21ST CENTURY LITERATURE FROM THE PHILIPPINES

AND THE WORLD UNIVERSITY OF MAKATI

LESSON 2: HIGHER SCHOOL NG UMAK
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND NON FICTION

Time Started : ___________

Time Ended : ___________

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
 analyze the parts of a plot in a story and
 extract the theme and identify the different type of characters and their characterization.

INTRODUCTION/KEY POINTS

Fiction refers to literature created from the imagination. Mysteries, science fiction, romance, fantasy, chick lit,
crime thrillers are all fiction genres. Whether or not all of these genres should be considered “literature” is a
matter of opinion. Some of these fiction genres are taught in literature classrooms and some are not usually
taught, considered more to be reading for entertainment. Works often taught in literature classrooms are
referred to as “literary fiction” including classics by Dickens, Austen, Twain, and Poe, for example.

Like fiction, non-fiction also has a sub-genre called “literary nonfiction” that refers to literature based on fact but
written in creative way, making it as enjoyable to read as fiction. Of course there are MANY other types of
nonfiction such as cook books, fitness articles, crafting manuals, etc. which are not “literature,” meaning not the
types of works we would study in a literature classroom. However, you may not be aware of the many types of
nonfiction we would study, such as biography, memoir or autobiography, essays, speeches, and humor. Of these
literary nonfiction genres, they can be long like a book or series of books or short like an essay or journal entry.
Some examples of these you are already familiar with, like The Diary of Anne Frank or Angela’s Ashes by Frank
McCourt. These works of literary nonfiction have character, setting, plot, conflict, figurative language, and theme
just like literary fiction.

KNOWLEDGE BOOSTER (CORE CONTENT)

GENRE OF FICTION:
1. Literature Fiction- It’s a genre category used to describe that fiction is valued highly by its quality if form
and creative use of language.
Eg. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

2. Urban Fiction- also known as street lit or street fiction is a literary genre set in a city landscape;
however, the genre is as much defined by the socio-economic. It talks about the hardships of street life,
sufferings etc.
Eg. Pimp by Iceberg Slim

3. Women’s Fiction- is an umbrella term for books that are marketed to female readers, and includes
many mainstream novels, romantic fiction, "chick lit," and other sub genres.
 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE:
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND
NON FICTION

Eg. Things I never told you by Beth K. Vogt

4. Historical Romance- is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting located in the past.
Eg. Wolf Hall(2009) by Hilary Mantel

5. Mystery- is a genre of fiction usually involving a mysterious death or a crime to be solved

6. Horror- is a genre of speculative fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, disgust, or startle its readers
by inducing feelings of horror and terror.

7. Fantasy- is a genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real
world myth and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and drama.

8. Science Fiction- is a genre of speculative fiction that typically deals with imaginative and futuristic
concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and
extraterrestrial life.

9. Myths- a folklore genre consisting of narratives or stories that play a fundamental role in a society, such
as foundational tales or origin myths. The main characters in myths are usually gods, demigods or
supernatural humans.

10. Fairytales- is an instance of a folklore genre that takes the form of a short story. Such stories typically
feature entities such as dwarfs, dragons, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, griffins, mermaids, talking
animals, trolls, unicorns, or witches, and usually magic or enchantments.

11. Legends- resemble folktales in content; they may include supernatural beings, elements of mythology, or
explanations of natural phenomena, but they are associated with a particular locality or person and are
told as a matter of history.

ELEMENTS OF FICTION:
Character: It’s a person/ an animal/ imaginary creature that has a part in the story.
A. Character Types:
1. Protagonist - the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other
fictional text.
2. Antagonist - a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something particularly
working against the protagonist is the story.
- Static Character- is one who doesn't undergo any significant change
in character, personality or perspective over the course of a story.
- Dynamic Character- in contrast, undergoes a major transition in one or more of these ways.
- Flat Character- is a type of character in fiction that does not change too much from the start
of the narrative to its end
- Round Character- is more complex, and like a real person.

B. Characterization - is a literary device that is used step-by-step in literature to highlight, explain the
details, and to develop the personality of the characters in the story.

C. Setting- is the time and place (or when and where) of the story. It's a literary element of literature used
in novels, short stories, plays, films, etc., and usually introduced during the exposition (beginning) of
the story, along with the characters.
ABM & LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE:
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND
NON FICTION

D. Point of View- The point of view of a story is how the writer wants to convey the experience to the
reader.

- 1st Person- means writing from the author's point of view or perspective and uses the Pronoun
( I, we, ours, ourselves etc.)
- 2nd Person- refers to the reader or listener (you, your, yours).
- 3rd Person- refers to people or objects not directly involved (he, she, it, him, they, theirs, etc.).

E. Plot- In a literary work, film, story or other narrative, the plot is the sequence of events where each
affects the next one through the principle of cause-and-effect.

5 Basic Parts of Plot:

1. Exposition - This is your book’s introduction, where you introduce your characters, establish the
setting, and begin to introduce the primary conflict of your story.

2. Rising Action - The rising action normally begins with an inciting incident, or a moment that sets
your story into action. As it progresses, you’ll have multiple moments of conflict that escalate and
create tension as the story moves toward the climax.

3. Climax - The climax is the peak of tension, plot, and character in your story. It’s the moment that
your reader has been waiting for—so make it exciting!

4. Falling Action - This is the time to start resolving conflicts and subplots so your story doesn’t feel
rushed in the last few chapters. This is also where any conflicts that arose as a result of the climax
can start being resolved.

5. Resolution/Denouement - Finally, the resolution is the end of your story where you can tie up the
final loose ends and bring your story to its happy or tragic ending. Or, if you’re writing a series,
now would be the time to write a cliffhanger and leave them eager for the next instalment!

F. Theme - The central idea or the meaning of the story.

G. Symbolization - is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An
action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning.
ABM & LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT
 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE:
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND
NON FICTION

H. Tone - The definition of "tone" in literature is the way the author expresses his attitude through his
writing.

I. Purpose - An author's purpose may be to amuse the reader, to persuade the reader, to inform the
reader, or to satirize a condition.

FORMS OF NON- FICTION:

A. Literary Non-Fiction - is a type of prose that employs the literary techniques usually associated
with fiction or poetry to report on persons, places, and events in the real world without altering facts.

1. Autobiography - an account of a person's life written by that person.

2. Biography - an account of someone's life written by someone else.
3. Letters - a written or printed communication addressed to a person or organization and usually
transmitted by mail. a symbol or character that is conventionally used in writing and printing to
represent a speech sound and that is part of an alphabet.
4. Essay and Articles - a short piece of writing on a particular subject.
5. Review - a formal assessment or examination of something with the possibility or intention of
instituting change if necessary.
6. Reports - a spoken or written account of something that one has observed, heard, done, or
investigated.

B. Functional Texts - are designed to be used for the purpose of fulfilling a particular need or to solve a
problem.

1. Recipes –a set of instructions telling you how to prepare and cook food, including a list of
what food is needed.
2. Directions – a guidance or supervision of action or conduct.
3. Schedules - a plan for carrying out a process or procedure, giving lists of intended events and times.

ASSESSMENT/ACTIVITY
Directions: Choose any one story given below and summarize it by extracting the five basic parts of plot and
the elements of fiction.

1. Biag ni Lam-Ang
2. Sandayo
3. Aliguyon

ABM & LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE:
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND
NON FICTION

RUBRIC: SUMMARIZATION
Excellent Good Fair Poor
10 pts 8 pts 6 pts 3 pts
Content: Introduction Excellent Good Fair Poor

Summary contains an Summary contains a Summary contains a All main characters

excellent description good description of fair description of all and/or the setting
of all main characters all main characters main characters weren't described.
and the setting. and the setting. and the setting. The main conflict is
The main conflict in The main conflict in The main conflict is stated but not
the story was the story is included described in very described.
described in great but missing details. little detail.
detail.
Content: Major Excellent Good Fair Poor
Events
Major events from the Major events were A few events were Events were mentioned
story's beginning, chosen but many chosen and they were but not fully described.
middle, and end were details are left out. not adequately Sounds more like a
carefully chosen and (3 body paragraphs) described. timeline than a
fully described. (2 paragraphs) summary of events.
(3 body paragraphs)
Content: Conclusion Excellent Good Fair Poor

Climax, conflict Conclusion is missing Conclusion is missing Conclusion is written

resolution, and theme the climax, conflict two of the required but does not include
described in great resolution, or theme. elements. any of the required
detail. elements.
Conventions Excellent Good Fair Poor

Summary requires Summary requires Summary requires Summary requires a

very little editing. little editing. some editing. lot of editing.

SELF-CHECK (SELF-ASSESSMENT)/ INSIGHT

Directions: Answer the following questions about the topic.

1. What is the difference between a legend and a myth?

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ABM & LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT

 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE:
ELEMENTS OF FICTION AND
NON FICTION

2. This kind of fiction was made for women. It is usually about women’s hardship, emotions and the like.
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3. In the basic parts of plot, It is considered as the highlight of the story.

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ASSIGNMENT
Directions: List down at least five traditional things/beliefs you know in the Philippines.

1. _________________________________

2. _________________________________

3. _________________________________

4. _________________________________

5. _________________________________

REFERENCES
 https://courses.lumenlearning.com/introliterature/chapter/introduction-to-
nonfiction/#:~:text=Fiction%20refers%20to%20literature%20created%20from%20the%20imagination.
&text=Like%20fiction%2C%20non%2Dfiction%20also,enjoyable%20to%20read%20as%20fiction.

 https://www.writerswrite.co.za/the-17-most-popular-genres-in-fiction-and-why-they-matter/

 https://www.authorlearningcenter.com/writing/fiction/w/plot-planning/7309/5-elements-of-plot-and-
how-to-use-them-to-build-your-novel

ABM & LANGUAGES DEPARTMENT