The Elements of Fiction Honors 9

The Fiction Genre: Genre: kind, category, or sort, especially of literary or artistic work. Types of literary genres: fiction nonfiction poetry drama Fiction: Any work that tells an invented or imaginary story. 2 main types of fiction: the short story and the novel.

Short Story: A brief work of fiction that develops plot, conflict, setting, characters, point of view, tone, mood, and theme all within a few pages. These are the elements of fiction.

Tone: Tone: General quality characteristic of how words or phrases sound. Ex: Sarcastic, hopeless, hopeful, genuine, mocking, demanding Tone is difficult to determine in one or two sentences; it often takes an entire passage to determine a character’s tone. LOTF recall: Think of the difference in Jack’s tone when addressing Ralph and Piggy.

Mood: Mood: The effect of the writer's words on the reader. Mood is how the writer’s words make us feel. It is the state or quality of feeling at a particular time, or a distinctive emotional atmosphere. Ex: Dark, lighthearted, creepy, depressing, joyous, and tense Animal Farm recall: What was the mood in Animal Farm? How did it change throughout the book (like the mood after Old Major’s speech compared to the mood after Boxer was taken to the slaughterhouse)?

Theme: A unifying idea, image, or motif, repeated or developed throughout a work. How can we determine theme? Topic + what the author says about the topic= theme A theme is proven with support from the novel. You need AT LEAST 3 specific examples from a literary work that support a theme.

Characterization: the Protagonist, Antagonist, Foil, and Stereotype Protagonist: Central character Person on whom action centers Character who pushes the action forward Character who attempts to accomplish something Usually seen as a good person or hero/heroine Usually round and dynamic

Characterization continued… Antagonist: Character or force that holds the action back. Character who wants something in opposition to the protagonist Usually seen as a bad person/force or villain

Foil: Secondary or minor character. Character who is a contrast or opposite to the protagonist or antagonist. Character who emphasizes or highlights the traits of the protagonist or antagonist.

Stereotype: Character that is instantly recognizable because of the stereotype. Is often placed in the story to emphasize the author’s points about society. Is often persecuted in the book/ loved or hated by readers because of their stereotypical traits. Often evokes a strong reaction from audience.

Round/ Flat Characters: Round: Well-developed o Has many traits, both good and bad o Not easily defined because we know many details about the character o Realistic and life-like o Most major characters are round Flat: Not well-developed o Does not have many traits o Easily defined in a single sentence because we know little about the character o Sometimes stereotyped o Most minor characters are flat

Dynamic/ Static Characters: Dynamic: Undergoes an important change in personality in the story o Comes to some sort of realization that permanently changes the character o A change occurs within the character because of the events of the story o The protagonist is usually dynamic, but not always Static: o Remains the same throughout the story o Although something may happen to the character, it does not cause the character to change o Minor characters are usually static

First and Second person Point of View: First Person Point of View  The narrator is one of the characters in the story.  First person pronouns, such as I, me, my, and mine are used in telling the story.  Since the narrator is a character in the story, he/she may not be completely reliable.  We find out only what this character knows, thinks, and witnesses. Second Person Point of View  Second person pronouns such as you, your, and yours are used.  Most stories are not told in second person. It is reserved for items of personal address, such as letters.

Third person Objective: Third Person Objective  The narrator is not a character in the story.  Third person pronouns such as he, his, she, hers, it, its, they, and them are used in telling the story.  The narrator is an observer who can only tell what is said and done.  The narrator cannot see into the minds of any of the characters.  We find out only what the characters say and do.

Third person Limited: Third Person Limited  The narrator is not a character in the story.  Third person pronouns such as he, his, she, hers, it, its, they, and them are used in telling the story.  The narrator tells the story from the vantage point of one character.  The narrator can see into this character’s mind, but not any of the other characters.  We find out only what this character does, knows, thinks, and witnesses.

Third Person Omniscient: Third Person Omniscient  The narrator is not a character in the story.  Third person pronouns such as he, his, she, hers, it, its, they, and them are used in telling the story.  The narrator is all-knowing, and can see into the minds of all of the characters. The narrator can also report what is said and done.  We find out what all of the characters do, feel, think, and witness.

Plot: Plot: The series of events related to a central struggle. Exposition: Characters are introduced, setting is established, background information is provided. Rising Action: Main character encounters and tries to solve problem. Conflicts develop and lead up to climax. Climax: The crucial moment when the main character has to make a decision or take action. Falling Action: Follows the climax; describes the after-effects of the climax. Resolution: The conflict is resolved and all loose ends are tied up (usually).

Types of Linear Plots Plots can be told in Chronological order Flashback In media res (in the middle of things) when the story starts in the middle of the action without exposition

Plot Components Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax Climax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax Resolution: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

Conflict: The struggle the main character faces and must overcome throughout events in the story. Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot. The plot revolves around the conflict. There are both internal and external conflicts.

Types of Conflict Human vs Nature Human vs Society Human vs Self Internal Conflict Human vs Human Interpersonal Conflict

Setting: The time and place in which a story occurs. Setting includes geographic location, time period, socio-economic conditions, or a specific room or building. Sensory details that appeal to sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch contribute to the overall setting.

Socio-Economic Conditions: Socio-Economic Conditions: Social status and economic conditions that often determine how characters interact and events that stem from these interactions. Many times, the socio-economic condition will play a large factor in the setting of a story. While economic status doesn’t play a large part in LOTF, social status does. Who was at the top of the social ladder in the novel? Who was at the bottom? What factors determined this?

Socio-Economic Conditions continued… Think about the socio-economic conditions in the stories we read. Are the characters rich? Are they poor? Where does the story take place? In a slum? In a mansion? Are the characters cultured? Do they dress nicely? Are they intelligent? How does the way they speak reflect on their social status? These are a few ways to determine “socio- economic conditions”.