Story Elements

SETTING Definition: The time and location in which a story takes place. For some stories the setting is very important, while for others it is not.

Consider the following when examining how the setting can affect a story: Place – geographical location. Where is the action of the story taking place? Time – When is the story taking place? (historical period, time of day, year, etc.) Weather conditions – Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.? Social conditions – What is the daily life of the characters like? Mood or atmosphere – What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Is it bright and cheerful or dark and frightening?

PLOT Definition: The sequence of events in a story. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. There are 5 essential parts of plot: 1. Exposition – the beginning of the story where the characters and the setting and the initial conflict is revealed. 2. Rising Action – This is where the events in the story become complicated. 3. Climax – This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not? The initial conflict is answered. 4. Falling action – The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not. 5. Resolution – this is the final outcome or untangling of events in the story.

EXPOSITION

Plot Profile POP QUIZ! Draw the plot profile on your paper, and then label the 5 parts

Tips for determining the climax: It may occur when the main character… Receives new information Accepts this information (realizes it but does not necessarily agree with it) Acts on this information (makes a choice that will determine whether or not he/she gains his/her objective)

CONFLICT Definition: The struggle or problem in a story; any opposition that the main character faces. Sometimes there may be only one central struggle, or there may be one dominant struggle with many minor ones.

There are two types of conflict: 1. External – A struggle with a force outside of one’s self. Examples: fighting for survival, arguing with another person, competing with others, etc. 2. Internal – A struggle within one’s self Examples: a person must make some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

There are 5 kinds of conflict: 1. Man vs. Man – A character struggles against another character 2. Man vs. Society – A character disagrees with societal values, laws or beliefs. The character may fight against social traditions or rules, such as a fight for freedom, rights, for a cause, etc. 3. Man vs. Nature – A character struggles with a force of nature, such as a natural disaster, desolation, animal, etc. 4. Man vs. Self – A character develops an internal struggle, which usually has something to do with a choice or overcoming emotions. 5. Man vs. Supernatural

Other kinds of conflict: Man vs. Supernatural Gods, ghosts, monsters, spirits, aliens, etc. Man vs. Fate Fight for choice; fight against destiny Man vs. Technology Computers, machines, etc.

CHARACTERS There are two meanings for the word character: 1. The person in a work of fiction 2. The characteristics of a person Persons in a work of fiction – Antagonist and Protagonist Protagonist – The character that is clearly central to the story with all major events having some importance to this character; the hero/heroine Antagonist – The character that opposes the main character; the villain

Characterization In order for a story to seem real to the reader its characters must seem real. Characters are convincing if they are: consistent, motivated, and life-like (resemble real people) Characterization is the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. The author may reveal a character in several ways: his/her physical appearance what he/she says, thinks, feels and dreams what he/she does or does not do what others say about him/her and how others react to him/her

Characters are… Round - a character affected by the events of the story. These characters are usually fully developed in terms of personality. They are described in more detail and their personalities emerge more fully. Round characters usually become enlightened, learn, grow, or deteriorate by the end of the story. Flat – a character who doesn't go through a change. These characters are usually one- dimensional.

POINT OF VIEW Definition: The angle from which the story is told Types of P.O.V.: Objective Point of View The writer shares the characters’ actions and dialogue, but the narrator never discloses anything about what the characters think or feel, remaining a detached observer. Third Person Point of View The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.

First Person Point of View The narrator does participate in the action of the story. When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth. We should question the trustworthiness of the accounting. Omniscient and Limited Omniscient Points of View A narrator who knows everything about all the characters is all knowing, or omniscient. A narrator whose knowledge is limited to one character, either major or minor, has a limited omniscient point of view.

As you read a piece of fiction think about these things: How does the point of view affect your responses to the characters? How is your response influenced by how much the narrator knows and how objective he or she is? First person narrators are not always trustworthy. It is up to you to determine what is the truth and what is not.

THEME Definition: The author’s underlying meaning or message that he or she is trying to convey. The main idea or lesson. Examples: Things are not always as they appear to be Believe in yourself People are afraid of change Don’t judge a book by its cover Friendship Family Growing up Freedom

MOOD The way a reader feels when reading a story. Mood may be created through setting, theme, and tone.

STYLE The way an author expresses himself and conveys his ideas and central purpose. To determine a writer’s style, we look at the following areas: Word choice Sentence structure Point of view

TONE How the author feels about the subject – his or her attitude The tone of a text can be either positive or negative. Tone can be understood by looking for positive or negative language used by the author.