Elements of a Story

What every story needs:

• Plot
• Theme
• Characters
• Setting
• Conflict

What is plot?

• Plot concerns the organization of the main events of a work of fiction.  Most plots will trace some process of change in which characters are caught up in a conflict that is eventually resolved. 

Plot Diagram

2

1

3

4

5

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution

1. Exposition

• This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story. There are three main elements in the exposition: Setting, Characters, and Conflict.

Important Parts of the Exposition

• Setting
• Time
• Place

• Characters
• Protagonist: The main character; The character who is experiencing the conflict.
• Antagonist: The character who is in conflict with the protagonist in some way.

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Conflict

• The struggle between two forces in the story. Conflict provides interest, suspense, and tension.

There are 4 types

-Character vs. Character

* two or more characters have a problem

-Character vs. Outside Forces (nature)

* characters have to fight against a force of nature. Ex/ storm, disease

-Character vs. Society

*character fights against rules of society. Ex/ a character fights racism

-Character vs. Self

* The character is dealing with an internal struggle. Usually moral

ex/ Tom Sawyer doesn’t know if he should testify in court against Injun Joe

Point of View

• 1^st person
• This is where the story is told through a main character's eyes. The story is told using 1st person personal pronouns such as I, me, we, or us.
• 3^rd person limited
• This is where the narrator is not a character in the story and talks about the characters. The narrator has a limited perspective and can only read one character's mind, feelings, and motive
• 3^rd person omniscient
• This is where the narrator is not a character in the story and is "all-knowing" . This type of narrator can read every character's feelings, motives, and thoughts.

2. Rising Action

• The rising action includes all the events that lead to the climax.

3. Climax

• The turning point of the story. The outcome or solution to the conflict (if conflict = the problem, climax = the solution to that problem) Usually the main character comes face to face with a conflict. The main character will change in some way.

4. Falling Action

• All loose ends of the plot are tied up. Sometimes the climax is the end of the story and falling action doesn’t occur.

5. Resolution

• The story comes to a reasonable ending. If the story ends at the climax, the reader has to assume the resolution based on the facts of the story.

Putting It All Together

1. Exposition

2. Rising Action

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3. Climax

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4. Falling Action

5. Resolution

Beginning of Story

Middle of Story

End of Story

Test your plot knowledge!

• The 3 Little Pigs
• We will now watch a short version of the story to refresh your memory. After you will need to answer questions about the plot, characters, and setting.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5hI9U19-m0

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Check It

Event #2

Pig #1 builds a house of straw, Pig #2 builds a house of sticks, and Pig # 3 builds a house of bricks.

Event #3

Big Bad Wolf blows the straw house down and pig #1 escapes to Pig #2’s house.

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Event #1

The pigs come across a beautiful clearing they think will be a perfect spot to build their homes.

Event #4

Big Bad Wolf blows the stick house down and Pig #1 and #2 escape to Pig # 3’s house.

Event #5

The Big Bad Wolf tires several times, but he can’t blow down brick house.

CLIMAX: Wolf decides to sneak down the chimney to get the pigs.

Wolf falls into boiling pot of soup.

RESOLUTION: The Big Bad Wolf is so scared of the 3 Pigs that he runs off in the woods never to be seen again. The 3 little pigs live happily ever after.

Falling Action

Rising Action

The Three Little Pigs

EXPOSITION: Three little pigs leave home to find adventure in the big world.

• What is the setting?
• The beautiful clearing where the 3 Little Pigs build their homes
• Time: Not exactly known. The time their mother thought it was appropriate they leave the home
• Who is the Protagonist?
• Pig # 3
• Who is the Antagonist?
• The Big Bad Wolf
• What is the point of view?
• 3^rd person omniscient
• What is the type of conflict?
• Character vs. Character