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Elements of Fiction
Elements of Fiction
Francisco Morazán
Elements of Fiction
Fiction
Literature with imaginary people, events, or places. It
can be inspired by fact and can include some real
events or people, but also includes at least one
made-up element.
Plot
Setting
Theme
Characterization
Point of View
Plot
What happens in the story.
Elements of the Plot
• Exposition
- Background information a reader must understand
in order to know what is going on in the story.
- Introduces the characters, problem, and setting.
- Found in the beginning of the story.
• Rising Action
- Events that occur when the main character tackles
the problem (complications); level of excitement and
suspense builds
• Climax
- The main character comes face to face with the
problem; most exciting part of the story.
• Falling Action
- Things begin to get back to normal; life goes
on (even if the problem isn't solved).
• Resolution
- Loose ends are tied off; allows reader to clearly
understand what happened.
Setting-Part of the Exposition
Dorothy Dunnett
Disorderly Knights
In some works of fiction action is so closely
related to setting that the plot is directed by it.
"Francis St. Croix spotted it first, a black dot floating in
an ocean of water and ice. When he and Ernie rowed
alongside for a look, they couldn't believe their eyes.
There was a baby inside a makeshift cradle on an ice
pan, bobbing like an ice cube on the sea. How had a
baby come to be in the North Atlantic?"
Latitudes of Melt
Joan Clark
Cinderella:
• Protagonist
The main character in a
literary work.
• Antagonist
The character who opposes the
protagonist.
Dynamic Characterization
Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were both at the
game.”
The author is telling us that the boy is patient and the girl is
kind.
Indirect characterization is when the author shows
things that reveal the personality of the character.
Example:
And now you will see portions from the well known
children’s story Little Red Riding Hood.
Little Red Riding Hood
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing
The first set of underlined words is an example of
foreshadowing. Little Red Riding Hood’s mother is
warning her about the wolf in the woods, which hints at
what may happen next.
While she was walking through
the woods, a wolf was walking
past her. "I bet I could convince
her to take the long way. Then I
could get to her grandmother's
house first and trick her into
thinking that I was her grandma.
That way I could have her and
her grandma for a large feast,”
he thought.
The wolf went up to Little
Red Riding Hood and told
her that he knew a shortcut.
Little Red Riding Hood
thought back to what her
mother told her. “Don’t talk to
any strangers and watch out
for the wolf in the woods!”
But it was too late, she had
already listened to the wolf’s
directions.
Flashback
Flashback
The second set of underlined words is an example of
flashback. Little Red Riding Hood is thinking back to
something that happened earlier in the story.