Elements of Fiction

1
Elements of Fiction
Theme
Plot
Setting
C C Characterization and Conflict
Click for Guidelines
Narration
Click on the link above each finger to discover
one of the five aspects of the Elements of
Fiction. Then, in the Notes section of your
notebook, draw a hand and copy the definition at
each digit of the hand. Click on the home icon
on each page to return here.
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Plot

• Simply put, plot is what happens in the story.
  Some call it the storyline.
• When doing an Elements of Fiction Hand, describe
  the plots basic path, including the initial
  hook, the rising action, the climax, and the
  resolution.

3
Theme

• Its the moral or main idea of the story. Themes
  do not provide any plot developments and are
  general truths that the author is trying to
  illustrate. Themes are universal and can apply
  to many stories and genres.
• When doing an Elements of Fiction Hand, state the
  theme in a complete sentence. A theme can never
  be stated in one word.

4
Setting

• The setting provides us with the when and where
  the story took place. In addition, the why - the
  historical background in which the story is set -
  provides us with additional plot information.
• When doing an Elements of Fiction Hand, use the
  three Ws of setting When when does the plot
  occur? Consider the date, season, time of day,
  year, etc. Where where does the action occur?
  Give a specific country, state, city, location,
  etc. Why why is the setting historically
  significant? Why did the author choose this
  setting?

5
Characterization

• The main character in a story is called the
  protagonist. She or he is always involved in the
  main conflict and its resolution.
• The person opposing the protagonist is called the
  antagonist.
• When doing an Elements of Fiction Hand, use the
  methods of characterization (flat, round,
  dynamic, or static) to describe the protagonists
  and antagonists in the story.

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Methods of Characterization

• On a new page in the Notes section of your
  notebook, title it Methods of Characterization
  and copy the information from the following
  slides.

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Flat Characterization

• A character who has one or two sides,
  representing one or two traitsoften a
  stereotype. Flat
  characters help move the
  plot along more quickly because the audience
  immediately understands
  what the character is about.
• Example A geeky science professor

8
Round Characterization

• A character who is complex and has many sides or
  traits with unpredictable
  behavior and a fully developed
  personality. Antagonists are usually
  round characters.
• Example The Green
  Goblin (Norman Osborn)

9
Dynamic Characterization

• A character who experiences an essential change
  in personality or attitude. Protagonists (main
  characters) are almost always dynamic.
• Example Stitch, from Lilo and Stitch
  

10
Static Characterization

• A character who does not change or develop beyond
  the way in which she or he is first presented.
• Example Atticus
  Finch from To Kill a
  Mockingbird.

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Types of Conflict

• In the Notes section of your notebook, please
  copy the following information about the types of
  CONFLICT that form the basis of plot.

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External Conflict

• There are three types of external conflict
  character vs. character character vs. society
  and character vs. nature.

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Character vs. Character

• The protagonist in the story experiences conflict
  with others, especially the antagonist.

14
Character vs. Society

• The protagonist in the story experiences conflict
  with societys rules or expectations

15
Character vs. Nature

• The protagonist in the story experiences conflict
  with the elements of nature.

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Internal Conflict

• The protagonist in the story experiences conflict
  with her or his conscience.

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Narration

• First Person Point of View The narrator tells
  the story and is a character in the story.
  (Pronouns I, me, us, we, our, etc.)

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Narration

• Third Person Omniscient The narrator is not a
  character in the story but can tell you the
  thoughts and actions of all characters at all
  times. (Pronouns he, she, him, her, they, them,
  etc.)

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Narration

• Third Person Limited The narrator is not a
  character in the story but can tell you the
  thoughts and actions of a few key characters at
  all times. (Pronouns he, she, him, her, they,
  them, etc.)

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Guidelines

• When creating an Elements of Fiction Hand, please
  follow these guidelines
• Be sure to write the authors name and the title
  of the story (in quotation marks) on the palm of
  the hand graphic.
• Be sure to label each digit with one of the
  Elements of Fiction.
• Add in the details for each Element of Fiction
  neatly and carefully. Provide names of
  characters, places, dates, times, locations, etc.
• As always, be creative and try to do something
  original and unusual!