What is fiction?

 A work of imaginative prose

that may be in the form or a
novel, a short story, or
novella.
 literature in the form of prose,
especially short stories and
novels, that describes
imaginary events and people.
“The 20th century has seen the
rise of fiction as the dominant
literary from widely used and
patronized by writers and readers
alike.”
 Is a literary classification for
any story created from
imagination and, therefore,
not necessarily based on facts.
“Writing fiction constitutes a 1. EXPOSITION-
creative inventio; if taken as a (Introduction)This usually
whole, it may overwhelm even a occurs at the beginning of a
seasoned writer.” short story. Here the
Five Elements of fiction characters are introduced. We
also learn about the setting of
 Plot, Setting, Character, Point of the story. This section also
View, Theme presents other facts necessary
1. Plot- how the author arranges to understanding the story.
events to develop the basic idea;
it is the sequence of events in the IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE
story or play. The plot is EXPOSITION;
planned, logical series of events
having a beginning, middle, and • Setting
end. The short story usually has -Time
one plot so it can be read in one
sitting. -Place
- Plot is where the action that
takes place in the story. It is •Characters
a series of connected 2. RISING ACTION - Events in
happenings and their result.
the story become complicated;
In order to have a result, we
the conflict is revealed. These
must have initial even, or
conflict. are events between the
introduction and climax. This
is the situation where the
initial conflict or the
generating circumstances,
which create a conflict to
arise. Rising action usually
heightened anticipation for
the reader.
CONFLICT - the struggle
between opposing forces while in
the central Conflict, the main
character must fight against
 some force or make an important
decision.
There are 2 types:
1. Internal— Struggle within
one's self.
- Character vs. Self
*EXAMPLE: a character is torn
between risking his life to save
someone else. Struggles with own
soul, physical limitations,
choices, etc.
2. External-Struggle with a force
outside one's self.
- Character vs. Character
Struggles against other
people.
- Character vs. Nature
Struggles against animals,
weather, environment, etc.
- Character vs. Society
Struggles against ideas,
practices, or customs of
others.
3. CLIMAX - The “high point”.
This is the turning point of the
story. Usually, the main
character comes face to face
with a conflict. The main
character will change in some
way.
CONSIDER THE CLIMAX AS A
THREE-FOLD PHENOMENON:
 Main character receives new
information.
 Main character accepts this
information (realizes it
 but does not necessarily agree
with it).
 Main character acts on this
information (makes a choice
that will determine whether or
not objective is met).
4. FALLING ACTION - is where
the resolution begins; events
and complications start to fall
into place. The conflict(s) and
climax are taken care of.
5. RESOLUTION
- denouement or conclusion
- The final outcome of
events in the story.
PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
1. Exposition Beginning of
2. Rising Action the story.
Middle of the
3. Climax
story.
4. Falling Action End of the
5. Resolution story.
2. SETTING- Time and location
that a story takes place. For
some stories, the setting is
very important; while for
others, it is not. It is the
background against which the
incidents of the story take
place. Not merely a place, it
includes the place where, the
time when, and social
conditions under which the
story moves along.
• In one form or another, setting
is essential to the story. Often,
the relevance of the story is lost
in another setting.
ASPECTS TO CONSIDER:
1. Place - Geographical location;
where is the action of the
story taking place?
2. Time - Historical period,
time of day, year, etc.; when
is the story taking place?
milieu-combination of time
and space
3. Weather conditions - Is it
rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?
4. Mood or atmosphere - What
feeling is created at the
beginning of the story?
Cheerful or GLOOMY?
5. Social conditions - What is
the daily life of the characters
like? Does the story contain
local colour (writing that
focuses on the speech, dress,
mannerisms, customs, etc. of
a particular place)?
****CULTURAL,
SOCIOLOGICAL, POLITICAL,
RELIGIOUS AND
SENSIBILITIES THAT LEAD
TO SPECIFIC MODE
3. CHARACTERS -Living beings
in the story that think or act
in order to keep the story
going. They must seem like
living and feeling individuals
in order for us to feel strongly
about them. -The worst thing
that could happen for as
writer is that you feel
indifferent toward the
characters. If we don't care for
the characters, we are not
inclined to keep reading.
- Characteristics of a character
can be revealed through:
1. his/her physical appearance
2. what he/she says, thinks,
feels, dreams and what
he/she does or does not do.
3. what others say about
him/her and how others react
to him/her.