Fiction and Its Elements

Objectives:
At the end of the module, you should be able to:
A. Identify the elements of fiction
B. Know the importance of each element to come up with a good fiction story 
C. Understand the value of a good fictional story to make sense of the real world
 
I. What is fiction?
“Fiction” is defined as any imaginative re-creation of life in prose narrative form. 
All fiction is a falsehood of sorts because it relates events that never actually
happened to people (characters) who never existed, at least not in the manner
portrayed in the stories.  However, fiction writers aim at creating “legitimate
untruths,” since they seek to demonstrate meaningful insights into the human
condition.  Therefore, fiction is “untrue” in the absolute sense, but true in the
universal sense.
 
II. Elements of Fiction
            Elements of literature are the constituent parts of a literary may it be in
the form of fiction, poetry, or drama. Understanding the various elements is
particularly useful when you will study longer works. It enables you to examine
specific aspects of the work in relation to the other elements at play in a literary
piece. The following are the elements of fiction:
 
A. SETTING
 
1. Where (place):
The “physical” environment where the story takes place (the description of
this environment may suggest its importance to other aspects of the fiction such
as theme and
“message.”

2. When (time): Time includes all of its dimensions.

 What was going on at that time?

  What, if any, importance has the period and/or time-span of events
with regard to the themes, motifs, characterizations, atmosphere, tone,
etc.?
 What is the period (century, decade, year) during which the action
occurs?
 Over how many hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, etc.
does the action take place?

The effects of the setting may include a particular atmosphere, insight

to the characters
and/or their motivations, and a key or connection to or reflection of
other aspects of the
story.

 B. CHARACTER

A story’s characters are the doers of the actions. Characters most often take
human form but, on occasion, a story can employ animals, fantastical creatures,
and even inanimate objects as characters. 
Some characters are dynamic and change over the course of a story, while
others are static and do not grow or change as a result of the action of the story.
There are many different types of characters to be found in works of literature
and each serves a different function.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the most important of these.
Protagonist
The protagonist is the story’s main character. The story’s plot centers around this
character and they are usually sympathetic and likable for the reader, that is,
they are most often the ‘hero’ of the story.
Antagonist
The antagonist is the bad guy or girl of the piece. Most of the action of the plot is
borne of the conflict between the protagonist and the antagonist. 
Flat Character
Flat characters are one-dimensional characters that are purely functional in the
story. They are more a sketch than a detailed portrait and they help move the
action along by serving a simple purpose. We aren’t afforded much of an insight
into the interior lives of such characters.
Rounded Character
Unlike flat characters, rounded characters are more complex and drawn in more
detail by the writer. As well as being described in comprehensive physical detail,
we will gain an insight into the character’s interior life, their hopes, fears, dreams,
and desires, etc.
Other Types:
Static: these can be either round or flat characters, but they do not change
during the
story. Folktales, fairytales, and other types use static and flat characters whose
actions are
predictable, so the reader is free to concentrate on the action and theme as each
moves
toward an often times universal discovery.
Dynamic: a developing character, usually at the center of the action, who
changes or
grows to a new awareness of life (the human condition)
Stock: “borrowed” personage or archetype (ex. Western hero in white hat; old,
longed-
nosed, straggly-haired hag as evil witch).
Confidante: the character in whom another character (usually the protagonist)
confides,
much like Watson is confidante to Sherlock and Tonto is confidante to the Lone
Ranger.
Foil: a secondary character serving as a backdrop (mirror) for a more important
character.
Typically, the foil is rather ordinary and static so that the unusual qualities of the
primary
character will be more striking in contrast.
For more information about character and character development, check out the
link below:
https://www.mometrix.com/academy/characters/ (Links to an external site.)

C. PLOT and PLOT STRUCTURE

1. Conflict: The conflict of the story serves as the focus and driving force of most
of the story’s action. Essentially, conflict consists of a central (and sometimes
secondary) problem. Without a problem or conflict, there is no story. Conflict
usually takes the form of two opposing forces. These can be external forces or,
sometimes, these opposing forces can take the form of an internal struggle within
the protagonist or main character.
a. Man versus Man / the Individual versus another Individual
b. Human versus Nature / the Individual versus the Physical World
c. Human versus Society / the Individual versus the Civilization or “Order”
d. Human versus Herself/Himself // The Individual versus the Self (human
nature)
2. Order: Narrative events may be related in different orders: for example,
Chronological/Linear
(natural order); in media res (in the middle of things); or begin in the present and
return to the
past …
3. Divisions of the Plot include:
Plot refers to all of the related things that happen in sequence in a story. The
shape of the plot comes from the order of these events and consists of several
distinct aspects that we’ll look at in turn.
The plot is made up of a series of cause and effect events that lead the reader
from the beginning of the story, through the middle, to the story’s ending (though
sometimes the chronological order is played with for dramatic effect).
Exposition: This is the introduction of the story and usually it will be where the
reader acquires the necessary background information they’ll need to follow the
various threads of the plot through to the end. This is also where the setting of
the story is established, the main characters are introduced to the reader, and
the central conflict begins to emerge.
Rising Action: The rising action of the narrative begins at the end of the
exposition. It usually forms most of the plot and begins with an inciting incident
that kick-starts a series of cause and effect events. The rising action builds on
tension and culminates in the climax.
Climax: After the introduction of the problem or central conflict of the story, the
action rises as the drama of the story unfolds in a series of causes and effects.
These events culminate in the story’s dramatic high point, known as the climax.
This is when the tension finally reaches its breaking point
Falling Action: This part of the narrative is made up of the events that happen
after the climax. Things begin to slow down and work their way towards the
story’s end, tying up loose ends on the way. We can think of the falling action as
a de-escalation of the story’s drama.
Resolution: This is the final part of the plot arc and represents the closing of the
conflict and the return of normality - or a new normality - in the wake of the
story’s events. Often, this takes the form of a significant change within the main
character. A resolution restores balance and order to the world or it brings about
a new balance and order.
Examples of Ending:
• Happy ending – everything ends well and all is resolved.
• Tragic or Unhappy ending – many events in life do not end pleasantly, so
literary fiction that emulates life is more apt to have an unhappy conclusion,
forcing the reader to contemplate the complexities of life.
• Open-ended/Lack of Resolution/Partial Resolution/Indeterminate – no definitive
ending or resolution occurs, leaving the reader to ponder the issued raised by the
story
Other Plot Devices:

 Flashback: a scene inserted into a film, novel, story, or play to show

events that occurred at
an earlier time; this technique is used to complement the events in the
“present” of the story.
 Foreshadowing: a literary device in which the outcome of the struggle
or conflict is
anticipated or hinted at by such elements as speeches or actions of
characters or by symbols
in the story.
 Suspense (What is going to happen next?): Critical investigation will
ask the more important
question “Why?” rather than “What?” Suspense is most often produced
either by mystery or by dilemma.

D. POINT OF VIEW
Point of view refers to the perspective that the narrator holds in relation to the
events of the story. The three primary points of view are first person, in which the
narrator tells a story from their own perspective ("I went to the store"); second
person, in which the narrator tells a story about you, the reader or viewer ("You
went to the store"); and third person, in which the narrator tells a story about
other people ("He went to the store"). Each point of view creates a different
experience for the reader, because, in each point of view, different types and
amounts of information are available to the reader about the story's events and
characters.
Stories can be told from one of three main points of view: first person,
second person, or third person. Each of the different modes offers an author
particular options and benefits, and the point of view that an author chooses will
have a tremendous impact on the way that a reader engages with a story.  

1. First Person - the story is told from the first person "I” personal point-of-view,
usually that of the  main character.
a. Interior Monologue – first-person, train of thought “overheard” by the reader
(NOT spoken
out loud as is a monologue), or sometimes “overheard” and reported by an
omniscient
narrator; other times it occurs as stream of consciousness
b.  Subjective/Unreliable Narration - first person, narrator seems unreliable, tries
to get readers
to share his/her side or to assume values or views not usually presumed by the
reader
2. Omniscient - a story told in the third person; the narrator's knowledge, control,
and
prerogatives are unlimited, allowing “authorial” subjectivity.
3. Limited Omniscient - a story told in the third person in which the narrative
voice is associated
with a major or minor character who is not able to “see/know” all, may only be
able to
relate the thoughts of one or some characters but not others, may not know what
happened “off stage” or in the past.
 
E. THEME and SYMBOL
 THEME
1. Theme is the central or dominating idea(s) in a literary work, may be several,
particularly in
longer, complex fiction
2. The theme must be expressible in the form of a statement - not "motherhood"
but
"Motherhood sometimes has more frustration than reward."
3. A theme reflects a central vision of life or a statement about the human
condition/experience
conveyed in a work. For examples, “Mankind exists in an indifferent world.”
 
SYMBOL - This could refer to a person, object, image, word, or event that
evokes a range of additional meaning beyond and usually more abstract that is
literal significance.
Example of Symbol
In Greek mythology, the Gods are all symbols for forces of nature – for example,
Poseidon is a symbol for the sea. He is extremely powerful, but also wrathful and
unpredictable. By telling stories of Poseidon’s vengeful fury, the Greeks (who
were not great shipbuilders) symbolically delivered a message about how
dangerous the sea can be.
 
Prepared by: Communication Department, UC-SHS ©2022
 
REFERENCE:
Elements of literature. Retrieved from
https://www.nps.gov/mora/learn/education/upload/background-elements-of-
literature_sr.pdf
Literary elements: definition, types & examples. Retrieved from
https://study.com/academy/lesson/literary-elements-definition-types           
examples.html
The 31 literary devices you must know. Retrieved from
https://blog.prepscholar.com/list- of-literary-devices-techniques
What are literary devices. Retrieved from literarydevices.net/literary-devices/
 

Writing Fiction

Objectives:

1. Identify the various elements, techniques, and literary devices in

various fiction; and,
2. Write a flash fiction applying the various elements, techniques, and
literary devices.

Human beings love stories. But not just ordinary stories. What we really love are
good stories. We love stories that resonate with who we are and what we value
in life. We love stories that tug at our heartstrings—the ones that allow us to
cultivate our emotions and our sense of togetherness. So what makes a good
story?
 
According to our very own storytellers:
 
“A well-written story is one that captures the reader, convincing them of the new
reality described by the words engaging their emotions and intellect through the
plot, action, and speech of the characters. It is a story that provokes thought and
is remembered long after it ends. It is simultaneously magical and mundane. It is
hard work to write one – but it is possible, and worth every effort.”
                                                                
—Dean Francis Alfar
“I think a good story is about a character who, in the face of an obstacle, will
undergo a transformation. The story doesn’t waste a word in convincing the
reader of this transformation.”
                                                                
—John Bengan
 
Andrew Stanton, the Pixar writer and director behind Toy Story and WALL-E,
delivered a TED Talk about the clues to a great story. Here is an infographic that
summarizes his ideas:

Source: https://blog.ted.com/how-to-tell-a-great-story-visualized  (Links
to an external site.)
 
HOW TO WRITE A GOOD STORY?
To start your journey in fiction writing, make sure that your tools (literary
elements and technique (literary devices and style) are at hand. Make time to
revisit what you’ve previously learned in your earlier modules and even courses
in Creative Writing.
 
So how do you write a good story? Below is a collection of Writing Tips from
fiction writers themselves:
 
Writing Tip 1: Build an inviting setting
 
According to the Filipino writer John Jack Wigley (writer of Home of the Ashfall),
you must be able to invite your readers into your fictional world. This is very
crucial to pique the interest of your readers to read your story further. Look at
some of the examples below:

1. Maycomb, Alabama in To Kill a Mockingbird

Source: https://blog.reedsy.com/setting-of-a-story/ (Links to an external site.)

The narrator, Scout, tells us of the old-fashioned and stiflingly humid small town
of Maycomb, Alabama. If you are familiar with the story, you would know how this
description created a relevant background to the story’s premise on racial and
gender discrimination and the injustices faced by some of the characters in the
story.
 
Here’s another example, this time from the story “How My Brother Leon Brought
Home a Wife” by Manuel Arguilla,
We stood alone on the roadside.

The sun was in our eyes, for it was dipping into the bright sea. The sky was wide
and deep and very blue above us: but along the saw-tooth rim of the Katayaghan
hills to the southwest flamed huge masses of clouds. Before us, the fields swam
in a golden haze through which floated big purple and red and yellow bubbles
when I looked at the sinking sun. Labang's white coat, which I had washed and
brushed that morning with coconut husk, glistened like beaten cotton under the
lamplight and his horns appeared tipped with fire.
 
When writing about your story’s setting…

1. Readers must be quickly oriented. Enable them to create a mental

picture of the setting.
2. Provide specific details. Make the readers have an “I am here”
experience. Use the five senses in the description but make it concise
and specific.
3. Make the mood and atmosphere complement the genre of your
story. Choose details that are apt for a horror story, a romance, or a
detective story.

 
WRITING TIP 2: Create compelling and relatable characters
A character is an imagined person (sometimes a thing, an animal, a divine being,
or an element) who inhabits a story, and are considered the first main ingredient
in a story. A compelling, memorable and relatable character is a must to make
your story good and impressive. As famous writers put it:
Ray Bradbury: “Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your
characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.”
John Gary: “What keeps people reading is a desire to spend time with the
characters you’re presenting on the page.”
Sol Stein: “Characters make your story. If the people come alive, what they do
becomes the story.”
Jenny Wingfield: “You’ve got to have characters you can identify with, and
there’d better be trouble brewing somewhere. Whatever these people’s lives
have been before, they’re about to change in a big way. That’s what stories are
all about.”
 
Remember! Characters and events are inseparable. The plot unfolds when the
characters decide to take action. So when the character stops, the story naturally
stops. Your job as a writer is to learn about your character by observing how they
interact with the world around them. Characters—like real people—have hobbies,
pets, histories, ruminations, and obsessions. It’s essential to your novel that you
understand these aspects of your character so that you are equipped to
understand how they may react under the pressures of events they encounter.
 
To create compelling and relatable characters, heed the words of Judy Blume,
writer of the young adult novel, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret,

1. Give the protagonist flaws. Protagonists or heroes don’t have to be

perfect specimens of humanity. In fact, those protagonists tend to be
boring. Great characters emerge from the trials they encounter, and
believable characters have human flaws, just like people in real life.
2. Give the protagonist an arc. A good character undergoes some sort
of change over the course of the story. That change is called the
character arc. You can also choose to create a main character who
doesn’t change, but that decision should be intentional.

 
To bring your character to life…

1. Understand the three dimensions of your characters and describe

them to your readers.

Physical dimension- How do your characters look like? What types of clothing
do they wear? How do they move? Do they have mannerisms?
e.g. From “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” by Manuel Arguilla
She stepped down from the carretela of Ca Celin with quick, delicate grace. She
was lovely. She was tall. She looked up to my brother with a smile, and her
forehead was on a level with his mouth.
"You are Baldo," she said and placed her hand lightly on my shoulder. Her nails
were long, but they were not painted. She was fragrant like a morning when
papayas are in bloom. And a small dimple appeared momently high on her right
cheek.  "And this is Labang of whom I have heard so much." She held the wrist
of one hand with the other and looked at Labang, and Labang never stopped
chewing his cud. He swallowed and brought up to his mouth more cud and the
sound of his insides was like a drum.
Sociological dimension- What are the characters' names? What is the story
behind these names? How old are each character? What are their ethnicities,
family background, relationships? What are their beliefs?
e.g. From “Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez Benitez
She was one of those fortunate women who have the gift of a uniformly
acceptable appearance. She never surprised one with unexpected homeliness
nor with startling reserves of beauty. At home, in church, on the street, she was
always herself, a woman past first bloom, light and clear of complexion, spare of
arms and of breast, with a slight convexity to thin throat; a woman dressed with
self-conscious care, even elegance; a woman distinctly not average.
Psychological dimension- What are the personality of the character, attitude
towards themselves and others, interests? Do they have a unique speech
pattern? What are their dreams and ambitions? Likes and dislikes? Sources of
laughter, anger, frustration, happiness? What are their views on the opposite
sex? Their friends? Their competition? Their teachers? How do the characters
view the world?
e.g. From “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Allan Poe
He had a weak point — this Fortunato — although in other regards he was a
man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship
in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their
enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity, to practice imposture
upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato,
like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere.
In this respect I did not differ from him materially; — I was skillful in the Italian
vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.

1. Provide details of the character’s past.

2. Imagine them as real people with emotions, and contradictions.
3. Show them in action.

 
And...
 

Writing Tip 3: Understand conflict and how it moves the story forward
 
Two Reasons to Create Conflict in Your Story
Conflict is a literary device that builds tension by challenging the main character
and forcing them to test their values.

1. Provides purpose. By establishing the conflict in the beginning and

resolving the conflict by the end of the story, you give your story
direction, motion, and purpose. Without it, a story would drift along with
no beginning, middle, or end.
2. Helps character development. When a character goes up against an
opposing force, their actions and emotions reveal their character traits.
This creates compelling characters that are multi-dimensional and
more relatable to the reader.

 
REMEMBER!
C+C=S
(conflict + change = story)

1. On Conflict

 It is bound to transform or shape the character.

 It moves the plot—creates tension and action.
 It reveals the character’s true nature.

1. On Conflict & Change

• A change in the relationship of the characters
• A change within a single character
• A change in the story world (setting)

 
Writing Tip 4: Develop an interesting plot
To weave an interesting story, consider the answer to the following questions:

1. What does your protagonist want to achieve in the course of the story?
2. What is at stake?
3. Who or what gets in the way?

THE THREE-ACT STRUCTURE

Once you have pondered on these questions, start mapping out your story.
 1. SETUP

 Leads to the problem

• Hooks the audience
• Starts close to the end
• Answers the ff. questions:
                   Who is the protagonist?
                   What is his problem?
                      How does it become his mission in the story?
• first ¼ of the story
• Locale
• Major players
• Major conflict(s)/problem(s)
• Narrative enigma: codes that limit the audience to information; lets
them figure what is going off in the story
• Major themes
• Mood established
• Conventions established

 
PLOT POINT 1
—the plot thickens—

 Turns the story in a new direction

 Sets up what ACT 2 is going to be
 Raises the stakes
 Reminder of the narrative enigma
 Presents the possibility of a different outcome

1. CONFRONTATION

 At least ½ the entire story

 Struggle to achieve the solution to the problem
 Further complications to finding the answer to the problem
 Cycle of struggles & complications are called reversals

 
 
PLOT POINT 2
“The Longest Mile”

 Climactic turning point

 Protagonist’s quest reaches critical mass
 Possible solution is presented
 Biggest cliffhanger

1. RESOLUTION

 Protagonist achieves his mission

 No more than ¼ of the story, usually less
 Final crisis (or “rising action”) plays out to climax; then, to resolution
 Narrative closure: a clear outcome in the narrative
 Narrative aperture: a narrative concludes without answering its
questions & the ending is ambiguous or open

 
The American writer Dan Brown, who wrote the Da Vinci’s Code, also believes in
the impact of plot twists in a story. He gives the following tips:

1. Include at least two or three twists in your story. These helps keep

readers engaged, especially in the middle of your book when your plot
might otherwise start to drag. Carrying readers through the middle of a
story is challenging, and there needs to be enough excitement to keep
them reading to the end. A great twist will surprise the reader and turn
their whole understanding of the story on its head.
2. Trick your readers by planting “false leads.” Also known as “red
herrings,” these are details added to purposefully mislead people and
prevent them from predicting an outcome. While adult mysteries are
filled with carefully hidden clues, children’s horror novels should be
packed with tricks to lead kids astray and thereby surprise them even
more when something (like the true identity of a monster) is revealed.
3. A “cliffhanger” is a device that compels readers to find out what
happens next in a story. Writing great cliffhangers is key to making
your story compelling and it’s one of the easiest ways to make your
writing more suspenseful. Some writers might feel it to be a “cheap
trick” or an easy gimmick, but it’s a tried and true way to get people to
read—and keep them reading.

 
Here's an interesting note on plot twists...
 
Writing Tip 5: Sharpen your narrative voice
Point of view is very important in telling a story. Choosing a fitting narrator is
crucial in shaping your story because the words that your narrator use influence
the way readers view or process the narrative. 
 
How to Choose the Right Point of View (adapted from Masterclass’ Complete
Guide to Different Types of Point of View: Examples of Point of View in Writing)
It can be hard to figure out which point of view works best for you. The best way
around this is to try out a few things and see what flows best. Do the words
sound better coming from a first-person POV or a third-person POV? Is a third-
person perspective going to do justice to your ideas, or will a more intimate,
single character narrating through a first-person perspective be better?
 

1. Try different points of view. The only way to decide the best point-of-
view strategy for your story is to try different ones. Likely, you’ll know
the right one for your story because the writing will begin to move more
quickly, and you’ll feel the momentum. First-person allows you to
create intimacy by granting the reader access to your character’s
internal monologue. The second person is often made as a stylistic
choice; it is a powerful yet potentially overwhelming narrative device
that can evoke feelings of confusion or claustrophobia. Third person
narrative is a more flexible choice than first or second person. It allows
you to switch between characters’ points of view. You can even zoom
in and out from complete omniscience to limited or “close” third point of
view.
2. Once you pick a point of view, establish it right away. Whichever
narration style you use, it’s important to establish your point of view
quickly. Always let the reader know which character’s perspective
you’re following in any given scene. If you’re using third person, you
should use the character’s name early in the section. Even a simple
statement like “Robert felt tired” is enough to convey this information.
While you’re in a point of view, stick to it. For example, if you’re
narrating from your hero character’s perspective and, in the middle of a
scene, you suddenly switch to the point of view of a different character,
the disruption will jar your reader out of the story.
3. Be aware of limitations. Point of view is an essential tool in character
development. You’re describing the world through their eyes and
letting the reader know what they think and feel. You’ll need to be
aware at all times of what your characters’ limitations are. Review your
writing frequently to scan for mistakes you might have made in giving a
piece of character information or opinions they wouldn’t normally have.
 
A special note on descriptive writing:

 
Are you ready to write your story?
 
Additional References:
To learn more about building your story’s setting, check out the link below:
https://blog.reedsy.com/setting-of-a-story/ (Links to an external site.)
To learn more about creating memorable fictional characters and character
development, visit the link:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-tips-for-character-
development#how-to-develop-different-types-of-characters  (Links to an
external site.)
To learn more about the importance of conflict and how to create one for
your story, read this article on how to build a compelling conflict:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-compelling-conflict#2-
reasons-to-create-conflict-in-your-story (Links to an external site.)
 
For more tips on mapping out your story’s plot, click the link below:
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-
writing-plot#7-types-of-plots (Links to an external site.)
 
 References:
Aguila, A., Galan, R., and Wigley, J. (2017). Wording the World: The Art of
Creative Writing. Quezon City: C&E Publishing, Inc.
Solis, P. (2017). Creative Writing. Makati City: DIWA Learning Systems, Inc.
Mason, J. (2013). Creative Writing. Queensland: ACS Distance Education.
https://blog.ted.com/how-to-tell-a-great-story-visualized/

Elements of Drama

Objectives
At the end of this module, the student will be able to:
 1. Identify plot and dramatic structure in drama;
2. Understand the conventions and significance of characters in a drama;
3. Understand the elements of setting in a play; and
4. Recognize the significance of dialogue in a play.

 
Understanding Drama
A drama, or a play, is a piece of writing that is presented almost exclusively
through dialogue. Like a short story or novel, it has a setting, characters, plot,
and even symbolism. However, the way in which they are presented to the
audience is different, because unlike a short story or novel, the play is meant to
be performed in front of an audience, not read.
 
Dramatic Form
Plays are not written in paragraphs like a novel or short story. Instead, they are
written as lines of dialogue in the form of a script. Typically, these scripts are
broken down into one or more acts, or major divisions of the play. And each act
is then subdivided into a scene, or smaller divisions within the act. Usually a
change in setting means there will be a change in either the act or the scene.
Below is an example from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
 
Act I
SCENE V. A hall in Capulet's house.
Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins
First Servant
Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He shift a trencher? he scrape  
a trencher!
Second Servant
When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands and they unwashed
too, 'tis a foul thing.
First Servant
Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good  
thou, save  me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let the porter let    
in Susan Grindstone and Nell. Antony, and Potpan!
Second Servant
Ay, boy, ready.
First Servant
You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the great
chamber.
Second Servant
We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be brisk awhile, and the longer
liver take all.
 
Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and
Maskers
 
A. Dramatic structure
The structure is how the plot or story of a play is laid out, including a
beginning, a middle and an end. Plays may also include subplots, which are
smaller stories that allow the audience to follow the journey of different
characters and events within the plot. Plays also feature an element of conflict,
which does not necessarily mean a fight or argument but instead an obstacle that
needs to be overcome.
Although plays are written in several forms and formats, a typical structure
consists of (note: for illustration, we will use the play by Tennessee William
entitled, A Streetcar Named Desire):
 
1. exposition- introduces background events and characters. In scene 1 of
Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Blache DuBois arrives at her
sister’s house totally disdainful of the environment her sister lives in. This is the
exposition and introduction of the play. We are given some initial indications of
the theme and the mood of the play, but not yet the conflict.
 
Scene 1 (an excerpt)
Blanche comes around the corner, currying a valise. She looks at a slip
of paper, then at the building, then again at the slip and again at the building. Her
expression is one of shocked disbelief. Her appearance is incongruous to this
setting. She is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and
earrings of pearl, white gloves and hat, looking as if she were arriving at a
summer tea or cocktail party in the garden district. She is about five years older
than Stella. Her delicate beauty must avoid a strong light. There is something
about her uncertain manner, as well as her white clothes, that suggests a moth.
 
EUNICE [finally]:
What's the matter, honey? Are you lost?
 
BLANCHE [with faintly hysterical humor]:
They told me to take a streetcar named Desire, and then transfer to one called
Cemeteries and ride six blocks and get off at--Elysian Fields!
EUNICE:
That's where you are now.
 
BLANCHE:
At Elysian Fields?
 
EUNICE:
This here is Elysian Fields.
 
BLANCHE:
They mustn't have understood what number I wanted.
 
EUNICE:
What number you lookin' for?
[Blanche wearily refers to the slip of paper.]
 
BLANCHE:
Six thirty-two.
 
EUNICE:
You don't have to look no further.
 
BLANCHE [uncomprehendingly]:
I'm looking for my sister, Stella DuBois. I mean--Mrs. Stanley Kowalski.
 
EUNICE:
That's the party.--You just did miss her, though.
 
BLANCHE:
This--can this be--her home?
 
EUNICE:
She's got the downstairs here and I got the up.
 
BLANCHE:
Oh. She's--out?
 
EUNICE:
You noticed that bowling alley around the corner?
 
BLANCHE:
I'm--not sure I did.
 
EUNICE:
Well, that's where she's at, watchin' her husband bowl.
[There is a pause]
You want to leave your suitcase here an' go find her?
 
BLANCHE:
No.
 
NEGRO WOMAN:
I'll go tell her you come.
 
BLANCHE:
Thanks.
 
NEGRO WOMAN:
You welcome.
[She goes out.]
 
EUNICE:
She wasn't expecting you?
 
BLANCHE:
No. No, not tonight.
 
EUNICE:
Well, why don't you just go in and make yourself at home till they get back.
 
BLANCHE:
How could I--do that?
 
EUNICE:
We own this place so I can let you in.
 
2. conflict- is the point where you recognize there’s a threat or challenge
that besets the protagonist. The conflict in the William’s A Streetcar Named
Desire begins in scene two. After we are introduced to the characters of Blanche
DuBois, her sister Stella, and Stella’s husband Stanley, we discover the
mysterious reason for Blanche’s visit to New Orleans. Stanley judges Blanche
but Stella defends her in their heated argument in the bathroom. In this scene,
we begin to care for Blanche but many things are still unclear
 
Scene 2 (an excerpt)
 
BLANCHE [singing in the bathroom]:
"From the land of the sky blue water, They brought a captive maid!"
 
STELLA:
She wasn't expecting to find us in such a small place. You see I'd tried to gloss
things over a little in my letters.
 
STANLEY:
So?
 
STELLA:
And admire her dress and tell her she's looking wonderful. That's important with
Blanche. Her little weakness!
 
STANLEY:
Yeah. I get the idea. Now let's skip back a little to where you said the country
place was disposed of.
 
STELLA:
Oh!--yes...
 
STANLEY:
How about that? Let's have a few more details on that subject.
 
STELLA:
It's best not to talk much about it until she's calmed down.
 
STANLEY:
So that's the deal, huh? Sister Blanche cannot be annoyed with business details
right now!
 
STELLA:
You saw how she was last night.
 
STANLEY:
Uh-hum, I saw how she was. Now let's have a gander at the bill of sale.
 
STELLA:
I haven't seen any.
 
STANLEY:
She didn't show you no papers, no deed of sale or nothing like that, huh?
 
STELLA:
It seems like it wasn't sold.
 
STANLEY:
Well what in hell was it then, give away? To charity?
 
STELLA:
Shhh! She'll hear you.
 
STANLEY:
I don't care if she hears me. Let's see the papers!
 
STELLA:
There weren't any papers, she didn't show any papers, I don't care about papers.
 
STANLEY:
Have you ever heard of the Napoleonic code?
 
STELLA:
No, Stanley, I haven't heard of the Napoleonic code, if I have, I don't see what it-
 
STANLEY:
Let me enlighten you on a point or two, baby.
 
STELLA:
Yes?
 
STANLEY:
In the state of Louisiana we have the Napoleonic code according to which what
belongs to the wife belongs to the husband and vice versa. For instance if I had a
piece of property, or you had a piece of property--
 
STELLA:
My head is swimming!
 
STANLEY:
All right, I'll wait till she gets through soaking in a hot tub and then I'll inquire if
she is acquainted with the Napoleonic code. It looks to me like you have been
swindled, baby, and when you're swindled under the Napoleonic code I'm
swindled too. And I don't like to be swindled.
 
STELLA:
There's plenty of time to ask her questions later but if you do now she'll go to
pieces again. I don't understand what happened to Belle Reve but you don't
know how ridiculous you are being when you suggest that my sister or I or
anyone of our family could have perpetrated a swindle on anyone else.
 
STANLEY:
Then where's the money if the place was sold?
 
STELLA:
Not sold--lost, lost!
[He stalks into bedroom, and she follows him.]
 
3. rising action - a series of events that create suspense in the narrative. In
scene six of William’s play, the plot gets more complicated when Blanche and
Stanley clash and Stella, is torn in the middle. And then Harold Mitchell, one of
Stanley’s friends, gets smitten and falls in love with Blanche. Here, the
characters get caught in a series of events Blanche’s past, deception, and
revelation.
 
Scene 6 (an excerpt)
 
MITCH:
Blanche--
 
BLANCHE:
Yes, honey?
 
MITCH:
Can I ask you a question?
 
BLANCHE:
Yes. What?
 
MITCH:
How old are you?
[She makes a nervous gesture.]
 
BLANCHE:
Why do you want to know?
 
MITCH:
I talked to my mother about you and she said, "How old is Blanche?" And I wasn't
able to tell her.
[There is another pause.]
 
BLANCHE:
You talked to your mother about me?
 
MITCH:
Yes.
 
BLANCHE:
Why?
 
MITCH:
I told my mother how nice you were, and I liked you.
 
BLANCHE:
Were you sincere about that?
 
MITCH:
You know I was.
 
BLANCHE:
Why did your mother want to know my age?
 
MITCH:
Mother is sick.
 
BLANCHE:
I'm sorry to hear it. Badly?
 
MITCH:
She won't live long. Maybe just a few months.
 
BLANCHE:
Oh.
 
MITCH:
She worries because I'm not settled.
 
BLANCHE:
Oh.
 
MITCH:
She wants me to be settled down before she--
[His voice is hoarse and he clears his throat twice, shuffling nervously around
with his hands in and out of his pockets.]
 
BLANCHE:
You love her very much, don't you?
 
MITCH:
Yes.
 
BLANCHE:
I think you have a great capacity for devotion. You will be lonely when she
passes on, won't you?
[Mitch clears his throat and nods.]
I understand what that is.
 
MITCH:
To be lonely?
 
BLANCHE:
I loved someone, too, and the person I loved I lost.
 
MITCH:
Dead?
[She crosses to the window and sits on the sill, looking out. She pours herself
another drink.]
 
A man?
 
BLANCHE:
He was a boy, just a boy, when I was a very young girl. When I was sixteen, I
made the discovery--love. All at once and much, much too completely. It was like
you suddenly turned a blinding light on something that had always been half in
shadow, that's how it struck the world for me. But I was unlucky. Deluded. There
was something different about the boy, a nervousness, a softness and
tenderness which wasn't like a man's, although he wasn't the least bit effeminate
looking--still--that thing was there.... He came to me for help. I didn't know that. I
didn't find out anything till after our marriage when we'd run away and come back
and all I knew was I'd failed him in some mysterious way and wasn't able to give
the help he needed but couldn't speak of! He was in the quicksands and
clutching at me--but I wasn't holding him out, I was slipping in with him! I didn't
know that. I didn't know anything except I loved him unendurably but without
being able to help him or help myself. Then I found out. In the worst of all
possible ways. By coming suddenly into a room that I thought was empty--which
wasn't empty, but had two people in it... the boy I had married and an older man
who had been his friend for years....
 
4. climax- the part of the story where the suspense reaches its highest
part. In scene nine, the climax points out the details why Blanche left her home
in the South and squandered away her fortune. Mitch gets to know her intimately
and discovers her true nature and leaves her. Stanley lashes out on her about
her troubled past and Blanche gets a grip at her sanity.
 
Scene 9 (an excerpt)
 
MITCH:
Not Sunday afternoon. I've asked you to go out with me sometimes on Sundays
but you always make an excuse. You never want to go out till after six and then
it's always some place that's not lighted much.
 
BLANCHE:
There is some obscure meaning in this but I fail to catch it.
 
MITCH:
What it means is I've never had a real good look at you, Blanche. Let's turn the
light on here.
 
BLANCHE [fearfully]:
Light? Which light? What for?
 
MITCH:
This one with the paper thing on it.
[He tears the paper lantern off the light bulb. She utters a frightened gasp.]
 
BLANCHE:
What did you do that for?
 
MITCH:
So I can take a look at you good and plain!
 
BLANCHE:
Of course you don't really mean to be insulting!
 
MITCH:
No, just realistic.
 
BLANCHE:
I don't want realism. I want magic!
[Mitch laughs]
Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don't
tell truth, I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned
for it!--Don't turn the light on!
[Mitch crosses to the switch. He turns the light on and stares at her. She cries out
and covers her face. He turns the light off again.]
 
MITCH [slowly and bitterly]:
I don't mind you being older than what I thought. But all the rest of it--Christ! That
pitch about your ideals being so old-fashioned and all the malarkey that you've
dished out all summer. Oh, I knew you weren't sixteen any more. But I was a fool
enough to believe you was straight.
 
BLANCHE:
Who told you I wasn't--'straight'? My loving brother-in-law. And you believed him.
 
MITCH:
I called him a liar at first And then I checked on the story. First I asked our
supply-man who travels through Laure. And then I talked directly over long-
distance to this merchant
 
BLANCHE:
Who is this merchant?
 
MITCH:
Kiefaber.
 
BLANCHE:
The merchant Kiefaber of Laurel! I know the man. He whistled at me. I put him in
his place. So now for revenge he makes up stories about me.
 
MITCH:
Three people, Kiefaber, Stanley and Shaw, swore to them!
 
BLANCHE:
Rub-a-dub-dub, three men in a tub! And such a filthy tub!
 
MITCH:
Didn't you stay at a hotel called the Flamingo?
 
BLANCHE:
Flamingo? No! Tarantula was the name of it! I stayed at a hotel called the
Tarantula Arms!
 
MITCH [stupidly]:
Tarantula?
 
BLANCHE:
Yes, a big spider! That's where I brought my victims.
[She pours herself another drink]
Yes, I had many intimacies with strangers. After the death of Allan--intimacies
with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with.... I think it was
panic, just panic, that drove me from one to another, hunting for some
protection--here and there, in the most--unlikely places-even, at last, in a
seventeen-year-old boy but--somebody wrote the superintendent about it--"This
woman is morally unfit for her position!"
[She throws back her head with convulsive, sobbing laughter. Then she repeats
the statement, gasps, and drinks.]
True? Yes, I suppose--unfit somehow--anyway... So I came here. There was
nowhere else I could go. I was played out. You know what played out is? My
youth was suddenly gone up the water-spout, and--I met you. You said you
needed somebody. Well, I needed somebody, too. I thanked God for you,
because you seemed to be gentle--a cleft in the rock of the world that I could
hide in! But I guess I was asking, hoping--too much! Kiefaber, Stanley and Shaw
have tied an old tin can to the tail of the kite.
[There is a pause. Mitch stares at her dumbly.]
 
MITCH:
You lied to me, Blanche.
 
BLANCHE:
Don't say I lied to you.
 
MITCH:
Lies, lies, inside and out, all lies.
 
BLANCHE:
Never inside, I didn't lie in my heart....
 
5. falling action - the main conflict starts to resolve. In scene 10, we see
Blanche in the brink of madness. She lashes out on Stanley and concocts stories
to keep her sanity but Stanley reveals all her deceits. At this point, we see
Blanche as an unstable who may need professional help.
 
Scene 10 (an excerpt)
 
BLANCHE [drawing back]:
What are you doing in here?
 
STANLEY:
Here's something I always break out on special occasions like this. The silk
pyjamas I wore on my wedding night!
 
BLANCHE:
Oh.
 
STANLEY:
When the telephone rings and they say, "You've got a son!" Ill tear this off and
wave it like a flag!
[He shakes out a brilliant pyjama coat]
I guess we are both entitled to put on the dog.
[He goes back to the kitchen with the coat over his arm.]
 
BLANCHE:
When I think of how divine it is going to be to have such a thing as privacy once
more--I could weep with joy!
 
STANLEY:
This millionaire from Dallas is not going to interfere with your privacy any?
 
BLANCHE:
It won't be the sort of thing you have in mind. This man is a gentleman and he
respects me.
[Improvising feverishly]
What he wants is my companionship. Having great wealth sometimes makes
people lonely! A cultivated woman, a woman of intelligence and breeding, can
enrich a man's life--immeasurably! I have those things to offer, and this doesn't
take them away. Physical beauty is passing. A transitory possession. But beauty
of the mind and richness of the spirit and tenderness of the heart--and I have all
of those things--aren't taken away, but grow! Increase with the years! How
strange that I should be called a destitute woman! When I have all of these
treasures locked in my heart.
[A choked sob comes from her]
I think of myself as a very, very rich woman! But I have been foolish--casting my
pearls before swine!
 
STANLEY:
Swine, huh?
 
BLANCHE:
Yes, swine! Swine! And I'm thinking not only of you but of your friend, Mr.
Mitchell. He came to see me tonight. He dared to come here in his work-clothes!
And to repeat slander to me, vicious stories that he had gotten from you! I gave
him his walking papers....
 
STANLEY:
You did, huh?
 
BLANCHE:
But then he came back. He returned with a box of roses to beg my forgiveness!
He implored my forgiveness. But some things are not forgivable. Deliberate
cruelty is not forgivable. It is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and it is the
one thing of which I have never, never been guilty. And so I told him, I said to
him, "Thank you," but it was foolish of me to think that we could ever adapt
ourselves to each other. Our ways of life are too different. Our attitudes and our
backgrounds are incompatible. We have to be realistic about such things. So
farewell, my friend! And let there be no hard feelings....
 
STANLEY:
Was this before or after the telegram came from the Texas oil millionaire?
 
BLANCHE:
What telegram! No! No, after! As a matter of fact, the wire came just as--
 
STANLEY:
As a matter of fact there wasn't no wire at all!
 
BLANCHE:
Oh, oh!
 
STANLEY:
There isn't no millionaire! And Mitch didn't come back; with roses 'cause I know
where he is--
 
BLANCHE:
Oh!
 
STANLEY:
There isn't a goddam thing but imagination!
 
BLANCHE:
Oh!
 
STANLEY:
And lies and conceit and tricks!
 
BLANCHE:
Oh!
 
STANLEY:
And look at yourself! Take a look at yourself in that wornout Mardi Gras outfit,
rented for fifty cents from some ragpicker! And with the crazy crown on! What
queen do you think you are?
 
BLANCHE:
Oh--God...
 
STANLEY:
I've been on to you from the start! Not once did you pull any wool over this boy's
eyes! You come in here and sprinkle the place with powder and spray perfume
and cover the light bulb with a paper lantern, and lo and behold the place has
turned into Egypt and you are the Queen of the Nile! Sitting on your throne and
swilling down my liquor! I say--Ha!--Ha! Do you hear me? Ha-- ha--ha!
[He walks into the bedroom.]
 
BLANCHE:
Don't come in here!
[Lurid reflections appear on the wall around Blanche. The shadows are of a
grotesque and menacing form. She catches her breath, crosses to the phone and
jiggles the hook. Stanley goes into the bathroom and closes the door.]
 
6. resolution- the conclusion of the story where questions are answered
and loose ends are tied up. In scene 11, the hospital doctor and staff come
over and pledge to take Blanche, now mad. She replies to them, “Whoever you
are, I have always depended on the kindness of the strangers.”
 
Scene 11 (an excerpt)
 
MATRON:
Hello, Blanche.
[The greeting is echoed and re-echoed by other mysterious voices behind the
walls, as if reverberated through a canyon of rock.]
 
STANLEY:
She says that she forgot something.
[The echo sounds in threatening whispers.]
 
MATRON:
That's all right.
 
STANLEY:
What did you forget, Blanche?
 
BLANCHE:
I--I--
 
MATRON:
It don't matter. We can pick it up later.
 
 
STANLEY:
Sure. We can send it along with the trunk.
 
BLANCHE [retreating in panic]:
I don't know you--I don't know you. I want to be--left alone--please!
 
MATRON:
Now, Blanche!
ECHOES [rising and falling]:
Now, Blanche--now, Blanche--now, Blanche!
 
STANLEY:
You left nothing here but spilt talcum and old empty perfume bottles--unless it's
the paper lantern you want to take with you. You want the lantern?
[He crosses to dressing table and seizes the paper lantern, tearing it off the light
bulb, and extends it toward her. She cries out as if the lantern was herself. The
Matron steps boldly toward her. She screams and tries to break past the Matron.
All the men spring to their feet. Stella runs out to the porch, with Eunice following
to comfort her, simultaneously with the confused voices of the men in the kitchen.
Stella rushes into Eunice's embrace on the porch.]
 
STELLA:
Oh, my God, Eunice help me! Don't let them do that to her, don't let them hurt
her! Oh, God, oh, please God, don't hurt her! What are they doing to her? What
are they doing?
[She tries to break from Eunice's arms.]
 
EUNICE:
No, honey, no, no, honey. Stay here. Don't go back in there. Stay with me and
don't look.
 
STELLA:
What have I done to my sister? Oh, God, what have I done to my sister?
 
EUNICE:
You done the right thing, the only thing you could do. She couldn't stay here;
there wasn't no other place for her to go.
[While Stella and Eunice are speaking on the porch the voices of the men in the
kitchen overlap them. Mitch has started toward the bedroom. Stanley crosses to
block him. Stanley pushes him aside. Mitch lunges and strikes at Stanley.
Stanley pushes Mitch back. Mitch collapses at the table, sobbing.
 
[During the preceding scenes, the Matron catches hold of Blanche's arm and
prevents her flight. Blanche turns wildly and scratches at the Matron. The heavy
woman pinions her arms. Blanche cries out hoarsely and slips to her knees.]
 
MATRON:
These fingernails have to be trimmed.
[The Doctor comes into the room and she looks at him.]
Jacket, Doctor?
 
DOCTOR:
Not unless necessary.
[He takes off his hat and now he becomes personalized. The unhuman quality
goes. His voice is gentle and reassuring as he crosses to Blanche and crouches
in front of her. As he speaks her name, her terror subsides a little. The lurid
reflections fade from the walls, the inhuman cries and noises die out and her own
hoarse crying is calmed.]
 
DOCTOR:
Miss DuBois.
[She turns her face to him and stares at him with desperate pleading. He smiles;
then he speaks to the Matron.]
It won't be necessary.
 
BLANCHE [faintly]:
Ask her to let go of me.
 
DOCTOR [to the Matron]:
Let go.
[The Matron releases her. Blanche extends her hands toward the Doctor. He
draws her up gently and supports her with his arm and leads her through the
portieres.]
 
BLANCHE [holding tight to his arm]:
Whoever you are--I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.
[The poker players stand back as Blanche and the Doctor cross the kitchen to
the front door. She allows him to lead her as if she were blind. As they go out on
the porch, Stella cries out her sister's name from where she is crouched a few
steps up on the stairs.]
 
               Structures can also be non-linear, with the action of the play moving
forwards and back in time. This is done through the use of flashbacks and
flashforwards, to help make the play more exciting or to highlight points through
contrast and juxtaposition.
               Alternatively, plays may follow a cyclical structure, with the play ending
at the same time as it began. This can be exciting for the audience as they try to
work out how the character ended up in the position they see at the start of the
play.
               Traditionally, plays use acts and scenes to help define particular
moments in time, and a new scene will show the audience that the action is
taking place in a different location.
 
B. Setting and Staging
In addition to the dialogue, a script will also include stage directions. These
notes, which are often in italics or parentheses, help the actors interpret the
scene for the audience. Here’s an example from Tennessee William’s A
Streetcar Named Desire:
 
SCENE ONE
The exterior of a two-story corner building on a street in New Orleans which is
named Elysian Fields and runs between the L & N tracks and the river. The
section is poor but, unlike corresponding sections in other American cities, it has
a raffish charm. The houses are mostly white frame, weathered gray, with rickety
outside stairs and galleries and quaintly ornamented gables. This building
contains two flats, upstairs and down. Faded white stairs ascend to the
entrances of both. It is first dark of an evening early in May. The sky that shows
around the dim white building is a peculiarly tender blue, almost a turquoise,
which invests the scene with a kind of lyricism and gracefully attenuates the
atmosphere of decay. You can almost feel the warm breath of the brown river
beyond the river warehouses with their faint redolence of bananas and coffee. A
corresponding air is evoked by the music of Negro entertainers at a barroom
around the corner. In this part of New Orleans you are practically always just
around the corner, or a few doors down the street, from a tinny piano being
played with the infatuated fluency of brown fingers. This "Blue Piano" expresses
the spirit of the life which goes on here
 
             Unlike a novel, which may devote several paragraphs to describing the
setting, the play is limited to what the audience can see on stage. It is important
that the playwright give some indication to setting, especially if the actors will use
the items on stage. In some cases, the stage directions provide information on
what the stage should look like. Other times, they tell the actors where or how to
move, or what facial expressions or tone of voice is appropriate when speaking a
line.
             In this excerpt A Streetcar Named Desire, the director and actors can
visualize how the stage should appear to the audience. And while they will not
have an actual house on a stage, they will have the window and entrances in
corresponding places so that the audience can visualize the scene as well.
 
C. Characters and Actors
Before the dialogue in a script, the playwright will often include a cast of
characters. Typically, each character, both major and minor, is listed alongside a
brief description of the character's role in the story. In this example, you can see
that Blanche is the main character, and each character is described in relation to
her.
 
Character List
 
Blanche DuBois A sensitive, delicate moth-like member of the fading Southern
aristocracy who has just lost her teaching position as a result of her promiscuity.
Stella Kowalski Blanche's sister who is married and lives in the French Quarter
of New Orleans. She has forgotten her genteel upbringing in order to enjoy a
more common marriage.
Stanley Kowalski, Stella’s husband, Blanche’s brother-in-law
Harold Mitchell (Mitch) Stanley's friend, Blanche’s lover
Eunice and Steve Hubell  The neighbors who quarrel and who own the
apartment in which Stella and Stanley live.
 
            This list is usually given to audience members on a printed playbill, or
program, as they enter the theatre, so that they may identify the major characters
and the actors who will play them. Of course, the biggest difference between
characters in prose and characters in drama is that live people, or actors, are
representing the characters in drama. The actors are chosen based on both their
physical and verbal ability to interpret the character. Sometimes it's important that
an actor have certain physical characteristics, such as red hair or stocky nature,
because it is an important aspect of the play.
 
D. Dialogue
            Dialogue is the exchange of spoken words between two or more
characters in a book, play, or other written work. In prose writing, lines of
dialogue are typically identified by the use of quotation marks and a dialogue tag,
such as "she said." In plays, lines of dialogue are preceded by the name of the
person speaking.
            Dialogue, when used effectively in a literary work, is an important literary
device. Dialogue allows writers to pause in their third-person description of a
story’s action, characters, setting, etc., which can often feel detached to the
reader if prolonged. Instead, when characters are “speaking” in first-person in a
narrative, the story can become more dynamic.
Here are some examples of why writers use dialogue in literary works:
  reveal conflict in a story
 move story forward
 present different points of view
 provide exposition, background, or contextual information
 efficient means of conveying aspects and traits of characters
 convey subtext (inner feelings and intentions of a character beyond
their surface words of communication)
 establish deeper meaning and understanding of a story for the reader
 set character’s voice, point of view, and patterns of expression
 allow characters to engage in conflict
 create authenticity for reader

 
Example:
The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde): An excerpt
 
ALGERNON.
I’m afraid I’m not that. That is why I want you to reform me. You might make that
your mission, if you don’t mind, cousin Cecily.
 
CECILY.
I’m afraid I’ve no time, this afternoon.
 
ALGERNON.
Well, would you mind my reforming myself this afternoon?
 
CECILY.
It is rather Quixotic of you. But I think you should try.
 
ALGERNON.
I will. I feel better already.
 
CECILY.
You are looking a little worse.
 
ALGERNON.
That is because I am hungry.
 
CECILY.
How thoughtless of me. I should have remembered that when one is going to
lead an entirely new life, one requires regular and wholesome meals. Won’t you
come in?
 
           Since plays are dramatic literary works to be performed, they often rely
almost exclusively on dialogue between characters as a means of presenting the
narrative. When plays are performed on stage, the audience can see and hear
which character is speaking in addition to their physical attitude, vocal tone,
inflection, etc. When reading a dramatic work such as Wilde’s famous play, the
reader understands who is speaking as a result of the character’s name
associated with specific lines of dialogue.
 
           Wilde was known for using dialogue as a literary device to create witty
conversations between his characters for the audience’s entertainment.
However, Wilde’s wordplay and unexpected exchanges between characters
often didn’t serve to create much dramatic action in terms of plot in his literary
works. Instead, Wilde’s use of dialogue and patterns of expression convey the
voice and traits of his characters in addition to setting forth some dramatic
conflict in the narrative.
 

Reading Drama

Objectives:

At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

1. Identify plot and dramatic structure in drama;

2. Understand the conventions and significance of characters in drama;
3. Understand the elements of setting in a play;
4. Recognize the significance of dialogue in a play; and,
5. Write a scene based on a one-act play.

 
The World is an Apple by Alberto Florentino

The Author
Alberto S. Florentino (Bert) was born in Nueva Ecija, Philippines on July 28,
1931, the second of seven children of Alberto San Buenaventura Florentino and
Maria Rivera Sanqueza. His father was a teacher who always organized drama
and choral groups. The young Bert used to type multiple copies of his father’s
plays, an activity that helped usher Bert into playwriting. Later, as a 23-year-old
accounting student at the University of the East, Bert wrote the one-act play, The
World Is an Apple, which won the Carlos Palanca Award. He dropped out of
accounting and went on to write plays, four more of which won Palanca
Awards: The Cadaver; The Dancers; Cavort with Angels; and Oli Impan.
 
Continuing his exploration of the struggles of Filipino urban poor, Bert wrote 100
plays for TV and cinema. He was the main scriptwriter of the award-winning TV
drama series “Balintataw” in the early ‘70s, which boasted original scripts, thus
inspiring the emergence of a crop of playwrights and scriptwriters.  He also wrote
nine other drama anthologies. His movie scriptwriting credits include: Bulaklakan
Man Ay Lupa Rin; Babae: Ngayon at Kailanman; and Ang Daigdig ay Isang
Patak na Luha.
 
The Play
The play "The World is an Apple" is one of the most famous Filipino plays by
famed playwright, Alberto S. Florentino. In the story, it was shown how the main
character Mario was forced to choose a path that he has long promised to not
walk through again because of poverty. The story shows one sad reality of life
when an individual was backed up on a wall, he will do anything even if it's not
accepted in his society.
 
N.B. See attached copy of the play.