THE ELEMENTS OF FICTION

AN OVERVIEW

Cindy Cruz-CabreraAbout.me/cindycruzcabrera / en.gravatar.com/cindycatz

Types of Literature: The Genres1. Prose fiction (narrative fiction)

Novels Short stories Myths Parables Romances Epics

2. Poetry

3. Drama

4. Non-fiction Narratives

Elements of Fiction

A basis in realism (“versimilitude”) Even fantasy is derived from a

perception of life and action that is ultimately real.

Art imitates life. Life imitates art.

Fiction

Original meaning: “Anything made up, crafted, or shaped.”

The essence of fiction: NARRATION Modern fiction: HUMAN NATURE Complex motives The psychological and highly individual NOVEL vs. SHORT STORY

Elements of Fiction

Levels of reality Postulate (given premise) Symbolic Miraculous Possible future Behavior Alternate reality

They remain stories about characters you find in real life.

Character

Protagonist Antagonist Flat Round Dynamic Stock Foil Sidekick

CharacterDESIRE A character is someone who wants, and

that’s what a character is. The nature of one’s desire determines

the nature of his morality. Deep desire and immediate desire. __(name) __ is a __(adjective)__- _____

year old (noun) who wants _______________.

Desire >>> Goal >>> Action

CharacterVOICE, ACTION, THOUGHT the point of view of the character Words, actions and things, which can be

seen and heard, express and reveal character and feeling that can neither be seen nor heard.

What a character says vs. what a character does

What is expressed voluntarily and involuntarily

DISCOVERY and DECISION

Character

Appearance, speech, action, and thought CONFLICT

Thought is most frequently at odds with one or more of the other three.

Mannerisms Small acts that betray feelings

Setting Place and time of a story The natural or artificial scenery or

environment in which characters in literature live and move.

Period in history Geographic location Characteristics Climate Political, social, and /or historical context Mood / atmosphere

Types of Settings

Natural Nature itself is seen as a force that

shapes action and therefore directs and redirects lives.

A deep wood An open road A lake A mountain top

Types of Settings

Manufactured Manufactured things always reflect the

people who made them, live in them, and ultimately the social and political orders that maintain conditions.

A building A richly decorated house

Point of View Who is standing where to watch the

scene? Voice of the teller, intended listener,

distance or closeness of both action and diction

First person Central narrator Peripheral narrator Stream of consciousness

Point of ViewSecond person

Third person Omniscient Limited omniscient Objective Dramatic

Is the narrator reliable? Can you trust the narrator?

Plot

The interrelationship of incidents and characters within a total design is the plot of the story.

A series of lifelike actions or incidents which in total make up the story

A map, scheme or blueprint

Plot

Development and resolution of a conflict in which a PROTAGONIST is engaged in a struggle of some sort, which is directed at an ANTAGONIST.

A pattern of cause and effect that can be traced in a sequence or chronology

Structure The way the plot is assembled Direct chronological order Out-of-sequence events Circular time Remembrances / flashbacks Overheard conversations Speeches Fragments of letters ETC.

Dialogue

Conversation

Language of dialogue indicates: Intelligence Articulateness Educational levels Emotional states Limited or disadvantaged background Regional location Jargon Cliché Private, intimate expressions show closeness.

Tension The suspense, anxiety, nervousness,

strain, urgency, excitement, or fear that grips us as we read.

The careful planting of questions in the reader’s mind.

What hooks readers of any age and keeps them turning pages

The presence of conflict The driving force – it propels the plot and

grabs the reader’s interest

Elements for Creating Tension Outer goal

The stated character’s objective The outer goal is resolved in the climax

Inner desire Exists alongside the outer goal May be consistent or at odds with the outer goal A character may or may not be aware of this

External conflict Comes from obstacles between characters and

their goals Source may be environment or other characters

Elements for Creating Tension Internal conflict

Comes from the obstacles characters create for themselves through self-sabotage or an incompatibility between the outer goal and inner desire.

Stakes Characters at risk of losing something of

great significance to them if their goals or desires aren’t met

Stakes increase as when protagonists near their goals

References

Roberts, Edgar V. and Jacobs, Henry E. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Eagleton Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1986.

Burroway, Janet. Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft. New York: Longman, 2003.

Peterson, Ralph and Eeds, Maryann. Grand Conversations. Ontario: Scholastic, 1990.

References

http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/tension.html

http://www.absolutewrite.com/novels/tension.htm

http://suite101.com/article/how-to-build-tension-in-fiction-a83387

http://andreajwenger.com/2011/07/08/five-key-elements-to-creating-tension-in-fiction/