The-Elements-of-Fiction

TheElementsofFictionFictionreferstoanyimaginaryworkportrayingcharactersandeventsnovelnoveletteshortstoryClassificationoffictionTheElementsInclude:plotsettingpointofViewcharacterthemestylePlotV.S.StoryStory–thekingdiedandthenthequeendiedPlot–thekingdied,andthenthequeendiedofgriefPLOTThesequenceofincidentsoreventsthroughwhichanauthorconstructsastory.Anauthor’sselectionandarrangementofincidentsinastorytoshapetheactionandgivethestoryaparticularfocus.Howandwhythingshappenthewaytheydo.Plotmayhavefourparts:BeginningRisingActionClimaxFallingActionExposition:thestartofthestory,thesituationbeforetheactionstartsRisingAction:theseriesofconflictsandcrisisinthestorythatleadtotheclimaxClimax:theturningpoint,themostintensemoment—eithermentallyorinactionFallingAction:alloftheactionwhichfollowstheclimaxResolution:theconclusion,thetyingtogetherofallofthethreadsPlotComponentsRisingActionComplication(s)createssomesortofconflictfortheprotagonist(themaincharacter).Climaxthemomentofgreatestemotionaltensioninanarrative,usuallymarkingaturningpointintheplotatwhichtherisingactionreversestobecomethefallingaction.FallingActionorRESOLUTIONtheconclusionofaplot’sconflictsandcomplications.Theresolutionfollowstheclimaxintheplot.CharacterapersonoranimalsorobjectspresentedinadramaticornarrativeworkPROTAGONISTAheroorheroine,thecentralcharacterwhoengagesthereader’sinterestandempathy.TypesofCharactersflatcharacterroundcharacterstockcharacterstaticcharacterTypesofCharactersRoundCharacters:Complexandmanyfaceted;havethequalitiesofrealpeople.Aflatcharacterembodiesoneortwoqualities,ideas,ortraitsthatcanbereadilydescribedinabriefsummary.Theyarenotpsychologicallycomplexcharactersandthereforearereadilyaccessibletoreaders.Nogrowth,static.flatcharacteraremorecomplexthanflatorstockcharacters,andoftendisplaytheinconsistenciesandinternalconflictsfoundinmostrealpeople.Theyaremorefullydeveloped,andthereforearehardertosummarize.RoundcharactersstaticcharacterAstaticcharacterdoesnotchangethroughoutthework,andthereader’sknowledgeofthatcharacterdoesnotgrow,whereasadynamiccharacterundergoessomekindofchangebecauseoftheactionintheplot.StaticCharacter:Acharacterthatremainsessentiallythesamethroughout.Someflatcharactersarerecognizedasstockcharacters;theyembodystereotypessuchasthe“dumbblonde”orthe“meanstepfather.”Theybecometypesratherthanindividuals.stockcharactersCharacterizationistheprocessbywhichawritermakesthecharacterseemrealtothereader.1.Direct:“hewasanoldman..”(TheOldManandtheSea)2.OwnWordsandActions3.ReactionofotherCharacters4.Physicalappearance5.OwnthoughtsMethodsofCharacterization:SettingThesettingofastoryisitsoverallcontext-where,whenandinwhatcircumstancestheactionofastoryoccurs.SettingSettingasPlace-Thephysicalenvironmentwherethestorytakesplace.Thedescriptionoftheenvironmentoftenpointstowardsitsimportance.SettingasTime-Includestimeinallofitsdimensions.Todeterminetheimportance,ask,“whatwasgoingonatthattime?”SettingasCulturalContext-Settingalsoinvolvesthesocialcircumstancesofthetimeandplace.Considerhistoricaleventsandsocialandpoliticalissuesofthetime.EffectsofSetting-Createsatmosphere,givesinsighttocharacters,andprovidesconnectionstootheraspectsofthestory.PointofViewReferstowhotellsusastoryandhowitistold.Whatweknowandhowwefeelabouttheeventsinaworkareshapedbytheauthor’schoiceofpointofview.Thetellerofthestory,thenarrator,inevitablyaffectsourunderstandingofthecharacters’actionsbyfilteringwhatistoldthroughhisorherownperspective.Thestoryistoldinthirdpersonbyanarratorwhohasunlimitedknowledgeofeventsandcharacters.OmniscientPOVThirdPersonLimitedPOVThestoryistoldinthirdpersonbutfromtheviewpointofacharacterinthestory.POVislimitedtothecharacter’sperceptionsandshowsnodirectknowledgeofwhatothercharactersarethinking,feeling,ordoing.FirstPersonPOVTheauthordisappearsintooneofthecharacters.Sharesthelimitationsofthirdpersonlimited.Usesthepronouns“I”and“we”.ThemeThethemeofapieceoffictionisitscontrollingideaoritscentralinsight.Itistheunifyinggeneralizationaboutlifestatedorimpliedbythestory.Themedoesnotequal“moral”,“lesson”,or“message”.SymbolismAperson,object,image,wordoreventthatevokesarangeofadditionalmeaningbeyondandusuallymoreabstractthanitsliteralsignificance.Themeisthecentralmeaningordominantideainaliterarywork.Athemeprovidesaunifyingpointaroundwhichtheplot,characters,setting,pointofview,symbols,andotherelementsofaworkareorganized.Itisimportantnottomistakethethemefortheactualsubjectofthework;thethemereferstotheabstractconceptthatismadeconcretethroughtheimages,characterization,andactionofthetext.StyleStyleisthemannerinwhichanauthoruseswords,constructssentences,incorporatesnon-literalexpressions,andhandlesrhythm,timing,andtone.Whenaskedtodiscussstyle,youarebeingaskedtodescribehoworexplainwhythewords,sentences,andimaginativecomparisonsareeffectiveintermsofwhatisbeingcreated.*Diction-Centraltoanauthor’sstyle.Includes:1.Vocabulary-Choiceofwordsa.Simplewords-Everydaywordchoice.(“Shewassickforalongtime.)b.Complexwords-Flexingintellectualmuscle(“Garagesandcotton