A REVIEW OF MAJOR ELEMENTS FOR STUDENTS ELEMENTS OF FICTION
PLOT Sequence of events: driven by CONFLICT Exposition Inciting Incident Rising action Climax Falling Action Resolution Denouement
EXPOSITION Plot elements, setting and main character(s) are introduced. What is the standard exposition for a fairy tale?
INCITING INCIDENT Reveals conflict Conflict drives plot What is the major conflict in your favorite movie?
TYPES OF CONFLICT Internal Conflict-within character Man vs. Self External Conflict-outside antagonist Man vs. Man Man vs. Society Man vs. Technology Man vs. Supernatural Man vs. Nature
IDENTIFYING CONFLICTS Internal Conflict: List 3 stories with Internal conflict and identify the conflict. External Conflict List 3 stories with external conflict and identify type
RISING ACTION Characters and conflict are developed. Conflict becomes more intense Suspense builds Rapport and sympathy for protagonist built
CLIMAX Highest intensity point of a plot “most exciting part” “point of most suspense”
FALLING ACTION Occurs between the climax and the resolution. Conflict is resolved, questions are answered, loose ends tied up.
RESOLUTION/ DENOUEMENT Conflict is resolved, story is ended. Fairy tale cue “lived happily ever after.” Common in contemporary serial novels is to introduce or leave some problem unresolved in order to lead to another novel in the series.
CHARACTER A personality that takes part in a narrative “story”. Person Animal Thing
TYPES OF MAIN CHARACTERS Protagonist—often referred to as “the good guy” in the narrative. Main character: all conflict revolves around this character, involved in all major events Audience feels most sympathy for this character. Antagonist—often referred to as “the bad guy” in the narrative. In opposition to the protagonist. do not confuse antagonist with anti- hero.
WRITE DOWN THE TITLES OF A COUPLE FAVORITE BOOKS, MOVIES OR GAMES AND IDENTIFY: Protagonist Antagonist Conflict
CHARACTERIZATION Direct—reader is informed directly about a character’s traits. Indirect—reader must draw conclusions and make inferences based on clues provided in narrative and dialogue.
CHARACTERIZATION Physical appearance Words Actions Thoughts/Emotions
SETTING Time and place a story occurs Can be symbolic Can be metaphor Communicates atmosphere and mood Is a defining characteristic of certain literature Historical fiction Fantasy Science fiction
THEME Universal idea or message communicated by a story. A truth about life or the human condition communicated by a story. NOT THE SAME as a moral Theme is stated as a sentence or phrase, not a topic “Love” is a topic, not a theme. “The positive effects of love on people’s lives” is a theme.
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