Narrative Elements Notes

Narrative Elements

(Plot)

Plot

1. Exposition
2. Rising Action
3. Climax
4. Falling action
5. Resolution

Exposition

●Beginning of the story that gives background
information (context)

●Introduces 3 things: setting, main characters,
and conflict

●Ends at the inciting incident: the moment that
introduces the conflict

●Shows how life is before the conflict. Without
the conflict, there would only be an exposition
(not a true narrative)

Multiple Choice

What is the beginning of a narrative called?

• exposition

• plot

• setting

• characters

Multiple Select

What 3 things do you need for the exposition?

• setting

• climax

• a cool explosion

• conflict

• characters

Conflict

-the problem in the story

Internal
conflict

External
conflict

Open Ended

What type of conflict would a character fighting to survive a tornado be?

Open Ended

What type of conflict would a character trying to fight an evil

Rising Action

●Where most of the story takes
place

●The main character has to choose
how to deal with the conflict

●Multiple events occur over the
change of time or place

●These events build interest,
suspense, and excitement

●The conflict becomes more and
more intense

Climax

●Turning point of the story

●The protagonist has to face the
conflict directly, which dictates
how the story will end

●The reader worries that the
protagonist may not get what
they want or may lose the
conflict

●

Open Ended

Where does most of the story take place?

Open Ended

What is the climax in your own words?

Falling Action

●The aftermath of the climax

●The results of the actions and decisions the protagonist
made

●The characters go back to
their lives without the
conflict

●The story ends in a positive,
negative, or neutral way

-the main character has changed from the beginning in some way

Resolution

Multiple Choice

What is the part of the plot where characters go back to their normal lives?

• exposition

• climax

• resolution

• falling action

Open Ended

What should happen to the main character by the end of the story?

●The message of the story

Theme

Determining the theme:
●What does the story reveal about society, people in
general, and the human condition?

●How can you apply this message to your own life?

●What passage do you consider to be the most
important ?

●How do changes in the characters help you determine
theme?

Open Ended

What would the theme of "American History" be?

Reorder

Reorder the following:

• exposition

• rising action

• climax

• falling action

• resolution

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5