DISCLAIMER – This was NOT written by me. This was originally was a handout I received in middle school. I’ve copy and pasted definitions and examples into it over the years. However all the information was found online.
I do consider it useful and I hope you do as well.
Elements of fiction
Characters
A character is any person, persona, identity, or entity that exists in a work of art. Characters may be entirely fictional or based upon real, historical entities. Characters may be human, supernatural, mythical, divine, animal, or personifications of an abstraction.
Characterization is the process of creating an image of a person in fiction, complete with that person’s traits, features, and motivation.
- Protagonist
The main character (the central or primary personal figure) of a narrative, around whom the events of the narrative’s plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to share the most empathy.
- Antagonist
A character, group of characters, or an institution, who represents the opposition against which the protagonist(s) must contend. In other words, ‘A person, or a group of people who oppose the main character, or the main characters. In the classic style of story wherein the action consists of a hero fighting a villain, the two can be regarded as protagonist and antagonist, respectively
- Focal
A character on whom the audience is meant to place the majority of their interest and attention. He or she is almost always also the protagonist of the story; however, in cases where the “focal character” and “protagonist” are separate, the focal character’s emotions and ambitions are not meant to be empathized with by the audience to as high an extent as the protagonist (this is the main difference between the two character terms). The focal character is mostly created to simply be the “excitement” of the story, though not necessarily the main character about whom the audience is emotionally concerned. The focal character is, more than anyone else, “the person on whom the spotlight focuses; the center of attention; the man whose reactions dominate the screen.”
For example, in Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera, the protagonist is Christine Daaé (the audience is concerned mostly with her emotions, aims, and well-being), while the focal character is the “Phantom” (the audience is concerned mostly with the allure of his actions and reactions—though to some degree, later on, his emotions as well).
- Foil (sidekick)
A person that contrasts with another character (usually the protagonist) in order to highlight various features of the main character’s personality: to throw the character of the protagonist into sharper relief. A foil usually has some important characteristics in common with the other character, such as, frequently, superficial traits or personal history.
*A foil’s complementary role may be emphasized by physical contrasts. A foil is usually the antagonist. For example in Cervantes’ Don Quixote, the dreamy and impractical Quixote is thin in contrast to his companion, the realistic and practical Sancho Panza, who is fat. Another popular fictional character, Sherlock Holmes is tall and lean; Doctor Watson, is often described as “middle-sized, strongly built.” The “straight man” in a comedy duo is a comic foil. While the straight man portrays a reasonable and serious character, the other portrays a funny, dumb, or simply unorthodox one. The humor in these partnerships derives from the interactions between these drastically different personalities.
Plot
Plot is a sequence of interrelated events arranged to form a logical pattern and achieve an intended effect. It is often designed with a narrative structure or storyline, that includes conflict, rising action, and climax, followed by a falling action and a resolution or dénouement.
- Exposition
Exposition is the beginning of the plot usually concerned with introducing characters and setting. These elements may be largely presented at the beginning of the story, or occur as a sort of incidental description throughout. Exposition may be handled in a variety of ways—perhaps a character or a set of characters explain the elements of the plot through dialogue or thought, or perhaps media such as newspaper clippings, and diaries. In the case of film, an analogous usage of television, discovered video tape, or documentary may be used.
- Types of expository writing
- Sequence writing
lists or steps in chronological order or how they happen.
- Descriptive essays
use the senses of sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste to provide the reader with a mental image or feeling about the subject.
- Classification writing
uses an organizational strategy to arrange groups of objects or ideas according to a common theme.
- Comparison writing
shows the similarities and differences between two or more subjects.
- Cause-and-effect writing
also known as analysis, identifies the reasons for an event or situation.
- Conflict
Conflict is a clash between two or more opposing groups, around which the plot revolves. This can take a number of basic forms, where the character may have to face themselves, another person, nature, society, a machine, or even the supernatural. The conflict, along with the exposition, often defines the genre of the story. A story’s conflict may be a hybrid of these, or many concurrent conflicts: for example, the protagonist may struggle with their own thoughts while fighting someone else, or battle the nature of disease while trying to change society!
- Common Examples of Conflict
- Man vs. Self
Man vs. Self (Person vs. Man)is when the central conflict of a story is internal to the main character, and is often portrayed as a conflict between the characters beliefs and a temptation to act against them.
- Man vs. Man
Man vs. Man 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 arguments/disagreements before the climax is reached. The conflict is external. Person vs. Person can usually be expressed by,for example, when a child is being ridiculed by a bully. An example is the conflict between Judah and Messala in Ben-Hur.
- Man vs. Society
Man vs. Society 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 single character, just as an opposing party would be looked at in a Man vs. Man conflict. Man vs. Society conflict gives the playwright an opportunity to comment on positive/negative aspects of society as a whole.
- Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Nature 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, such as the novel Hatchet or Jack London’s short story “To Build a Fire”. Also A Separate Peace is a good example with Leper not wanting to jump out of the tree. Some are not so remote such as Banner in the Sky.
- Man vs. Supernatural
Man vs. a spirit. Examples: ghosts, monsters, vampires, etc.
- Man vs. Machine/Technology
Man vs. Machine/Technology places a character against robot forces with “artificial intelligence”. I, Robot and the Terminator series are good examples of this conflict.
- Man vs. Destiny
Man vs. Destiny is a theme where one attempts to break free of a predetermined path chosen before him prior to his knowledge. If can also be referred to as an issue between fate and freewill. A common example is Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
(Man vs. Destiny can also be commonly known as Man vs. Fate.)
- Climax
The climax is the high point of the story, where a culmination of events create the peak of the conflict. The climax usually features the most conflict and struggle, and usually reveals any secrets or missing points in the story. Alternatively, an anti-climax may occur, in which an expectedly difficult event is revealed to be incredibly easy or of paltry importance. Critics may also label the falling action as an anti-climax, or anti-climactic. The climax isn’t always the first important scene in a story. In many stories, it is the last sentence, with no successive falling action or resolution.
- Falling action
The falling action is the part of a story following the climax. This part of the story shows the result of the climax, and its effects on the characters, setting, and proceeding events. Critics may label a story with falling action as the anti-climax or anti-climactic if they feel that the falling action takes away from the power of the climax.
- Resolution
In fiction, a dénouement consists of a series of events that follow the climax, and thus serves as the conclusion of the story. Conflicts are resolved, creating normality for the characters and a sense of catharsis, or release of tension and anxiety, for the reader. Simply put, dénouement is the unraveling or untying of the complexities of a plot. Be aware that not all stories have a resolution
- Plot Device
is an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot.
Appearance of a plot device in a work is usually considered a sign of poor writing. However judgement as to what constitutes a plot device is often subjective. If an object serves other functions within the work than to simply advance the story then it is less likely to be considered a plot device.
- Subplot
sometimes referred to as a “B story” or a “C story” and so on, is a secondary plot strand that is auxiliary to the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance. Subplots often involve supporting characters, those besides the protagonist or antagonist.
Setting
Setting, the location and time of a story, is sometimes referred to as story world or to include a context (such as society) beyond the immediate surroundings of the story… In some cases, setting becomes a character itself and can set the tone of a story.
In fiction, setting includes the time, location, and everything in which a story takes place, and initiates the main backdrop and mood for a story. Setting has been referred to as story world or milieu to include a context (especially society) beyond the immediate surroundings of the story. Elements of setting may include culture, historical period, geography, and hour. Along with plot, character, theme, and style, setting is considered one of the fundamental components of fiction. A setting is the time place and social environment a story takes place.
Theme
The theme of a story is the point the writer wishes to make, a moral or conceptual distillation of the story often posed as a question or human problem.
Style
Style is not so much what is written, but how it is written. In fiction, style refers to language conventions and literary techniques used to construct a story. The communicative effect created by an author’s style is sometimes referred to as the story’s voice. Each writer has his or her own unique style, or voice.
In other words, who is the audience. R.L Stine vs Steven King. Both write horror, but their styles are different because of the intended audience.
