Midterms 2 Flashcards
(Latin: fictum, “created”) is a branch of literature which deals, in part or in whole,
with temporally contrafactual events (events that are not true at the time of
writing).
Fiction
which deals exclusively in factual events (e.g.:
biographies, histories).
non-fiction
is fiction implementing a great deal of non-fiction, e.g. a fictional
description based on a true story.
Semi-fiction
is an account or representation of a subject which is
presented as fact. This presentation may be accurate or not; that is, it can give
either a true or a false account of the subject in question. However, it is generally
assumed that the authors of such accounts believe them to be truthful at the time
of their composition.
Non-fiction
Forms of Fiction
⦿ Traditionally, fiction includes
- novels,
- short stories,
- fables,
- fairy tales,
- plays,
but it now also encompasses - films,
- comic books, and
- video games.
Uses of Fiction
use for instructional purposes
use for propaganda and advertising
used to explain science concepts.
ELEMENTS OF FICTION
Plot
Character
Setting
Theme
Point of View
Style
or storyline, is the rendering and ordering of the events and actions of a story
Plot
Traditional Pattern of Development of a Plot based on Freytag Pyramid
Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action leading to Resolution/Denouement
Resolution/Denouement
It refers to the layout of the materials of the story — the main characters, their
backgrounds, their characteristics, interests, goals, limitations and goals.
Exposition
The major conflict in the story. The rising action’s purpose is usually to build
suspense all the way up the climactic finish. The rising action should not be confused
with the middle of the story, but is the action right before the climax.
Rising Action (Complication)
It is the moment of greatest danger for the protagonist(s) (good people of the
story) and usually consists of a seemingly inevitable prospect of failure, followed by a
hard-to-anticipate recovery. For example, if you were on a roller coaster, the highest
part of it would be the climax. The point of greatest curiosity and tension.
Climax
The relaxation of tension and uncertainties, showing the effects of the climax.
A significant reversal may happen before the falling action – a big change in character
or in circumstances. Falling action wraps up the narrative, resolves its loose ends, and
leads toward the closure. It leads up to the resolution/denouement.
.
Falling Action leading to Resolution/Denouement
Once the conflicts are over, a brief action underscores the finality. It’s where any
unanswered questions are answered, or “loose ends are tied.” Interestingly the phrase
denouement comes from the French word dénouement meaning “to untie.” A story with
a complete ending is said to have a strong resolution. Though sometimes, the resolution
part or the ending of the story serves as the beginning of a new chapter
Resolution/Denouement
Also known as plot mechanism, it refers to any technique in a narrative used to
move the plot forward. These devices are used by fiction writers in order to present the
story in a non-conventional way.
PLOT DEVICES
a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected
outcome of the plot in a work of fiction.
plot twist
Plot devices
Anagnorisis
Flashback, or analepsis
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending,
Peripeteia
Deus ex machina
A false protagonist
non-linear narrative works
is the protagonist’s sudden recognition
of his or her own or another character’s true identity or nature. Through this
technique, previously unforeseen character information is revealed
Anagnorisis
a sudden, vivid reversion to a past event,[10] surprises
the reader with previously unknown information that solves a mystery, places a
character in a different light, or reveals the reason for a previously inexplicable
action.
Flashback, or analepsis,
is a plot device in fiction which features a
main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma or confronted with a shocking
revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction. A cliffhanger is hoped to
incentivize the audience to return to see how the characters resolve the dilemma.
cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending,
is a sudden reversal of the protagonist’s fortune, whether for good or
ill, that emerges naturally from the character’s circumstances
Peripeteia
a Latin term meaning “god from the machine.” It refers to an
unexpected, artificial or improbable character, device or event introduced
suddenly in a work of fiction to resolve a situation or untangle a plot.
Deus ex machina
is a character presented at the start of the story as the main
character, but then disposed of, usually killed.
False protagonist
by revealing plot and character in
non-chronological order. This technique requires the reader to attempt to piece
together the timeline in order to fully understand the story. A twist ending can
non-linear narrative works
works by revealing the plot in reverse order, i.e., from final
event to initial event. Unlike chronological storylines, which progress through
causes before reaching a final effect, reverse chronological storylines reveal the
final effect before tracing the causes leading up to it; therefore, the initial cause
represents a “twist ending”.
Reverse chronology
gives the audience hints or signs about the future. It suggests
what is to come through imagery, language, and/or symbolism. It does not
directly give away the outcome, but rather, suggests it.
Foreshadowing
is a Latin phrase meaning “in the midst of things”, a plot technique
wherein the story begins somewhere in the middle of the plot.
In medias res
Though it may be considered as part of a plot, it can also be considered as
another important element in fiction.
CONFLICT
Types of Conflict:
- INTERNAL
EXTERNAL
is the theme or conflict in literature that places a
character against his or her own will, confusion, or fears. It is also known as the internal conflict.
Character vs. Self
External conflict may refer to any of the following:
Person vs. Person
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Supernatural
Person vs. Machine/Technology
is when, in a novel, there is a conflict of two forms of
like beings. An example is the hero’s conflicts with the central villain of a
work, which may play a large role in the plot and contribute to the
development of both characters. There are usually several confrontations
before the climax is reached. The conflict is external. Person vs. Person
can usually be expressed by when a child is being ridiculed by a bully.
Person vs. Person
is a theme in fiction in which a main character’s, or
group of main characters’, main source of conflict is social traditions or
concepts. In this sense, the two parties are: a) the protagonist(s); b) the
society of which the protagonist(s) are included. Society itself is often
looked at as a single character, just as an opposing party would be looked
at in a Person vs. Person conflict.
Person vs. Society
is the theme in literature that places a character
against forces of nature. Many disaster films focus on this theme, which is
predominant within many survival stories. It is also strong in stories about
struggling for survival in remote locales.
Person vs. Nature
is a theme in literature that places a character
against supernatural forces.
Person vs. Supernatural
places a character against robot forces
with “artificial intelligence”. I, Robot and the Terminator series are good
examples of this conflict
Person vs. Machine/Technology
a participant in the story, and is usually a person, but
may be any personal identity, or entity whose existence originates
from a fictional work or performance.
Character
Characters may be of several types:
Protagonist
Antagonist
Foil
Static
Dynamic
Supporting character
Stereotyped character
Minor character
Round Character
Flat Character
-: The driver of the action of the story and therefore responsible for
achieving the story’s Objective Story Goal (the surface journey). In western
storytelling tradition the Protagonist is usually the Main Character.
Protagonist
The character that stands in opposition to the protagonist.
Antagonist
The character that contrasts to the protagonist in a way that illuminates their
personality or characteristic.
Foil
A character who does not undergo significant change during the course of
a story. (compare: Dynamic)
Static
Like a round character, a dynamic character also undergoes changes
throughout the narrative, due to conflicts he encounters on his journey. A
dynamic character faces trials and tribulations, and takes time to learn from his
encounters, his experiences, and his mistakes, as well as from other characters.
Sometimes a character learns a lesson, and gains maturity
Dynamic
A character that plays a part in the plot, but is not major
Supporting character
A character who is so ordinary or unoriginal that the
character seems like an oversimplified representation of a type, gender, class,
religious group, or occupation. Also known as STOCK.
Stereotyped character
A character in a bit/cameo part.
Minor character
round characters are lifelike figures with complex,
multifaceted personalities. They possess depth and dimension, and often
undergo personal development over the course of a story.
Round Character
flat characters are those with little complexity or depth of
personality. They can be captured by just a few words or by their “type”:
Flat Character
is the applied use of symbols: iconic representations that carry
particular conventional meanings.
Symbolism
the location and time of a story.
Setting
a conceptual distillation of the story, is often listed as one of the
fundamental elements of fiction. It is the central idea or insight serving as a unifying
element, creating cohesion and is an answer to the question, ‘What did you learn from
the piece of fiction?’
Theme
is a statement about a topic.
Theme
is the “narrative point of view,” how the story is told—more
specifically, who tells it. There are two distinctly different types of point of view and each
of those two types has two variations.
Point of View
, the story is told by a character within the story, a
character using the first-person pronoun, I.
First-Person point of view
If the narrator is the main character, the point of view is
first
person protagonist.
If the narrator is a secondary character, the point of view is
first
person observer.
If the narrator is a secondary character, the point of view is
first
person observer.
the story is not told by a character but by an
“invisible author,” using the third person pronoun (he, she, or it) to tell the story
Third Person point of view,
If the third person narrator gives us the thoughts of characters (He
wondered where he’d lost his baseball glove), then he is a
third
person omniscient (all knowing) narrator.
If the third person narrator only gives us information which could be
recorded by a camera and microphone (no thoughts), then he is a
.
third person dramatic narrator
- is not so much what is written, but how it is written and interpreted. Every writer
has his or her own unique style.
Style in fiction refers to language conventions used to construct the story. A
fiction writer may manipulate diction, sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and other
aspects of language to create style or mood.
Style
