Creative Writing

Quarter 1 Module 4
ELEMENTS OF FICTION
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LU_CreativeWriting_Module4
• The time of year, particularly
the seasons: fall, winter, summer,
spring.
• The historical period such as
what century or decade the
story takes
place.
• The geographical location
including the city, state, country,
and possibly
even the universe, if the writer is
writing science fiction.
Setting can function as a main
force that the characters encounter,
such as a
tornado or flood, or a setting can
play a minor role such as setting
the mood. Often
times, the setting can reveal
something about the main
character as he/she
functions in that place and time
period.
3. Plot. Plot is the order of events
in the story. The plot usually
follows a particular
structure called Freytag’s Pyramid.
Gustav Freytag, a German
playwright who lived
during the 1800s, identified this
structure.
Freytag’s Pyramid has five parts:
exposition, rising action, climax,
falling
action, and denouement, also
known as resolution. (See Figur
Fiction is make-believe, invented
stories. They may be short stories,
fables,
vignettes, plays, novellas, or
novels. Although writers may base
a character on people
they have met in real life, the
characters and the experiences that
the character faces
in the story are not real.
Characters, setting, plot, conflict,
point of view, and
there are six key elements for
writing fiction.
1. Characters.
Charact
Fiction is make-believe, invented
stories. They may be short stories,
fables,
vignettes, plays, novellas, or
novels. Although writers may base
a character on people
they have met in real life, the
characters and the experiences that
the character faces
in the story are not real.
Characters, setting, plot, conflict,
point of view, and
there are six key elements for
writing fiction.
1. Characters.
Charact
Fiction is make-believe, invented
stories. They may be short stories,
fables,
vignettes, plays, novellas, or
novels. Although writers may base
a character on people
they have met in real life, the
characters and the experiences that
the character faces
in the story are not real.
Characters, setting, plot, conflict,
point of view, and
there are six key elements for
writing fiction.
1. Characters.
Charact
Fiction is make-believe, invented stories. They may be short stories, fables,
vignettes, plays, novellas, or novels. Although writers may base a character on people
they have met in real life, the characters and the experiences that the character faces
in the story are not real. Characters, setting, plot, conflict, point of view, and
there are six key elements for writing fiction.

1. Characters.
Characters are the people, animals, or aliens in the story. Readers come to know the
characters through what they say, what they think, and how they ate. M. Forster, an
English novelist, identified that characters are either flat or round. Flat characters do not
play important roles in the stories. They often have only one or two traits with little
description about them. A flat character may even be a stock character, which is a
stereotypical figure that is easily recognized by readers, for example, the mad
scientist or the evil stepmother. The round characters play an important role,
often the lead roles in stories. They are complex, dimensional, and well-developed.
They often change by going through a life-changing experience as the story unfolds.
When discussing stories with other readers and writers or when writing an analysis of
a story, fictional characters can be described as static or developing. Static means the
character stays the same throughout the story. They do not change. Developing, also
called dynamic, means the character changes.
Setting. Setting is where and when the story takes place. It includes the following:
• The immediate surroundings of the characters such as props in a scene:
trees, furniture, food, inside of a house or car, etc.
• The time of day such as morning, afternoon, or night.
• The weather such as cloudy, sunny, windy, snow, or rain, etc.

2. Setting.
Setting is where and when the story takes place. It includes the following:
• The immediate surroundings of the characters such as props in a scene: trees,
furniture, food, inside of a house or car, etc.
• The time of day such as morning, afternoon, or night.
• The weather such as cloudy, sunny, windy, snow, or rain, etc.

4
LU_CreativeWriting_Module4
• The time of year, particularly
the seasons: fall, winter, summer,
spring.
• The historical period such as
what century or decade the
story takes
place.
• The geographical location
including the city, state, country,
and possibly
even the universe, if the writer is
writing science fiction.
Setting can function as a main
force that the characters encounter,
such as a
tornado or flood, or a setting can
play a minor role such as setting
the mood. Often
times, the setting can reveal
something about the main
character as he/she
functions in that place and time
period.
3. Plot. Plot is the order of events
in the story. The plot usually
follows a particular
structure called Freytag’s Pyramid.
Gustav Freytag, a German
playwright who lived
during the 1800s, identified this
structure.
Freytag’s Pyramid has five parts:
exposition, rising action, climax,
falling
action, and denouement, also
known as resolution. (See Figure
3.1 below.)
Source: Freytag’s Pyramid by
Gustav Freytag, a German
playwright
Exposition is an introduction to the
characters, time, and the problem.
At the point
where exposition moves into rising
action a problem, sometimes called
an inciting
incident, occurs for the main
character to handle or solve. This
creates the beginning
of the story.
Rising action includes the events
that the main character encounters.
Each event,
developed in separate scenes,
makes the problem more complex.
Climax is the turning point in the
story. Usually, it is a single event
with the greatest
intensity and uncertainty. The
main character must contend with
the problem at this
point.
Falling action includes the events
that unfold after the climax. This
usually creates
an emotional response from the
reader.
Denouement or resolution provides
closure to the story. It ties up loose
ends in the
story.
4. Conflict. Conflict is the struggle
between two entities. In story
writing the main
character, also known as the
protagonist, encounters a conflict
with the antagonist.
Following are the different types
of conflict: character vs. character,
character vs.
nature or natural force, character
vs. society or culture, character vs.
machine or technology, character
vs. God, and character vs himself
or herself.
5. Point of View. Stories are
generally told in one of two points
of views: First-
person point of view and Third-
person point of view.
• The time of year, particularly the seasons: fall, winter, summer, spring.
• The historical period such as what century or decade the story takes place.
• The geographical location including the city, state, country, and possible even the
universe, if the writer is writing science fiction.

Setting can function as a main force that the characters encounter, such as a
tornado or flood, or a setting can play a minor role such as setting the mood. Often
times, the setting can reveal something about the main character as he/she
functions in that place and time period.

3. Plot.
Plot is the order of events in the story. The plot usually follows a particular
structure called Freytag’s Pyramid. Gustav Freytag, a German playwright who lived
during the 1800s, identified this structure.
Freytag’s Pyramid has five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, and denouement, also known as resolution.

Exposition is an introduction to the characters, time, and the problem. At the point
where exposition moves into rising action a problem, sometimes called an inciting
incident, occurs for the main character to handle or solve. This creates the beginning
of the story.

Rising action includes the events that the main character encounters. Each event,
developed in separate scenes, makes the problem more complex.

Climax is the turning point in the story. Usually, it is a single event with the greatest
intensity and uncertainty. The main character must contend with the problem at this
point.

Falling action includes the events that unfold after the climax. This usually creates
an emotional response from the reader.
Denouement or resolution provides closure to the story. It ties up loose ends in the
story.

4. Conflict.
Conflict is the struggle between two entities. In story writing the main
character, also known as the protagonist, encounters a conflict with the antagonist.
Following are the different types of conflict: character vs. character, character vs.
nature or natural force, character vs. society or culture, character vs.
machine or technology, character vs. God, and character vs himself or herself.

5. Point of View. Stories are generally told in one of two points of views: First-
person point of view and Third-person point of view.

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LU_CreativeWriting_Module4
• The time of year, particularly
the seasons: fall, winter, summer,
spring.
• The historical period such as
what century or decade the
story takes
place.
• The geographical location
including the city, state, country,
and possibly
even the universe, if the writer is
writing science fiction.
Setting can function as a main
force that the characters encounter,
such as a
tornado or flood, or a setting can
play a minor role such as setting
the mood. Often
times, the setting can reveal
something about the main
character as he/she
functions in that place and time
period.
3. Plot. Plot is the order of events
in the story. The plot usually
follows a particular
structure called Freytag’s Pyramid.
Gustav Freytag, a German
playwright who lived
during the 1800s, identified this
structure.
Freytag’s Pyramid has five parts:
exposition, rising action, climax,
falling
action, and denouement, also
known as resolution.
First-person point of view means
that one of the characters in the
story will narrate–
give an account–of the story.
The narrator may be the
protagonist, the main
character. Writing in first-person
point of view brings the readers
closer to the story.
They can read it as if they are the
character because personal
pronouns like I, me,
my, we, us, and us are used. Third-
person point of view means that
the narrator is
not in the story. The third-person
narrator is not a character. Third-
person point of
view can be done two ways:
Third-person limited and Third-
person omniscient.
Third-person limited means that
the narrator limits him/herself by
being able to
be in one character’s thoughts.
Whereas, third-person omniscient
means the
narrator has unlimited ability to be
in various character’s thoughts.
Writing in third-
person point of view removes
readers from the story because of
the pronouns he, she,
it, him, her, his, hers, they, them,
and theirs.
6. Theme.A theme is not the plot
of the story. It is the underlying
truth that is being
conveyed in the story. Themes can
be universal, meaning they are
understood by
readers no matter what culture
or country the readers are in.
Common themes
include coming of age, circle of
life, prejudice, greed, good vs. evil,
beating the odds,
etc.
II. TECHNIQUES AND
DEVICES OF FICTION
1. Mood is a literary element
that evokes certain feelings or
vibes in readers
through words and descriptions.
Usually, mood is referred to as the
atmosphere
of a literary piece, as it creates an
emotional setting that surrounds
the readers.
The mood of fiction may be
developed through the following
elements.
 a. Setting. A particular

setting not only provides

background and context to

the contents of one’s story but also
sets the mood of the reader.
Example:

Charles Dickens

effectively created a calm and

peaceful mood in the setting.

“The river, reflecting the clear blue
of the sky, glistened and sparkled
as it
flowed noiselessly on”. (Pickwick
Papers (1836.
b. Point of View. The story is
observed through the narrator’s
eyes.
Accordingly, the readers always
rely on the writer’s point of view
of the events taking
place in a story.
Example:
“It would have been difficult to
sink to a lower ebb of disorder,
but to
Raskolnikov, in his present state of
mind, this was positively
agreeable. He had got
completely away from everyone
like a tortoise in its shell, and even
the sight of a
servant girl who had to wait
upon him and sometimes into
his room made him
writhe with nervous irritation.
He was in the condition that
overtakes some
monomaniacs entirely sending
him in meals, and he had not
yet thought of
expostulating with het, though he
went without his dinner. Nastasya,
the cook and
only servant, was rather pleased
at the lodger’s mood and had
entirely given up
sweeping and doing his room; only
once a week or so she would stray
into his room
with a broom. She waked him up
that day.”
- Crime and Punishment
(1866). Fyodor Dostoevsky
c. Diction refers to the authors
choice of words. When describing
the events
of her story, an author never has
just one word at her disposal.
Example: Imagine that a child in a
story comes home from school and
tells his parents about his day.
Tommy made fun of me, so I
nicked his eye with a stick.
Tommy made fun of me, so I
poked his eye with a stick.
First-person point of view means that one of the characters in the story will narrate–give
an account–of the story. The narrator may be the protagonist, the main
character. Writing in first-person point of view brings the readers closer to the story.
They can read it as if they are the character because personal pronouns like I, me, my,
we, us, and us are used. Third-person point of view means that the narrator is not in the
story. The third-person narrator is not a character. Third-person point of view can be
done two ways: Third-person limited and Third-person omniscient. Third-person
limited means that the narrator limits him/herself by being able to be in one
character’s thoughts. Whereas, third-person omniscient means the narrator has
unlimited ability to be in various character’s thoughts. Writing in third-person point of
view removes readers from the story because of the pronouns he, she, it, him, her, his,
hers, they, them, and theirs.

6. Theme.
A theme is not the plot of the story. It is the underlying truth that is being conveyed in
the story. Themes can be universal, meaning they are understood by readers no
matter what culture or country the readers are in. Common themes include
coming of age, circle of life, prejudice, greed, good vs. evil, beating the odds, etc.

II. TECHNIQUES AND DEVICES OF FICTION

1. Mood is a literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers
through words and descriptions. Usually, mood is referred to as the atmosphere of a
literary piece, as it creates an emotional setting that surrounds the readers. The mood
of fiction may be developed through the following elements.

a. Setting. A particular setting not only provides background and context to the contents
of one’s story but also sets the mood of the reader. Example: Charles Dickens
effectively created a calm and peaceful mood in the setting. “The river, reflecting the
clear blue of the sky, glistened and sparkled as it flowed noiselessly on”. (Pickwick
Papers (1836.

b. Point of View. The story is observed through the narrator’s eyes.

Accordingly, the readers always rely on the writer’s point of view of the events taking
place in a story. Example: “It would have been difficult to sink to a lower ebb of
disorder, but to Raskolnikov, in his present state of mind, this was positively agreeable.
He had got completely away from everyone like a tortoise in its shell, and even the sight
of a servant girl who had to wait upon him and sometimes into his room made
him writhe with nervous irritation. He was in the condition that overtakes some
monomaniacs entirely sending him in meals, and he had not yet thought of
expostulating with het, though he went without his dinner. Nastasya, the cook and only
servant, was rather pleased at the lodger’s mood and had entirely given up
sweeping and doing his room; only once a week or so she would stray into his room
with a broom. She waked him up that day.” - Crime and Punishment (1866). Fyodor
Dostoevsky

c. Diction refers to the authors choice of words. When describing the events of her
story, an author never has just one word at her disposal. Example: Imagine that a child
in a story comes home from school and tells his parents about his day. Tommy made
fun of me, so I nicked his eye with a stick. Tommy made fun of me, so I poked his eye
with a stick.

4
LU_CreativeWriting_Module4
• The time of year, particularly the seasons: fall, winter, summer, spring.
• The historical period such as what century or decade the story takes
place.
• The geographical location including the city, state, country, and possibly
even the universe, if the writer is writing science fiction.
Setting can function as a main force that the characters encounter, such as a
tornado or flood, or a setting can play a minor role such as setting the mood. Often
times, the setting can reveal something about the main character as he/she
functions in that place and time period.
3. Plot. Plot is the order of events in the story. The plot usually follows a particular
structure called Freytag’s Pyramid. Gustav Freytag, a German playwright who lived
during the 1800s, identified this structure.
Freytag’s Pyramid has five parts: exposition, rising action, climax, falling
action, and denouement, also known as resolution.
The words nicked and poked
have similar denotative meanings
but
notice how an author’s choosing
one or the other would
drastically
affect how we understand how
well Tommy fared.
2.Allusion. An allusion is when an
author refers to the events or
characters from
another story in her own story with
the hopes that those events will
add context or
depth to the story she's trying to
tell.
 Example:
One of the most alluded to texts in
literature is the Bible, and
specifically the
New Testament. Here is an
allusion that a writer might make
to the Biblical story of
Lazarus, who famously rose from
the dead. Notice how using the
allusion below:
Night after night our
hero lay in bed with the flu,
hacking mucus and
blood and seeing behind his
eyelids the angels or devils come
to collect him. But one
morning, like Lazarus, he was
whole again.
3. Epigraph. A reference to
another work that an author
hopes will help readers
understand her own work. Unlike
an allusion, an epigraph stands
apart from the
text itself rather than being
included in it.
Example:
The epigraph is from Dante's
Inferno, and is meant to help
Eliot's reader
understand that the poem that
follows is a kind of confession.
If I but thought that my response
was made
to one perhaps returning to the
world,
this tongue of flame would cease
to flicker.
But since, up from these depths, no
one has yet returned alive, if
what I hear is true,
I answer without fear of being
shame
4. Euphemism. A writer wishes to
describe some graphic or offensive
event using
milder imagery or phrasing. When
an author does this, it's called a
euphemism.
Example:
Imagine that a sports broadcaster
calling the action in a baseball
game has to
say into the microphone that a
player has just been struck in the
genitalia
with a line drive. Obviously in the
interests of taste, he doesn't wish to
say
'genitalia' on the air, and so instead
he says
'…it's a line drive up the middle
and, oh my goodness, ladies and
gentlemen,
he seems to have taken one below
the belt…
5. Foreshadowing. When an author
hints at the ending of or at an
upcoming event
in her story without fully divulging
it.
Example:
At the end of Ernest
Hemingway's famous novel, A
Farewell to Arms, a key
character dies while it's raining. To
hint at that death, Hemingway
earlier in
the book includes a scene where
the character admits that she is
afraid of the
rain because sometimes she sees
herself dead in it.
6. Imagery. When an author
chooses words for their
connotative associations, she
chooses sensory details for the
associations or tones they evoke.
This is the author's
selection of imagery.
The words nicked and poked have similar denotative meanings but notice how
an author’s choosing one or the other would drastically affect how we understand
how well Tommy fared.
2.Allusion.
An allusion is when an author refers to the events or characters from another story in
her own story with the hopes that those events will add context or depth to the story
she's trying to tell. Example: One of the most alluded to texts in literature is the
Bible, and specifically the New Testament. Here is an allusion that a writer might make
to the Biblical story of Lazarus, who famously rose from the dead. Notice how using
the allusion below: Night after night our hero lay in bed with the flu,
hacking mucus and blood and seeing behind his eyelids the angels or devils come to
collect him. But one morning, like Lazarus, he was whole again.
3. Epigraph. A reference to another work that an author hopes will help readers
understand her own work. Unlike an allusion, an epigraph stands apart from the text
itself rather than being included in it. Example: The epigraph is from Dante's Inferno,
and is meant to help Eliot's reader understand that the poem that follows is a kind of
confession. If I but thought that my response was made to one perhaps returning to
the world, this tongue of flame would cease to flicker. But since, up from these depths,
no one has yet returned alive, if what I hear is true, I answer without fear of being
shame
4. Euphemism. A writer wishes to describe some graphic or offensive event using
milder imagery or phrasing. When an author does this, it's called a euphemism.
Example: Imagine that a sports broadcaster calling the action in a baseball game has to
say into the microphone that a player has just been struck in the genitalia with a line
drive. Obviously in the interests of taste, he doesn't wish to say 'genitalia' on the air, and
so instead he says '…it's a line drive up the middle and, oh my goodness, ladies and
gentlemen, he seems to have taken one below the belt…
5. Foreshadowing. When an author hints at the ending of or at an upcoming event in
her story without fully divulging it. Example: At the end of Ernest Hemingway's
famous novel, A Farewell to Arms, a key character dies while it's raining. To hint at that
death, Hemingway earlier in the book includes a scene where the character admits that
she is afraid of the rain because sometimes she sees herself dead in it. 6. Imagery.
When an author chooses words for their connotative associations, she chooses sensory
details for the associations or tones they evoke. This is the author's selection of
imagery.

Example:
In Theodore Roethke's famous
poem, 'My Papa's Waltz,' we see a
young boy
dance with his drunken father. It's
a happy memory for the boy, but
also the
poem hints at the father's
dangerous condition. One of the
ways Roethke
achieves this is through his
selection of imagery. Consider the
first stanza
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
While there are several
examples of imagery here, think
specifically about
Roethke's choice of 'whiskey' as
the alcohol the father is drinking
7. Metaphor. When attempting to
describe an image or event, an
author often will
find it useful to compare what
she's describing to another image
or event. This is
called metaphor, and it gives
the reader a fresh, sometimes
startling way of
imagining what's going on.
Example:
In Andrew Marvell's famous
poem, 'To His Coy Mistress,' the
speaker uses
the following metaphor to describe
his fear of pending death.
But at my back I always hear
time's winged chariot hurrying
near
8. Tone. It is the attitude you, as
the writer assume toward the
theme or subjects
of the story. The manner of how
you tell the story, how you
presented its theme, or
how you approached a particular
subject shows the tone of your
work. Tone can be
any attitude, such as formal,
informal, serious, comic, sarcastic,
sad, or cheerful.
Example:
“Thus, the young and pure would
be taught to look at her, with the
scarlet
letter framing on her breast, - at
her, the child of honorable
parents, -
at her, the mother of a babe, that
would hereafter be a woman, - at
her, who had once been innocent, -
as the figure, the body, the reality
of sin.”
The Scarlet Letter
(1850), Nathaniel Hawthorne
9. Symbolism and Motif
Symbolism gives the writer the
freedom to add double
levels of meanings in fiction: a
literal one that is self- evident and
the symbolic one
whose meaning is far more
profound than the literal one.
Motif. It can be seen as an image,
sound, action or other figures that
have a
symbolic significance and
contribute toward other figures
that have a symbolic
significance and contribute toward
the development of the theme.
Example:
“When trying to use the motif
of “light and darkness”, symbols
may be
employed to signify and carry the
thought of the said motif
throughout the story.”
Example:
In Theodore Roethke's famous
poem, 'My Papa's Waltz,' we see a
young boy
dance with his drunken father. It's
a happy memory for the boy, but
also the
poem hints at the father's
dangerous condition. One of the
ways Roethke
achieves this is through his
selection of imagery. Consider the
first stanza
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
While there are several
examples of imagery here, think
specifically about
Roethke's choice of 'whiskey' as
the alcohol the father is drinking
7. Metaphor. When attempting to
describe an image or event, an
author often will
find it useful to compare what
she's describing to another image
or event. This is
called metaphor, and it gives
the reader a fresh, sometimes
startling way of
imagining what's going on.
Example:
In Andrew Marvell's famous
poem, 'To His Coy Mistress,' the
speaker uses
the following metaphor to describe
his fear of pending death.
But at my back I always hear
time's winged chariot hurrying
near
8. Tone. It is the attitude you, as
the writer assume toward the
theme or subjects
of the story. The manner of how
you tell the story, how you
presented its theme, or
how you approached a particular
subject shows the tone of your
work. Tone can be
any attitude, such as formal,
informal, serious, comic, sarcastic,
sad, or cheerful.
Example:
“Thus, the young and pure would
be taught to look at her, with the
scarlet
letter framing on her breast, - at
her, the child of honorable
parents, -
at her, the mother of a babe, that
would hereafter be a woman, - at
her, who had once been innocent, -
as the figure, the body, the reality
of sin.”
The Scarlet Letter
(1850), Nathaniel Hawthorne
9. Symbolism and Motif
Symbolism gives the writer the
freedom to add double
levels of meanings in fiction: a
literal one that is self- evident and
the symbolic one
whose meaning is far more
profound than the literal one.
Motif. It can be seen as an image,
sound, action or other figures that
have a
symbolic significance and
contribute toward other figures
that have a symbolic
significance and contribute toward
the development of the theme.
Example:
“When trying to use the motif
of “light and darkness”, symbols
may be
employed to signify and carry the
thought of the said motif
throughout the story.”
Example:
In Theodore Roethke's famous
poem, 'My Papa's Waltz,' we see a
young boy
dance with his drunken father. It's
a happy memory for the boy, but
also the
poem hints at the father's
dangerous condition. One of the
ways Roethke
achieves this is through his
selection of imagery. Consider the
first stanza
The whiskey on your breath
Could make a small boy dizzy;
But I hung on like death:
Such waltzing was not easy.
While there are several
examples of imagery here, think
specifically about
Roethke's choice of 'whiskey' as
the alcohol the father is drinking
7. Metaphor. When attempting to
describe an image or event, an
author often will
find it useful to compare what
she's describing to another image
or event. This is
called metaphor, and it gives
the reader a fresh, sometimes
startling way of
imagining what's going on.
Example:
In Andrew Marvell's famous
poem, 'To His Coy Mistress,' the
speaker uses
the following metaphor to describe
his fear of pending death.
But at my back I always hear
time's winged chariot hurrying
near
8. Tone. It is the attitude you, as
the writer assume toward the
theme or subjects
of the story. The manner of how
you tell the story, how you
presented its theme, or
how you approached a particular
subject shows the tone of your
work. Tone can be
any attitude, such as formal,
informal, serious, comic, sarcastic,
sad, or cheerful.
Example:
“Thus, the young and pure would
be taught to look at her, with the
scarlet
letter framing on her breast, - at
her, the child of honorable
parents, -
at her, the mother of a babe, that
would hereafter be a woman, - at
her, who had once been innocent, -
as the figure, the body, the reality
of sin.”
The Scarlet Letter
(1850), Nathaniel Hawthorne
9. Symbolism and Motif
Symbolism gives the writer the
freedom to add double
levels of meanings in fiction: a
literal one that is self- evident and
the symbolic one
whose meaning is far more
profound than the literal one.
Motif. It can be seen as an image,
sound, action or other figures that
have a
symbolic significance and
contribute toward other figures
that have a symbolic
significance and contribute toward
the development of the theme.
Example:
“When trying to use the motif
of “light and darkness”, symbols
may be
employed to signify and carry the
thought of the said motif
throughout the story.”
Example: In Theodore Roethke's famous poem, 'My Papa's Waltz,' we see a young boy
dance with his drunken father. It's a happy memory for the boy, but also the poem hints
at the father's dangerous condition. One of the ways Roethke achieves this is through
his selection of imagery. Consider the first stanza The whiskey on your breath Could
make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. While
there are several examples of imagery here, think specifically about Roethke's
choice of 'whiskey' as the alcohol the father is drinking
7. Metaphor. When attempting to describe an image or event, an author often will find it
useful to compare what she's describing to another image or event. This is called
metaphor, and it gives the reader a fresh, sometimes startling way of imagining
what's going on. Example: In Andrew Marvell's famous poem, 'To His Coy Mistress,'
the speaker uses the following metaphor to describe his fear of pending death. But at
my back I always hear time's winged chariot hurrying near
8. Tone. It is the attitude you, as the writer assume toward the theme or subjects of the
story. The manner of how you tell the story, how you presented its theme, or how you
approached a particular subject shows the tone of your work. Tone can be any attitude,
such as formal, informal, serious, comic, sarcastic, sad, or cheerful. Example: “Thus,
the young and pure would be taught to look at her, with the scarlet letter framing on her
breast, - at her, the child of honorable parents, - at her, the mother of a babe, that
would hereafter be a woman, - at her, who had once been innocent, - as the figure, the
body, the reality of sin.” The Scarlet Letter (1850), Nathaniel
Hawthorne
9. Symbolism and Motif Symbolism gives the writer the freedom to add double levels
of meanings in fiction: a literal one that is self- evident and the symbolic one whose
meaning is far more profound than the literal one. Motif. It can be seen as an image,
sound, action or other figures that have a symbolic significance and contribute toward
other figures that have a symbolic significance and contribute toward the
development of the theme. Example: “When trying to use the motif of “light and
darkness”, symbols may be employed to signify and carry the thought of the said motif
throughout the story.”
Symbolism Possible Meaning How It Carries the Motif
Storm clouds Imminent Hunger / Darkness Guide Shades of
Problem Temporary light and darkness
Moon shadows Guide Shades of light and
darkness

II. JOURNAL WRITING

Journal writing is the process of
recording personal insights,
reflections and
questions on assigned or
personal topics. Journal projects
assigned in class may
include your thoughts about daily
experiences, reading assignments,
current events
or science experiments. Journal
entries are a form of reflective
writing, in that you
can use them to consider and
respond to something you have
read or learned.
Journal writing can also provide
you with the opportunity to
• Become more confident about
writing
• Broaden your perspective
about topics
• Gather material for later essays
• Identify progress in writing
• Overcome writing blocks
• Spend more time on self-
reflection
• Write without fear of critic
II. JOURNAL WRITING
Journal writing is the process of recording personal insights, reflections and questions
on assigned or personal topics. Journal projects assigned in class may include
your thoughts about daily experiences, reading assignments, current events or science
experiments. Journal entries are a form of reflective writing, in that you can use them to
consider and respond to something you have read or learned. Journal writing can also
provide you with the opportunity to
• Become more confident about writing
• Broaden your perspective about topics
• Gather material for later essays
• Identify progress in writing
• Overcome writing blocks
• Spend more time on self-reflection
• Write without fear of critic

ACTIVITY 1:
Directions: Fill in the blanks. Read and analyze the following statements and write the
correct answer in a separate sheet of paper.
1.Setting is best described as the _____________ in the story.
A. Place where the story happens
B. The angle from which the author tells the story
C. The angle from which the author tells the epilogue of the story.
D. The angle from which the author tells the prologue of the story.

2.Imagery is indeed a contributory factor to make the story more interesting and
pleasing to readers’ mind.
A. Statement is false. B. Statement is illogical.
C. Statement is correct D. Statement is erroneous.

3. The main character around whose life or experience the story revolves
A. Antagonist B. Protagonist
C. Static D. Villain
 4. A literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and
descriptions.
A. Character B. Mood
C. Setting D. Theme

5. Gives the writer the freedom to add double levels of meanings in fiction: a literal one
that is self- evident and the symbolic one whose meaning is far more profound than the
literal one)
A. Conflict B. Irony
C. Mood D. Symbolism
6.As conflicts create contraindication, events in the story may appear to be radically
different from what they actually are.
A. Character B.
C. Plot D. Symbol
7.The sequence of action and events in the story.
A. Epigraph B. Metaphor
C. Plot D. Theme
8.When an author refers to the events or characters from another story in her own story
with the hopes that those events will add context or depth to the story she's trying to tell.
A. Allusion B. Conflict
C. Denouement D. Metaphor
9.The writer’s choice of words.
A. Diction B. Euphemism
C. Jargon D. Metaphor

10.The meaty part of the story.

A. Irony B. Jargon
C. Metaphor D. Plot

11. The place where the story happens.

 A. Character B. Irony
C. Plot D. Setting

12. The process of recording personal insights.

A. Character B. Journal
C. Memoir D. Journal Writing

13. The struggle between two opposing forces.

A. Conflict B. Plot
C. Point of View D. Setting

14. It is a form of reflective writing.

A. Blog B. Diary
C. Journal D. Journal Writing

15. An object used to represent another idea.

A. Irony B. Plot
C. Setting D. Symbol

Answer Key
Jumpstart Activity 1
1. /
2. X
3. /
4. /
5. X
6. X
7. /
8. /
9. /
Jumpstart Activity 2
1.Character
2.Setting
3.Theme
4.Symbol
5.Symbol
6. Character
7.Symbol
8.Setting
9.Symbol
10. Character
Gauge
1. A
2. A
3. B
4. B
5. D
6. B
7. C
8. A
9. A
10. D
11. D
12. D
13. A
14. D
15. D
Symbolism
Possible Meaning
How It Carries the Motif
Storm clouds
Imminent Hunger /
Problem
Temporary Darkness
Moon shadows
Guide
Shades of light and
darkness