Elements of a Story

OBJECTIVES Identify the elements of a story. Define the elements of a story.

1. Theme 2. Setting 3. Characters 4. Point of view 5. Plot - exposition - rising action - conflict - climax - falling action - resolution

THEME Theme is the “life lesson” of the story. Theme can be stated or implied.

SETTING Setting is the time and place in which a story happens. Examples: haunted house, Ireland, summertime, 9:45 a.m., last Tuesday, etc.

CHARACTERS Characters are the people or animals in a story (major & minor). Characterization is the description of the characters’ personalities and the way in which the author reveals their personalities.

MORE ABOUT CHARACTERIZATION _____________________________

POINT OF VIEW Point of view lets the reader know WHO is talking. There are three points of view.

FIRST PERSON A character in the story tells about his or her own experiences and ideas. Readers only know what that character knows. “I,” “me,” and “we” are in the story.

SECOND PERSON The writing tells what “you” do. This is very uncommon. It is only used in directions and interactive fiction. “You” is in the story.

THIRD PERSON The story is told by a narrator. “He,” “she,” “it,” and “they” are in the story. There are three types of third person writing: objective, limited, and omniscient.

MORE ABOUT THIRD PERSON 1.Objective: ______________________________ ______________________________ 2.Limited: ______________________________ ______________________________ 3.Omniscient: ______________________________ ______________________________

PLOT Plot is the sequence of events in a story. The plot includes six parts. 1. Exposition - tells how the story begins (characters & setting) 2. Conflict - problems between opposing forces 3. Rising Action – action in the story that leads up to the climax

MORE ABOUT PLOT 4. Climax - crisis point (this is usually the reader’s point of highest interest) 5. Falling action - action in the story after the climax is revealed 6. Resolution - reveals the final outcome (happily ever after)

PLOT DIAGRAM R i s i n g A c t i o n F a l l i n g A c t i o n Resolution Climax Exposition Conflict

LET’S TRY IT! Now that we have identified and defined the elements of a story, let’s use the elements to analyze The ACES Phone.