The Elements of FictionThe Elements of Fiction

SettingSetting• The setting is where the story takes place.The setting is where the story takes place.

• There are four types of settingThere are four types of setting– Geographical LocationGeographical Location ( i.e. West Palm Beach, ( i.e. West Palm Beach,

Florida, United States)Florida, United States)– Time PeriodTime Period (i.e. during the Iraq War, 2007, yesterday) (i.e. during the Iraq War, 2007, yesterday)– Socio-Economic CharacteristicsSocio-Economic Characteristics (i.e. upper class (i.e. upper class

suburbs, depression, housing project)suburbs, depression, housing project)– Specific Location, Room, Place, etcSpecific Location, Room, Place, etc (ie Cardinal (ie Cardinal

Newman High School, room 214, the gym, City Place)Newman High School, room 214, the gym, City Place)

SettingSetting• Setting can be used to tell readers about Setting can be used to tell readers about

characters:characters:““The shack was made of the tough bud shields of the The shack was made of the tough bud shields of the royal palm…and in it there was a bed, a table, one chair, royal palm…and in it there was a bed, a table, one chair, and a place on the dirt floor to cook with charcoal” and a place on the dirt floor to cook with charcoal” (Hemingway, 15).(Hemingway, 15).

• Setting can be used to set the atmosphere of the Setting can be used to set the atmosphere of the story:story:

““During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone through a singularly dreary tract of country” (Poe, 215).through a singularly dreary tract of country” (Poe, 215).

CharactersCharacters

• The people appearing in a literary work.The people appearing in a literary work.

• There are four types of characters:There are four types of characters:– Round CharactersRound Characters are convincing and true to life. are convincing and true to life.

They have different, sometimes contradictory They have different, sometimes contradictory personality traits.personality traits.

– Flat Characters Flat Characters are stereotypes, shallow, and often are stereotypes, shallow, and often symbolic. They have only one or two traits.symbolic. They have only one or two traits.

– Dynamic CharactersDynamic Characters undergo some type of change or undergo some type of change or development due to an event in the story.development due to an event in the story.

– Static CharactersStatic Characters do not change or evolve as the story do not change or evolve as the story progresses. progresses.

CharactersCharacters

• Protagonist-Protagonist- the main character in a literary the main character in a literary work (i.e. Santiago in work (i.e. Santiago in The Old Man and the The Old Man and the SeaSea).).

• Antagonist- Antagonist- the character who opposes the the character who opposes the protagonist (i.e. the marlin in protagonist (i.e. the marlin in The Old Man The Old Man and the Seaand the Sea).).

CharacterizationCharacterization• CharacterizationCharacterization refers to the techniques that a refers to the techniques that a

writer uses to develop characters.writer uses to develop characters.

• There are two types of characterization:There are two types of characterization:

– Direct Characterization: Direct Characterization: the author develops the author develops the character’s personality through direct the character’s personality through direct comments about a character’s nature. For comments about a character’s nature. For example, Hemingway notes, “His hope and his example, Hemingway notes, “His hope and his confidence had never gone. But now they were confidence had never gone. But now they were freshening as when the breeze rises” (13).freshening as when the breeze rises” (13).

CharacterizationCharacterization

• Indirect Characterization Indirect Characterization reveals a character's reveals a character's personality through:personality through:– Physical descriptionPhysical description. To illustrate, . To illustrate,

Hemingway describes Santiago’s Hemingway describes Santiago’s relentlessness, “Everything about him was old relentlessness, “Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated” as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated” (10).(10).

CharacterizationCharacterization

• Indirect Characterization Indirect Characterization reveals a reveals a character's personality through:character's personality through:

– A character’s speech, feelings, thoughts, A character’s speech, feelings, thoughts, or actions. or actions. For instance, Hemingway reveals For instance, Hemingway reveals Manolin’s loyalty to Santiago when Manolin Manolin’s loyalty to Santiago when Manolin says, “I’ll be back when I have the sardines. says, “I’ll be back when I have the sardines. I’ll keep yours and mine together on ice and I’ll keep yours and mine together on ice and we can share them in the morning” (17).we can share them in the morning” (17).

CharacterizationCharacterization• Indirect Characterization Indirect Characterization reveals a reveals a

character's personality through:character's personality through:– The speech, feelings, thoughts, or actions of The speech, feelings, thoughts, or actions of

another character. another character. For example, Ernest For example, Ernest Hemingway illuminates the respect that Hemingway illuminates the respect that Santiago evokes through Manolin’s thoughts Santiago evokes through Manolin’s thoughts and actions, “Where did you wash? The village and actions, “Where did you wash? The village water supply was two streets down the road. I water supply was two streets down the road. I must have water here for him, the boy thought, must have water here for him, the boy thought, and soap and a good towel. Why am I so and soap and a good towel. Why am I so thoughtless?” (21)thoughtless?” (21)

Plot StructurePlot Structure

•PlotPlot is the literary element that describes the is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. structure of a story. Plot shows the causal Plot shows the causal arrangement of events and actions within a arrangement of events and actions within a story. story.

Freytag’s PyramidFreytag’s Pyramid

•Freytag’s Pyramid uses a five-part system to describe Freytag’s Pyramid uses a five-part system to describe a story’s plot.a story’s plot.

•This graphic organizer matches the way stories are This graphic organizer matches the way stories are constructed: The climax is the high point, and it’s constructed: The climax is the high point, and it’s surrounded by rising and falling action.surrounded by rising and falling action.

Modified Freytag PyramidModified Freytag Pyramid

•Freytag’s Pyramid is often modified so that it Freytag’s Pyramid is often modified so that it extends slightly before and after the primary rising extends slightly before and after the primary rising and falling action. and falling action.

•You might think of this part of the chart as similar to You might think of this part of the chart as similar to the warm-up and cool-down for the story.the warm-up and cool-down for the story.

Plot Structure ComponentsPlot Structure Components

Exposition: The start of the story. The way things are before the action starts.

Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax.

Climax: The turning point. The most intense moment (either mentally or in action.

Falling Action: all of the action which follows the Climax.

Resolution: The conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads.

Plot and ConflictPlot and Conflict

• Conflict Conflict is the dramatic struggle is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story.between two forces in a story.

• Without conflict, there is no plot!Without conflict, there is no plot!

Types of ConflictTypes of Conflict

• Internal Conflict:Internal Conflict:

– Man vs. HimselfMan vs. Himself

• Interpersonal Conflict:Interpersonal Conflict:

– Man vs. ManMan vs. Man

– Man vs. SocietyMan vs. Society

– Man vs. Nature/ GodMan vs. Nature/ God

Point of ViewPoint of View

• Point of viewPoint of view is the perspective from which is the perspective from which the story is being told. Point of view the story is being told. Point of view determines how far away from the story and determines how far away from the story and from what direction the author stands. To from what direction the author stands. To find the point of view ask these questions:find the point of view ask these questions:– Who is telling the story?Who is telling the story?

– How do we know what is happening?How do we know what is happening?

Types of Point of ViewTypes of Point of View

• The point of view that gives the author The point of view that gives the author the most freedom is the the most freedom is the omniscientomniscient or or “all-knowing.” In the omniscient “all-knowing.” In the omniscient perspective, the author tells the story perspective, the author tells the story directly. Authors can plant themselves directly. Authors can plant themselves anywhere in the story, including inside anywhere in the story, including inside the character’s mind, to make their the character’s mind, to make their observations.observations.

Types of Point of ViewTypes of Point of View

• With With first person point of viewfirst person point of view, the author , the author speaks through the voice of a particular speaks through the voice of a particular character. First person perspective is told by character. First person perspective is told by a character within the story and is a character within the story and is characterized by the first person pronoun characterized by the first person pronoun “I.” While this has the advantage of “I.” While this has the advantage of sounding authentic and personal, only one sounding authentic and personal, only one character’s thoughts and observations can character’s thoughts and observations can be given. be given.

Types of Point of ViewTypes of Point of View

• Third person point of view Third person point of view is more is more objective and is used for nonfiction as well objective and is used for nonfiction as well as for many fictional stories. Third person is as for many fictional stories. Third person is told from the viewpoint of a character in the told from the viewpoint of a character in the story. The third person narrator is often a story. The third person narrator is often a character in the story who is telling or character in the story who is telling or writing about another “more extreme” or writing about another “more extreme” or “more interesting” character.“more interesting” character.

ThemeTheme

• ThemeTheme is the central message or central idea of is the central message or central idea of the story. Theme ties a story together and the story. Theme ties a story together and answers such questions as what the story means answers such questions as what the story means and what there is to think about when the story and what there is to think about when the story is all over.is all over.

• The theme can be stated directly or implied by The theme can be stated directly or implied by the actions and events of the story.the actions and events of the story.

• Books may have more than one theme, but Books may have more than one theme, but usually the secondary themes are less important usually the secondary themes are less important to the story.to the story.

SymbolismSymbolism

• A A symbolsymbol is something that represents an idea, is something that represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than itself.quality, or concept larger than itself.– Rain can represent a cleansing, change, and renewal.Rain can represent a cleansing, change, and renewal.– A journey can symbolize life.A journey can symbolize life.– A bird can represent freedom.A bird can represent freedom.