ELEMENTS OF A STORYMr. Miranda ELA 7

5 Elements of a Story

Plot

Theme

Characters

Setting

Conflict

PLOT

In the PLOT, there are 5 stages: Exposition Rising Action Climax Falling Action Resolution/conclusion

PLOT - EXPOSITION

The beginning of the story where characters, situations, and conflicts are introduced

PLOT – RISING ACTION

This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed.

PLOT - CLIMAX

This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story.

PLOT - FALLING ACTION

The events and complications begin to resolve themselves.

what might happen as a result of the climax

PLOT – RESOLUTION

The part of the plot that concludes the falling action by revealing or suggesting the outcome of the conflict.

PLOT DIAGRAM

THEME

The theme is the life lesson of the story or the author’s message.

When you think of theme, think…

THE MESSAGE

THEME

The theme is not a word, it is a sentence.

EXAMPLES: Money can’t buy happiness. Don’t judge people based on the

surface.

THEME

With the exception of fables, the author will not tell readers what the theme or lesson of the story is.

Themes are not explicit (clearly stated)

Themes are implied (suggested but not directly expressed)

THEME

Find the “BIG IDEA”

Think beyond the small world elements of the story to extract the big world lesson of the theme

THEME

LET’S PRACTICE:

Tim hated his old baseball glove. He wanted to play with a new glove, but he didn’t have any money, so he decided to steal it. But when Tim got caught stealing the glove, his parents said he couldn’t play baseball all summer.

DON’T WRITE

CHARACTERS

You can learn a lot about a character in a story through direct and indirect characterization.

DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

Narrator explicitly describes a character.

EXAMPLE: Tom struggled in school but tried hard. Pam was lazy but learned quickly.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

Character traits are revealed through actions. They are implicit (not clearly stated; implied).

EXAMPLE: Jamie left the pizza crust on her floor. Michael helped old Ms. Jones with her

bags.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

Characters can reveal their personality through: Actions Thoughts Dialogue, speech Appearance Effect on others characters; how other

characters treat them

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

EXAMPLE:

Mr. Morton was teaching the students about characterizations. Sergio let out a big yawn. “Indirect Characterizations are implied, not explicitly stated,” said Mr. Morton.

Sergio is bored or tired.

Ex: He yawned, which shows he’s tired.

INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION

EXAMPLE:

After class, Sofia asked Dana a question, “I’m sorry, Dana, but my little brother was sick and my parents made me stay home and watch him yesterday. Can I see your reading notes?” Dana huffed and rolled her eyes. She replied to Sofia, “Uh, I don’t know where they are right now.”

Dana is rude, uncaring, and unhelpful.

Ex: Sofia asks Dana for something reasonable. Rather than politely declining, Dana does a bunch of rude things.

SETTING

The setting includes the moment in time and geographic location in which a story takes place and helps start the main backdrop and mood for a story.

Setting affects the story with mood, meaning, and thematic connotation

SETTING

Place might include such things as a city, state, country, castle, cottage, playground, ship, mountain, or stadium.

Time might include clues that let us know it is the afternoon, evening, the future, colonial times, or clock time.

Environment might include details that describe the weather, the noise level, or darkness.

SETTING

EXIT SLIP DIRECTIONS:

Take out a half-sheet of paper and write your name, date and period on the top right corner.

Answer the 3 questions below in complete sentences. Submit your answers before you leave the classroom.

1. Describe the setting in Hero – from beginning to the end?

2. How does the setting affect the conflict in the story? Give examples from Hero.

3. How does light and color impact the mood of the setting?

CONFLICT

Conflict is essential to plot. Without conflict there is no plot. It is the opposition of forces which ties one incident to another and makes the plot move.

Within a short story there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

CONFLICT

There are two types of conflict:

1) External - A struggle with a force outside one's self.

2) Internal - A struggle within one's self; a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

CONFLICT

There are four kinds of conflict:

1) Man vs. Man (physical) - The leading character struggles with his physical strength against other men, forces of nature, or animals.

2) Man vs. Circumstances (classical) - The leading character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing him/her.

3) Man vs. Society (social) - The leading character struggles against ideas, practices, or customs of other people.

4) Man vs. Himself/Herself (psychological) - The leading character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.

(Continued)

CONFLICT

CONFLICT