STORY ELEMENTS

fanciful, imaginary story about a hero or heroine overcoming a problem, often involving mystical creatures, supernatural power, or magic; often a type of folktale.

• MOTIF

• FAIRY TALE

• LEGEND

A traditional story about gods, ancestors, or heroes, told to explain the natural world or the customs and beliefs of a society.

• FAIRY TALE

• MYTH

• RISING ACTIONS

Believed to be historically true but not a proven fact

• MYTH

• RESOLUTION

• LEGEND

A brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters

• FABLE

• MYTH

• LEGEND

A person or an animal in a story, a play, or another literary work.

• MOTIF

• CHARACTER

• CHARACTER TYPE

Conventional characters typically portrayed by actors cast because of their physical features, acting style, or the history of other roles they have played.

• CHARACTER

• PROTAGONIST

• CHARACTER TYPE

A person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary.

• PROTAGONIST

• ANTAGONIST

• CHARACTER TYPE

Chief character in a dramatic or narrative work, usually trying to accomplish some objective or working toward some goal.

• CHARACTER

• CHARACTER TYPE

• PROTAGONIST

The context in time and place in which the action of a story occurs.

• PLOT

• SETTING

• RISING ACTIONS

Outline of what happens in a story

• SETTING

• CHARACTER TYPE

• PLOT