1. Interaction of Story Elements

2. Elements of Story Plot Setting Character Conflict Theme
Plot is the action, the quest for satisfaction, What's going down, what's going to happen.
Setting
Setting gives us the where and the when, Could be modern day, the future, or way back when.
Character
Knock knock, who's there? Oh, it's the characters, The people in the story who carry out the action.
Conflict
Flick something in your eye, now you're conflicted, What created drama? The conflict did.
Theme
The theme of the story is the main idea,
The central belief or the topic that’s in there.

3. Interaction of Elements
Story elements interact with one another to shape the story.
If one were changed, it would affect all the others, similar to a puzzle that shows a different picture when you rearrange the pieces
Thus, story elements have a cause/effect relationship.
These ideas are most easily stated in “if…then” statements.

4. Interaction of Elements
If Sundiata wasn’t strong and determined (CHARACTER), then he wouldn’t have overcome his disability (PLOT).
If Helen didn’t live in the 1800’s (SETTING), then she might not have become blind and deaf and wild (CHARACTER/PLOT).

5. If… Then… If a story element were different…
a plot event were different…
the setting was different…
a character was different…
the conflict was different…
a theme was different…
Then how would it affect another story element…
how would it affect something else about the plot, setting, character, conflict, or theme…

6. If….. Then…. Captain Keller wasn’t so stubborn (CHARACTER)…
Anne and Helen hadn’t left the cottage (SETTING)…
If Anne wasn’t so determined (CHARACTER)…
How would that affect the plot?
How would that affect the conflict?
How would that affect the theme?

7. Plot Setting Character Conflict Theme ELEMENT STORY IF…THEN
EVIDENCE FROM TEXT
Plot
Setting
Character
Conflict
Theme

8. Interaction of Elements Booklet
Fold a blank sheet of paper in half like a small book.
On each of the four pages:
Label each page with an element of story.
Describe ONE example in “The Veil” of that element.
Draw a panel from the graphic novel showing that story element.
Write an “if…then” statement to explain how that story element affects another.

9. ERQ
Analyze how the setting of Persepolis shapes the plot OR a character. Provide at least ONE piece of key information from the text. Explain how the key information from the text supports you analysis.

10. Model ERQ
In The Miracle Worker, the setting greatly affects the development of the plot. Because the Keller family lives during the 1800’s (setting), medicine was not available to cure Helen’s illness before it damaged her sight and hearing (plot). If Helen Keller had been born later in history, then she wouldn’t have lived with these handicaps. In the beginning of Act 1, the DOCTOR states, “Main thing is the fever’s gone, these things come and go in infants, never know why.” His misunderstanding of Helen’s illness reveals a lack of knowledge about the illness during that time period. A P E