The Elements of Fiction

Plot
Character
Setting
Point of view
Conflict
Symbols
Theme
© Laura Torres 2011
The Elements of Fiction
Just as an artist uses different colors, textures and
tools to create art, a writer uses the elements of
fiction to create a literary work of art.

There are many different

tools a writer can use,
but the basics are plot,
character, setting, point
of view, conflict, symbols
and theme.
© Laura Torres 2011
Plot
Plot is the series of events, or structure, of the
story. It answers the question, “what happens?”
The plot always involves some kind of conflict.

© Laura Torres 2011

Character
Characters are your actors in the story. They
can be round (true-to-life), dynamic (experience
change), flat (shallow and undeveloped), or static
(do not experience change). In general, you will
have a protagonist
(main character) and
an antagonist (character
who is an adversary for
the protagonist).

© Laura Torres 2011

Setting
The setting is where the story takes place, and
also when. The physical place can be as broad as
a cross country trip or as narrow as a single
room. The chronological setting can be a fixed
moment in time or span many years.

© Laura Torres 2011

Point of View
Point of view is the
perspective from
which the story is
told. The three most
common points of
view are omniscient (third person – author
telling the story), limited omniscient (third
person – a character telling the story) and first
person (from the perspective of a single
character using “I”).

© Laura Torres 2011

Conflict
A conflict can be internal or
external. External conflict can be
person vs. person, person vs.
nature, or person vs. society.
Internal conflict is a person
against him or herself.

© Laura Torres 2011

Symbols
A symbol is something that represents
something else. For example, an open door
might represent opportunity, or a red rose
might symbolize love.

© Laura Torres 2011

Theme
A theme is the main idea or message of the
story. It is not simply a topic. For example,
“love” is a topic; “love overcomes all” is a
theme. “Overcoming obstacles” is a topic. “It is
possible to overcome obstacles with positive
thinking” is a theme.
Not all stories have
positive themes. Don’t
confuse a theme
with a “moral,” which
implies something positive.
© Laura Torres 2011
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© Laura Torres 2012

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© Laura Torres 2011