Transcript Slide 1

Elements of Fiction
•Setting
•Mood & Tone
•Character
•Dialogue & Dialect
•Plot
•Foreshadowing
•Theme
•Irony
•Point of View
•Flashback
•Symbolism
•Imagery
•Style
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Setting


the time, place or period in which
the action takes place
Can establish the atmosphere of a
story
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Sensory Details
“During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless
day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds
hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been
passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly
dreary tract of country.”
“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar
Allan Poe
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Character

Static Characters:

Do not experience
personal change
– Static= Same
Dynamic Characters:
Experience a
personal change
throughout the
story
– Dynamic=
Different

The people (or animals, things,
etc. presented as people)
appearing in a story.
– Types of Characters:


Protagonist-The leading character in a
story who possess the main conflict.
Antagonist- The character who opposes,
is working against the protagonist
CHARACTERIZATION:
An author can give information about a
character by describing several aspects of
the character:
•Physical appearance & Personality
(Character Traits)
•Speech, behavior, actions thoughts and feelings
of the character
•Interactions with other characters, how other
characters behave, act, feel, speak to and think
about the character
•The author’s direct comments about the character


1st Person
– One character’s point of view
– “I”, “We”, “Me”
Narration
POINT-OF-VIEW

3rd person
Narrated by someone outside the story
– “he”, “she”, “they”, “them”
Objective: told by someone who just
tells the story and does not show any
character’s emotions or thoughts
Limited: told by someone who can see,
feel and hear ONLY ONE of the
characters emotions and thoughts
Omniscient: told by someone who can
see, feel and hear ALL of the characters
emotions and thoughts

Plot

The series of events and actions
that takes place in a story.
Climax: The turning point.
Not always overly exciting.
If it doesn’t happen the story will
continue in the same direction
Rising Action: the
series of conflicts
and crisis in the
story that lead to
the climax.
Exposition: The
start of the story.
Falling Action: all of the
action which follows the
Climax.
Resolution: The
conclusion, the tying
together of all of the
threads.

Plot cont.
(Rising Action)

Conflict
 Character
VS Character
External
 Character
VS Nature
External
 Character
VS Society
External
 Character
Internal
VS Himself
THEME
Lesson or moral learned
in the story
Central idea of the
story
Never just one word!
SYMBOLISM
A symbol is something concrete—
such as a person, place, or object—
that signifies something more than
just itself, something abstract, such
as a concept or an idea.
Some symbols you will probably be
familiar with already.
A heart symbolizes
___________________
A dove symbolizes
___________________
STYLE
Style is the way writers express
their ideas. It’s how they say
something, not what they say. Style
involves these three elements:
•Word choice
•Sentence structure and length
•Literary devices, such as
figurative language, symbols,
dialogue, and imagery
Tone
The writer’s attitude toward the
subject matter.
Mood
The mood of a literary work is the
feelings that a writer wants readers
to have while reading. It’s the
atmosphere that’s created. Writers can
choose words, phrases, and images to
create a whole range of moods—from
anger and sadness to excitement and fear.
Dialogue
It is written conversation between
two or more characters. Writers use
dialogue to bring characters to life and
to give readers insights into the
characters’ qualities, traits, and
reactions to other characters.
Dialect
A dialect is a form of a language that is
spoken in a particular place or by a
particular group of people.
Dialects may feature unique
pronunciations, vocabulary, and grammar.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing occurs when a writer
provides hints that suggest future
events in a story.
Foreshadowing creates suspense and
makes readers eager
to find out what will happen.
Irony
Irony is a contrast between what is
expected and what actually exists or
happens. Exaggeration and sarcasm
are techniques writers use to express
irony.
Dramatic- When
the audience knows
something the
characters do not.
Verbal-When a
characters says one
thing but means
another
Situational- When a
situation does not
have the expected
outcome
Flashback
A flashback is an
interruption of
the action to communicate
events that took place at
an earlier time.
It provides information
that can help a reader
better understand a
character’s current
situation.
Imagery
Imagery consists of words and
phrases that appeal to a reader’s
five senses. Writers use sensory
details to help the reader imagine
how things look, feel, smell,
sound, and taste.