Elements of Fiction

Setting- the time and place

• Integral- settings are key to a story, it

affects the plot

• Background- settings are simply a

backdrop for the action
 -Character-
• Traits- personal qualities of a
character
Example: friendly, suspicious, selfish,
rude depressed. Developed through
a character’s speech, actions, or
thoughts
Main Characters- these characters play a major
role in the story
• Protagonist- The main
character in a story, around
whom the events of the story’s
plot revolve.
• Antagonist- A character or
group of characters that
represent opposition to the
main character of a story
Minor Characters- these characters play a small
role in the story
 Plot- What happens in the
story, the nuts and bolts
Five Parts of plot
• 1.Introduction- The Beginning,
Characters, Setting & Problem laid out
• 2.Rising Action- Complications arise with
the problem, The Plot Thickens!
• 3.Climax- Highest point of
interest/suspense, a.k.a. the Turning Point,
the outcome is decided
• 4. Falling Actions- events that follow the
climax and end in resolution
• 5.Resolution- The ending, loose ends are
tied up, everything comes together
• Elements of Fiction
• A – Characters – who is in the story
• B – Setting – where and when the story takes place
• C –Conflict – problem
• D – Rising Action – story gets better (most of plot fits here)
• E – Climax – Highest point of interest in the story
• F – Falling Action – events that follow the climax and end in
resolution
• G – Resolution – solution to the problem
 Plot Continued

• Conflict- The problem, there are four different

types, a story may have more than one.

– 1. Character v. Character – External Conflict

– 2. Character v. Nature – External Conflict
– 3. Character v. Society – External Conflict
– 4. Character v. Self – Internal Conflict
 Style- How the author writes,
the techniques they use to write

• Foreshadowing- A hint to the

future, a change in setting Point of View (POV)- Who is telling
the story, three different types

• Flashback- A brief return to • First Person- Told by someone IN the

the past, a change in setting story, uses “I” and “me”
• Third Person Limited- Told by a
narrator, OUTSIDE the story, the
• Suspense- A feeling of tension narrator only knows thoughts of one
character, uses the pronouns “he”,
the author creates “she”, and “they”
• Third Person Omniscient- Told by a
narrator OUTSIDE the story, the narrator
knows what all characters are thinking,
narrator is all knowing (om=all), uses the
pronouns “he”, “she”, or “they”
 Theme-
• The message about life that author is trying
to express (moral) it is a statement
• complete thought, not one word! “Love” is a
message, but “love heals all wounds” is a theme
 Authors Purpose

• An author writes for many reasons. An author may give you facts
or true information about a subject. Some authors write fiction stories
or stories that are not true. They write these stories to entertain you.
Other authors may write to persuade or to try to get you to do
something.