used in such fashion, or never explained to
have such power.
 The element is here to solve this problem and disappear again. The element's power was never used to solve
other problems, even the situation is similar.
 The element is independent of character choices made in the story.
Perfect example of Deus ex machina is the Fairy Godmother of Cinderella who helped her during the moment
that the reader thought that no one could help the main character.

V. NEW IDEAS
After going through this module, what Anthonian attitude did you develop? As an Anthonian, I develop
_________________________________________.

VI. EVALUATION: NOTING SIGNIFICANT DETAILS

Directions: Read the short stories with understanding in the link provided. Use the table below to determine the parts of
the plot in each story and write your answers on your answer sheet.
The Necklace by Guy De
The Last Leaf by O’ Henry
Maupassant
Elements http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-
stories/UBooks/LasLea.shtml
stories/UBooks/Neck.shtml
1. Plot
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
Denouement
2. Point of View
3. Characters
4. Setting
5. Conflict