The Elements of Fiction Plot Character Setting Point of view Conflict Symbols Theme © Laura Torres 2011

The Elements of Fiction Just as an artist uses different colors, textures and tools to create art, a writer uses the elements of fiction to create a literary work of art. There are many different tools a writer can use, but the basics are plot, character, setting, point of view, conflict, symbols and theme. © Laura Torres 2011

Plot Plot is the series of events, or structure, of the story. It answers the question, “what happens?” The plot always involves some kind of conflict. © Laura Torres 2011

Character Characters are your actors in the story. They can be round (true-to-life), dynamic (experience change), flat (shallow and undeveloped), or static (do not experience change). In general, you will have a protagonist (main character) and an antagonist (character who is an adversary for the protagonist). © Laura Torres 2011

Setting The setting is where the story takes place, and also when. The physical place can be as broad as a cross country trip or as narrow as a single room. The chronological setting can be a fixed moment in time or span many years. © Laura Torres 2011

Point of View Point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. The three most common points of view are omniscient (third person – author telling the story), limited omniscient (third person – a character telling the story) and first person (from the perspective of a single character using “I”). © Laura Torres 2011

Conflict A conflict can be internal or external. External conflict can be person vs. person, person vs. nature, or person vs. society. Internal conflict is a person against him or herself. © Laura Torres 2011

Symbols A symbol is something that represents something else. For example, an open door might represent opportunity, or a red rose might symbolize love. © Laura Torres 2011

Theme A theme is the main idea or message of the story. It is not simply a topic. For example, “love” is a topic; “love overcomes all” is a theme. “Overcoming obstacles” is a topic. “It is possible to overcome obstacles with positive thinking” is a theme. Not all stories have positive themes. Don’t confuse a theme with a “moral,” which implies something positive. © Laura Torres 2011

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