Story Elements

Story Elements

Learning Intention: To feel super confident when discussing and answering questions about point of view, setting, characterisation, plot, and theme.

Success Criteria: I can explain point of view, setting, characterisation, plot, and theme in my own words.

I can identify ​point of view, setting, characterisation, plot, and theme in a short story.

Lesson Progression:

Remember to ask questions and answer all quiz questions. We will go through each story element individually in the following order:

• Point of view

• Setting

• Plot

• Characterisation

• Theme​

Some text here about the topic of discussion

What do you remember about point of view?

Multiple Choice

Select the POV for the following sentence: Lucy tried as hard as she could, but she still couldn't get the soccer ball in the net.

• First person

• Second person

• Third person

Multiple Choice

Select the POV for the following sentence: As I gazed at the beaches of Hawaii, I couldn't believe my eyes.

• First person

• Second person

• Third person

Multiple Choice

Select the POV for the following sentence: You step outside, your hands feel like ice and your feet are numb.

• First person

• Second person

• Third person

Multiple Choice

Select the POV for the following sentence: Sandy hated Bailey with all her heart but Bailey had no idea.

• First person

• Second person

• Third person limited

• Third person omniscient

What do you remember about setting?

Multiple Choice

Fill in the blanks. Setting is described as the ____ and ____ of a story.

• tone and place

• tone and plot

• time and plot

• time and place

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is not about setting?

• He shivered, it was freezing.

• Bronwyn loved the way the flowers swayed in the breeze.

• Hugh was a strong man.

• The cottage had always felt like home, cozy and warm.

Multiple Choice

How do you know what the setting of a story is? Sometimes, a narrator will tell you where and when the story occurs right away. Often, though, you’ll have to look for clues to determine the setting. Try to find words or phrases that tell you what it looks like or sounds like where the characters are. Characters can also give clues about the setting. Be sure that your inferences about the setting are backed up by evidence from the text.

Read the following passage: As Maribelle hurried down the street, the wind swept the snow along the sidewalk and hid her footsteps, so that it looked as if no one had passed. Above her, the cold, silent skyscrapers of the city loomed. The whole block was eerily silent in the snowstorm, and she pulled her coat tightly around her. Maribelle had only moved here a few months before. She came because she wanted to be a singer. But right now, she was frightened.

Which detail from the passage indicate the setting?

• “Above her, the cold, silent skyscrapers of the city loomed.”

• “But right now, she was frightened.”

• “Maribelle had only moved here a few months before.”

• “She came because she wanted to be a singer.”

Multiple Choice

Setting tells you where and when a story occurs. Setting includes two things: time and place. Time includes the time period. It can also include elapsed time, or how much time passes for the characters. The place is where a story happens, including details about what that space looks, sounds or smells like or what it is like to live there.

Read the following passage from Alice in Wonderland: Once in the wood, she was anxious to get back to her right size again, and then to get into that lovely garden. But how? Peeping over a mushroom, she beheld a large blue caterpillar sitting on the top with its arms folded...

Which detail from the text provides a clue to the place where this passage takes place?

• “...get back to her right size again...”

• “Once in the wood…"

• “A large blue caterpillar..”

• “...with its arms folded”

Multiple Choice

Setting can symbolize, or stand for, other elements of a story. For example, when setting changes, a character might change. Setting can also symbolize what a character is feeling in a particular scene. Setting can also help us understand the choices that characters make.

Read the following passage:Gilberto had been excited to go to the beach but when he got there and saw how crowded it was, he became annoyed. The sun twinkled in the sky, a warm yellow globe. The sound of the ocean drummed in his ears and the sand itched his ankles and feet. Beside him, his sister slurped loudly on an ice cream cone. “Could you not?” Gilberto asked.

Which detail about the setting tells us that Gilberto is annoyed?

• “Beside him, his sister slurped loudly on an ice cream cone.”

• “The sound of the ocean drummed in his ears and the sand itched his ankles and feet.”

• “The sun twinkled in the sky, a warm yellow globe.”

• “Gilberto had been excited to go to the beach...”

Multiple Choice

Setting can also affect the plot, or the events that make up the story or novel. Some plots can take place only in certain times and places.

Which option describes a plot that can only take place in a specific setting?

• A selfish child tries to be a better person.

• A poor, hardworking woman becomes a successful chef.

• A ship’s captain chases a whale across the sea.

• A young woman falls in love with her family’s enemy.

What do you remember about plot?

Plot elements

Climax

The climax is the most exciting point of the story, and is a turning point for the plot or goals of the main character.

Falling Action

The falling action is everything that happens as a result of the climax, including wrapping-up of plot points, questions being answered, and character development.

Resolution

The resolution is not always happy, but it does complete the story. It can leave a reader with questions, answers, frustration, or satisfaction.​

Exposition

The exposition is the introduction to a story, including the primary characters' names, setting, mood, and time.

Conflict

The conflict is the primary problem that drives the plot of the story, often a main goal for the protagonist to achieve or overcome.

Rising Action

The rising action of the story is all of the events that lead to the eventual climax, including character development and events that create suspense.​

The sequence of events in a story.

​

Can you describe the elements on the diagram?

​The Plot

​

Multiple Choice

Characters can face several problems in one story. The main problem is called the:

• solution

• climax

• conclusion

• conflict

Multiple Choice

Choose the two words that best complete the sentence. During the exposition, it is important to introduce the ________ and the ________.

• characters, setting 

• climax, conflict 

• characters, falling action 

• conflict, resolution

What do you remember about characterisation?

​Characterisation

•Characterisation is the act of creating and describing characters.

•Characterisation includes both descriptions of a character’s physical attributes as well as the character’s personality

•The way that characters act, think, and speak also adds to their characterisation.

•Also known as “implicit”

•Consists of the author showing the audience what kind of person a character is

•Shows the characteristics of the character through their thought process, behavior, speech, way of talking, appearance, and through their communications with other characters.

Indirect

•Also known as “explicit”

•Consists of the author telling the audience what a character is like

•Has the narrator, another character, or the protagonist themselves tell the readers what the character is like.​

Direct and Indirect Characterisation

​Direct

Multiple Choice

What character trait is revealed?

After pulling an all-nighter studying, Sarah moved through the dance routine sluggishly.  She was off beat and missed several moves.

• passionate

• tired

• nervous

• bored

Multiple Choice

What character trait is revealed here?

After glancing around to make sure she wasn't being watched, Marissa slide the candy bar into her pocket.  She walked out of store casually, not stopping to pay.

• selfish

• sneaky

• rude

• beautiful

Multiple Choice

What character trait is revealed in this passage?

Jonathan looked at the homeless dog walking down the street of his neighborhood.  He approached the dog, slowly cautiously, with his hands stretched outward.  After gaining his trust, Jonathan took the dog home, gave him a warm bath, and big bowl of food.

• impulsive

• humble

• compassionate

• obsessed

Multiple Choice

What type of characterization is the following example?

Brandon leaned back in his chair during the lecture.  He was bored with the classes discussion of rock formations.

• direct

• indirect

Multiple Choice

What type of character trait is the following example?

Tiffany loved when her teachers gave her creative projects.  Her favorite things to do were paint, write music, play her guitar, and mold pottery.

• direct

• indirect

Multiple Choice

How is the character's traits revealed?

Marcy sat in class, drumming her fingers on her desk.  Thinking back to that morning, she felt remorse over the way she had talked to her mom.

• actions

• statements

• thoughts

• interactions

​What do you remember about Theme?

​

THE MEssage​

The theme is the underlying message in a story.

​

Think to yourself...

"What LIFE LESSON is the author showing in this story? "

​

"What LIFE LESSON can I learn from this story?"​

Multiple Select

Who are the characters in this story? Check ALL of the characters.

• Spiro

• Dominic

• Chris

• Evan

Multiple Choice

What is one problem in this story?

• Dominic could not find his bike.

• Dominic and Spiro got in trouble at school.

• Dominic and Spiro were not getting along.

• Spiro did not have a good week, he missed his old school and friends.

Multiple Choice

Spiro wanted to just go home and "sleep the afternoon away", but he did not. What did he do instead?

• Went swimming.

• Went to the grocery store with his mom.

• Went for a bike ride with Dominic on the bike trail.

• Watched a movie.

Multiple Choice

The text said, "As he pedaled alongside the others, the wind in his face, Spiro realized that he was feeling okay for the first time since moving."

How did Spiro's feeling change in the story?

• He still missed his old friends.

• He was happier to be with his new friends.

• He was upset with Dominic.

• He still wanted to move back home.

Let's discuss!

What can we learn from Spiro and Dominic?

​

What is the THEME of this story?

We have discussed many story elements. Summarize as a class.

Open Ended

Is there anything that you do not understand?