Story Elements

PLOT The sequence of events in a story

SETTING The time and place in which the story occurs

Setting of a Story-Time: Time of: day, month, or year Example: morning, afternoon, dusk, dawn, tomorrow, seasons, holidays, months, etc. Time in: history/centuries, eras Example: wars, Renaissance, medieval times, 17th century, Jurassic period, etc.

Setting of a Story-Place: Places in: cities, neighborhoods, homes, states, countries, malls, etc. Places in nature: mountains, caves, forests, canyons, lakes, oceans, beaches, deserts, frozen tundra, etc.

CHARACTERS The people, animals, or imaginary creatures that act out the story

Dynamic Character A character that learns a lesson, or changes behavior as a result of the events in a story

Static/ Flat Character A character that remains unchanged throughout the story

POINT OF VIEW The relationship between the narrator and the story he/she tells

“I was framed! I just wanted to borrow a cup of sugar!” “That rotten wolf tried to eat us!!!!”

Voice The distinctive style and tone in which a writer tells a story

Dialogue A written conversation between two or more characters in a story

THEME A message that the author is trying to convey to the reader

CONFLICT A struggle or problem that the main character is having with himself, another character, or another thing

CLIMAX The turning point of the action, when the reader’s interest peaks You can predict the outcome of the conflict