The Elements of Fiction Flashcards
The Seven (7) Elements of Fiction include…
- Characters
- Setting
- Narrative Point of View (POV)
- Plot
- Conflict
- Theme
- Tone
Types of Characters in Fiction includes…
- Major / Central
- Minor
- Dynamic
- Static
- Round
- Flat
- Stock
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Anti-hero
- Foil
- Symbolic
- Direct Presentation / Characterization
- Indirect Presentation / Characterization
Characters that are vital to the development and resolution of the conflict.
Major / Central
The plot and resolution of conflict revolves around these characters.
Major / Central
Serve to complement the major characters and help move the plot events forward.
Minor
A character who changes over time, usually as a result of resolving a central conflict or facing a major crisis.
Dynamic
Most ________ characters tend to be central rather than peripheral characters.
Dynamic
Someone who does not change over time; his or her personality does not transform or evolve.
Static
Anyone who has a complex personality; he or she is often portrayed as a conflicted and contradictory person.
Round
The opposite of a round character. This literary personality is notable for one kind of personality trait or characteristic.
Flat
Types of characters who have become conventional or stereotypical through repeated use in particular types of stories.
Stock
Instantly recognizable to readers or audience members (e.g. the femme fatale, the cynical but moral private eye, the mad scientist, the geeky boy with glasses, and the faithful sidekick).
Stock
Normally one-dimensional flat characters, but sometimes are deeply conflicted, rounded characters (e.g. the “Hamlet” type).
Stock
The central person in a story, and is often referred to as the story’s main character.
Protagonist
The character(s) (or situation) that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend.
Antagonist
Is an obstacle that the protagonist must overcome.
Antagonist
A major character, usually the protagonist, who lacks conventional nobility of mind, and who struggles for values not deemed universally admirable.
Anti-hero
Any character (usually the antagonist or an important supporting character) whose personal qualities contrast with another character (usually the protagonist).
Foil
Any major or minor character whose very existence represents some major idea or aspect of society.
Symbolic
This refers to what the speaker or narrator directly says or thinks about a character.
The reader is told what the character is like.
This refers to what the character says or does. The reader then infers what the character is all about.
Direct Presentation / Characterization
It’s the reader who is obliged to figure out what the character is like.
Indirect Presentation / Characterization
Ten (Direct or Indirect) Ways in which a Character Can Be Revealed
a. By psychological description.
b. By physical description.
c. By probing what s/he thinks.
d. By what s/he says.
e. By how s/he says it.
f. By what s/he does.
g. By what others say about him or her.
h. By his or her environment.
i. By her reaction to others.
j. By his reaction to himself.
Refers to the time, the geographical locations, and the general environment and circumstances that prevail in a narrative. Helps to establish the mood of a story.
Setting
Type of setting wherein the setting is fully described in both time and place,
usually found in historical fiction.
Integral
Type of setting wherein the setting is vague and general, which helps to
convey a universal, timeless tale. This type of setting is often found in
folktales and simply sets the stage and the mood.
Backdrop
The narrator is a character in the story, often, but not necessarily, the protagonist. This narrative point of view allows for a very personal touch in the story telling.
Internal Narrator
First-person Narrator; the narrator uses “I” to refer to himself/herself
Internal Narrator
The narrator is not a character in the story but knows everything about the story. Can show the thoughts and experiences of any character in the story. It permits the writer the broadest scope.
Omniscient Narrator
Multiple points of view; the narrator is “all-knowing”
Omniscient Narrator
The narrator is not a character in the story but looks at things only through the eyes of a single character. This type of narrative permits the narrator to quickly build a close bond between the protagonist and the reader, without being confined by the protagonist’s educational or language restrictions.
Limited Narrator
External Subjective Narrator; the 3rd person point of view
Limited Narrator
A series of interconnected events in which every occurrence has a specific purpose. All about establishing connections, suggesting causes, and showing relationships.
Plot
This is a chronological structure which first establishes the setting and conflict, then follows the rising action through
to a climax.
Dramatic or Progressive Plot
This is also a chronological structure, but it consists of a series of loosely related incidents, usually of chapter length, tied together by a common theme and/or character.
Work best when the writer wishes to explore the personalities of the characters, the nature of their existence, and the flavor of an era.
Episodic Plot
The writer weaves two or more dramatic plots that are usually linked by a common character and a similar theme.
Parallel Plot
This structure conveys information about events that occurred earlier. It permits authors to begin the story in the midst of the action but later fill in the background for full understanding of the
present events.
Flashback
Four (4) Types of Conflicts include…
- The Protagonist against Another
- The Protagonist against Society
- The Protagonist against Nature
- The Protagonist against Self
The main, underlying idea of a piece of literature. It is woven subtly into the fabric of the story rather than being
lectured or preached by the author.
Theme
Refers to the author’s mood and manner of expression in a work of
literature.
Tone
