Elements of Fiction

Elements of Fiction

What makes a story?

Poll

Part 1: Plot, Setting, and Characters

How do we feel about Elements of Fiction before this mini lesson  ? 

• Struggling - I need additional help, topic is entirely new to me.

• approaching proficiency - I am learning, but I still need help.

• proficient - I know the content, but haven't mastered it yet.

• mastery level - I am fully prepared and knowledgeable about the topic.

Open Ended

List the Elements of Fiction

Plot

• The sequence of events in a story, play, novel, film, epic, or other narrative literary work.

• Plot reveals the cause-and-effect relationships between the events that occur.

​Plot Diagram

​Plot Diagram ( Expanded)

Parts of the Plot

• Exposition - During the exposition, the audience is introduced to key background information, including characters and their relationships to one another, the setting (or time and place) of events, and any other relevant ideas, details, or historical context.

• Rising Action - Begins with the "inciting incident" or "complication"—an event that creates a problem or conflict for the characters, setting in motion a series of increasingly significant events.

• Climax - The climax is the turning point or highest point of the story. The protagonist makes the single big decision that defines not only the outcome of the story but also who they are as a person.

Parts of the Plot Continued...

• Falling Action - The falling action of a story is the section of the plot following the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's central conflict decreases and the story moves toward its conclusion

• Resolution (Denouement) - refers to the part of the plot which ties up loose ends and reveals the final consequences of the events of the story. During the dénouement, the author resolves any final or outstanding questions about the characters’ fates, and may even reveal a little bit about the characters’ futures after the resolution of the story

Multiple Choice

What is plot?

• The sequence of events in a story.

• The time and place a story occurs.

• The perspective from which a story is told.

• The description of a character that reveals details about their personality.

Multiple Choice

What is this a picture of ?

• Bubble Map

• Outline

• Plot Diagram

• Compare Contrast Chart

Multiple Choice

The part of plot that introduces the  setting and characters at the beginning.

• Resolution 

• Exposition

• Rising Action

• Falling Action

Multiple Choice

The part of plot where the conflict is resolved. It is also know as the denoument.

• Exposition

• Climax

• Resolution

• Rising Action

Multiple Choice

The part of plot that includes the "Inciting incident" or "complication" - introduces the conflict. 

• Resolution

• Rising Action

• Climax

• Faling Action

Multiple Choice

The part of plot where the conflict is being resolved, and the events are leading to solving the problem

• Rising Action

• Exposition

• Falling Action

• Climax

Multiple Choice

The part of plot that is the peak of the story, usually the most action takes place in this part of plot and it is known as the turning point of the story.

• Climax

• Resolution

• Rising Action

• Falling Action

Setting

• The Time and Place a story occurs.

• ​Two types of setting: Integral and Backdrop

• There are several aspects of a story's setting to consider when examining how setting contributes to a story (some, or all, may be present in a story):

a) place - geographical location.

b) time - When is the story taking place?

c) weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy/ four seasons

d) social conditions - What is the daily life of the characters like? Does the story contain writing that focuses on the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place?

e) mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

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  Integral Setting

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​Integral setting is a setting that is essential to the plot of the story or script. This means that the story could not take place in a different setting or that a described section of the setting will become an important part of the plot.

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• Integral setting is typically described in great detail, referred to often throughout the story, or is used to move the story along, set the mood or tone of the scenes, or used to reveal a theme.

• Often found in historical fiction, novel and non- fiction. Setting is something rigid and might be added authentic details

  Stories could not be the same if placed in another setting

• ​A story that happens in the 1800s will not have technology, so the characters will have to write a letter, ride a horse or take a carriage to visit each other; they cannot travel long distances in one day as we do now with cars, buses, and planes.

Backdrop Setting

Backdrop setting is setting that is visually imaginative and appealing to the audience but is not significant to the plot of the story.

• You know you are reading a backdrop setting description if the setting is not described in great detail or developed, and the plot of the story could happen anywhere.

• This type of setting is often nonspecific: it could be any city or any countryside, nor does it denote any specific time period.​ Settings are simply a backdrop for the action.

• For example, "long ago in a cottage in the deep woods" and "once upon a time there was a great land that had an Emperor."

​

Multiple Choice

What are the two types of setting ?

• Geographical and social conditions

• time and place

• Integral and Backdrop

Multiple Choice

Which would be an example of an integral setting?

• In a small cottage, a young girl learns to be responsible as she grows up with her 5 younger siblings.

• Alice has a series of fanciful adventures with talking animals, an evil queen, and other magical creatures that could not happen in the ordinary world.

Multiple Choice

Which would be an example of Backdrop Setting?

• Once upon a time in a galaxy far away, Buzz Lightyear faught aliens from near and far.

• Once upon a time there was a princess in a cottage.

Characters

Who are we dealing with in the story?

• ​Characters are the people, animals , and creatures , or beings in a story.

Main Characters

• 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. 

Multiple Choice

Who is the protagonist in Batman: The Dark Knight<

• Commissioner Gordon

• Batman

• The Joker

Multiple Choice

Who is the antagonist in Batman: The Dark Knight?

Round Characters

• They are fully developed by the author and show complex traits, like real people.

• The reader has a lot of information about the character.

• Complex

• The character has strengths and weaknesses. The main charachteris usually a round character.

• ​Examples : The Grinch, Alladin, ______________

Multiple Choice

Which character would be considered a round character?

• Shrek from Shrek

• The Gingerbread Man from Shrek

Flat Character

• ​Flat characters are two-dimensional in that they are relatively uncomplicated and do not change throughout the course of a work.

• A character who has not been well developed by the author.

• The reader doesn't know a lot about the character.

• Simple

• A character who is too obviously good or bad

• ​Examples: The Fairy Godmother from Cinderella, ______________

Multiple Choice

What character would be considered flat ?

• Cinderella

• Cinderella's Stepmother

Dynamic vs. Static

Do the characters change?

Multiple Choice

A character that stays the same throughout a story is a ___________ character.

• Dynamic

• Static

• Flat

• Round

Multiple Choice

What is the definition of a Dynamic Character

• A character that changes from the beginning of the story to the end due to and event that happens in the plot.

• A character that stays the same.

Dynamic Characters

A literary or dramatic character who undergoes an important inner change, as a change in personality or attitude:

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• Changes throughout the story

• Learns from conflicts

• Starts one way, but undergoes changes that will alter their point of view.

• ​Examples: Ebeneezer Scrooge " A Christmas Carol", and ___________.

Static Character

​

A static character is one that does not undergo inner changes, or undergoes a little change. It is a character that does not develop or grow, such as Sherlock Holmes and James Bond.

​

• Stays the same throughout the story

• Undergoes no change when faced with conflict in the story

• ​Examples James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Homer Simpson, Mr. Krabs and ________________

Poll

How do you feel about your comprehension level of Plot, Setting, and Characters in elements of Fiction ?

• Struggling

• Approaching

• Proficient

• Mastery

​Characterization

​Characterization is a literary device that is used step-by-step in literature to highlight and explain the details about a character in a story.

Direct vs. Indirect Characterization

How do we learn about our characters?

Direct Characterization

The author makes direct statement about the character letting the reader know what that character is like. The authot plainly states a description of the character, the reader does not have to infer anything.

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• ​Example: Jane was a beautiful young girl. She had bright red hair and hazel eyes, which made her stand out from the rest.

• ​Chauncy was very quiet, he never spoke up during class or said hello during recess. he always sat alone and silently did his work.

Indirect Characterization

The author reveals details about the character through their thoughts, actions, words, and how they interact with other characters.

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​To remember these five elements, simply remember the acronym STEAL, which stands for speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions and looks.

• Speech. Characters' personalities can be greatly defined by the words they say and how they say them. ...

• Thoughts. ...

• Effect On Others. ...

• Actions. ...

• Look

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of indirect characterization?

• He was bad, bad Leroy Brown, the baddest man in the whole town.

• She hid in the corner where no one could see her. When the coast was clear, she darted from the shadows, keeping her head down as she ran.

• He's a mean one, Mr. Grinch. His heart's an empty hole.

Conflict

The problem: there are five different types, and a story may have more than one.

​Can be referred to as man vs man, person vs person, or character vs character for examples of internal and external.

​The seven sub categories are as follows:

​Man vs Man

​Man vs Nature

​Man vs Society

​Man vs Supernatural

​Man vs Technology

​Man vs Fate

​Man vs Self

Internal vs. External

• Internal conflicts exist within a character. This is when a character has to face their own thoughts or internal problems.

• ​

• External conflicts are when a character must face a force outside of themselves.

Types of Conflict

• Character vs. Character (external) - A Character opposes another character. Ex: Batman vs The Joker

• Character vs. Society (external) - Man versus society is an external conflict between the character and societal norms. The character’s values or beliefs or preferences go against what’s deemed “acceptable” or “normal” within the community. 

• Character vs. Nature (external) - A character opposes a force of nature, for example a tree falling in the woods, a natural disaster, or being attacked by an animal are a few examples.

• Character vs. Technology (external) - A character opposes

• Character vs. Self (internal) - When a character is dealing with an inner conflict, they are trying to make a decision within themselves. This is an ongoing conflict based on what they feel or think.

  ​Character vs Fate (external) - A character

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of a character vs. nature conflict?

• A character fights an army

• A character fights for social justice

• A character fights a sharknado

• A character struggles with their own laziness

Point of View

The perspective from which the story is told.

First Person

Told by someone in the story, uses personal pronouns such as “I” and “me”

​Third Person Objective

The narrator is outside of the story and is an observer. The narrator does not know the characters thoughts or feelings and

Third Person Limited

Told by a narrator, OUTSIDE the story, the narrator only knows thoughts of one character, uses the pronouns “he”, “she”, and “they”

Third Person Omniscient

Told by a narrator OUTSIDE the story, the narrator knows what all characters are thinking and or feeling, narrator is all knowing (om=all), uses the pronouns “he”, “she”, or “they”

Author's Purpose

• Persuade (Convince)

• Inform (Educate)

• Entertain (Amuse)

Theme

The message about life that author trying to express (moral) it is a statement, a complete thought, not one word!

“Love” is not a message, but “love heals all wounds” is a theme

Theme=subject+lesson

​Tone

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​Mood

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