Elements of Fiction: Overview

Mr. Rogers

1. Setting

• Time/Place
• Can be symbolic or indicative of genre.
• Pathetic Fallacy: The environment represents the emotions of characters.
• Dystopia: Genre of literature where the setting is grim and dark. Reveals the most cruel elements of human nature.

2. Conflict

• Conflicts drive plot forward. Without conflict, the plot can’t progress.
• Person vs Person
• Person vs Self
• Person vs Nature
• Person vs Society
• (and many more)

3. Plot

• Terms we use to describe our location in Freytag’s model:
• Exposition: Beginning of the story.
• Inciting Incident: The unexpected thing that launched the events of the plot.
• Rising Action: Elevating tension and excitement; a result of conflict.
• Climax: The primary conflict takes place here, and will be resolved.
• Falling Action: After the main conflict, all other lesser conflicts begin to be resolved and things return to normal, or the “new normal”.
• Denouement/Resolution: How things have ended up after all is said and done.

4. Character

• Determines how we describe the characters of the story.
• Flat vs Round:
• Flat: Undeveloped character. Don’t really know the character through and through.
• Round: Developed character. We understand this character as complicated.
• Dynamic vs Static:
• Dynamic: The character undergoes a kind of change through the course of the narrative.
• Static: The character remains unchanged through the course of the narrative.
• Direct vs Indirect presentation
• Direct: we are told directly the qualities and attributes of a character.
• Indirect: we must infer character attributes and qualities by the things they do and say in the text.
• Protagonist: Character we follow.
• Antagonist: The character that opposes the character we follow.

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5. Point of View

• Describes the framework of the narrator.
• First Person: Me, myself, and I. You usually know the thoughts and feelings of the narrator. Usually the main character.
• Second Person: You. Typically used for instructions and commands.
• Third Person: She, he, them, etc. There are several forms of third person.
• Third Person Limited Omniscient: Thoughts and feelings of a few characters, or the main character is known to the audience.
• Third Person Omniscient: We know the thoughts and feelings of all important characters.
• Third Person Objective: No thoughts or feelings described.

6. Symbol

• Objects and Actions that add or complicate meaning making.
• Action examples:
• The bow.
• Holding hands.
• A kiss.
• Eye contact.
• A rude gesture (be creative!)
• Object examples:
• A rose.
• A heart.
• A knife.

7. Theme

• A major idea the author wants us to take away from the text.
• Applies to human nature and the human condition.
• Applicable to other texts and/or our lives. Should not be applicable only to the text we learn the theme from.
• Narratives may have several themes.
• Examples:
• To gain something we need, we have to give up something we want. (Hunger Games)
• Staying in the past can keep us from moving forward. (The Great Gatsby)

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