FICTION NOVELS and SHORT STORIES FICTION NOVELS and SHORT
STORIES Elements of Fiction
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THE SHORT STORY The SHORT STORY is a work of prose fiction in
narrative form. The number of pages is usually limited and can
reach a maximum of 70 or 80 but it can also consist of one or two
pages or even of a few paragraphs. It shares with the novel such
common elements as plot, characters, point of view, theme, but.IT
HAS
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DISTINCT FEATURES OF ITS OWN BREVITY COMPRESSION and
CONCENTRATION of form and content (one main episode, few
characters; one significant event of everyday life) IMMEDIACY (it
impresses the reader with immediate and complete images) ECONOMY
(the language is usually concise; concrete words and details are
used) HOMOGENEITY (despite its brevity, it is a complete and
unified whole with all its parts related)
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ELEMENTS OF PROSE FICTION Authors Purpose Theme Plot Setting
Characters Point of view Narrator Style Mood/Atmosphere
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AUTHORS PURPOSE An authors reason for creating a particular
work is called the authors purpose. Sometimes the author will state
his or her purpose directly. Other times youll need to make
inferences (reasonable guesses) about the authors purpose. There
are four basic reasons an author might choose to write: to explain
or inform to entertain ; to shock with an unexpected conclusion to
persuade to enlighten or reveal an important truth
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THEME The THEME is the central idea, message, concern or
purpose which lies behind the story and gives unity to the events
described. Its the main point. You will need to infer what the
theme is from the works title, key scenes, characters, symbols and
plot events.
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PLOT PLOT: Plot is the action of a story. It is the series of
related events that the author describes from the beginning of the
story to the end. Most plots follow a chronological order. In other
words, they proceed in the order in which the events happen.
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PLOT Plot is the literary element that describes the structure
of a story. It shows arrangement of events and actions within a
story.
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Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the
action starts Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in
the story that lead to the climax Climax: the turning point, the
most intense momenteither mentally or in action Falling Action: all
of the action which follows the climax Resolution: the conclusion
Plot Components
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SETTING The place and time - where and when - the story takes
place. Understanding a storys setting (setting as time and as
cultural context) and its effects can give you a context for the
events of the plot. It can also give you clues about the mood, or
atmosphere of a story, or insights to characters and provides
connections to the other aspects of the story.
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The Functions of a Setting To create a mood or atmosphere To
make action seem more real To be the source of conflict or struggle
To symbolize an idea To show a reader a different way of life
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CHARACTER CHARACTERIZATION CHARACTER TYPES
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CHARACTER A character is a person, an animal, or an imaginary
creature that takes part in the action of a story. A character can
be flat (simple); round (complex); static; developing Sometimes the
author will directly describe a characters appearance, personality,
or feelings. DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION Other times the author will
leave clues and expect you to draw conclusions about what the
character is like. INDIRECT CHARARACTERIZATION
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CHARACTERIZATION: An author can give information about a
character by describing several aspects of the character: Physical
appearance and personality Speech, behaviour and actions
Background, thoughts and feelings Interactions with other
characters
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CHARACTER TYPES Most stories have both main and minor
characters. The main character, or protagonist, is the most
important character. The action of the plot revolves around him or
her. Often the antagonist, the person or thing working against the
protagonist, is also a main character.
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POINT OF VIEW The point of view is the perspective from which
the events in a novel or short story are presented. the story can
be told in the first person by one of the characters him/herself
the novelist can tell the story as an omniscient narrator, moving
from character to character he can tell the story in the third
person, but from the point of view of one character only
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NARRATOR Omniscient Point of View: the story is told in third
person by a narrator who has unlimited knowledge of
events/characters. S/He forces the reader to share his/her opinion
and point of view. First-person Point of View: the story is told by
one of the characters. The author disappears into one of them. The
character uses pronouns such as I or we and usually participates in
much of the action. Of course, the point of view is limited.
Third-person Limited Point of View: the story is told by a narrator
but from the point of view of a character in the story. POV is
limited to the characters perceptions and shows no direct knowledge
of what other characters are thinking, feeling, or doing. The
non-omniscient narrator is always a third person or persons; may be
the author who refers the events without commenting on them or
various characters of the story, who look at facts from different
points of view, offering the readers different
interpretations.
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STYLE Style is the way writers express their ideas. Its how
they say something, not what they say. Style involves these three
elements: Word choice Rhythm: the pattern of flow and movement
created by the choice of words and the structure and arrangement of
sentences. Rhythm is directly affected by the length and
composition of sentences, the use of pauses within sentences, the
use of repetition Literary devices, such as figurative language,
symbols, dialogue, and imagery
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MOOD and ATMOSPHERE The mood is the feeling created in the
reader while reading. Writer uses many devices to create mood,
including images, dialogue, setting, and plot. Its the atmosphere
thats created. Writers can choose words, phrases and images to
create a whole range of moods - from anger and sadness to
excitement, fear and suspense.
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SUSPENSE The growing interest and excitement readers experience
while they are waiting for the CLIMAX (the point of greatest
emotional intensity) Its a feeling of anxious uncertainty about the
outcome of events. HOW to CREATE A SUSPENSE ATMOSPHERE? by arousing
readers curiosity and affecting strongly their expectations through
a series of incidents rising to an exciting climax
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Plot: Conflict Conflict is the dramatic struggle between two
forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.
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Plot and Structure 1 The plot is not merely the action itself,
but the way the author arranges the action toward a specific end
(structure). Important elements of Plot: *Conflict- A clash of
actions, ideas, desires, or wills Types of Conflict: Person vs.
Person, Person vs. Environment, Person vs. Self. *Protagonist- The
central character in a conflict *Antagonist- Any force arranged
against the protagonist- whether persons, things, conventions of
society, or the protagonists own personality traits. *Suspense- The
quality in a story that makes readers ask whats going to happen
next?. In more literary forms of fiction the suspense involves more
why than what. Usually produced through two devices; either mystery
(an unusual set of circumstances for which the reader craves an
explanation) or dilemma (a position in which a character must
choose between two courses of action, both undesirable.)
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Plot and Structure 2 Artistic unity- Essential for a good plot.
There must be nothing in the story that is irrelevant, that does
not contribute to the meaning. Each event should grow out of the
preceding one and lead logically to the next. The work should have
a quality of natural inevitability, given the specific set of
characters and the initial situation. *Deus Ex Machina- Latin for
God from a machine. The saving of the protagonist from an
impossible situation. A form of plot manipulation. Endings- *Happy
Ending- Everything ends well for our protagonist. More often used
in commercial fiction. *Unhappy Ending- Most instances in life do
not have pleasant ends, so literary fiction that tries to emulate
life is more apt to have an unhappy conclusion. These endings force
the reader to contemplate the complexities of life. *Indeterminate
Ending- No definitive ending is reached. This leaves the reader to
ponder the many issues raised through the story without being
handed a neat solution.
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Symbolism A symbol is something concretesuch as a person,
place, or objectthat 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 love and
affection A dove symbolizes peace and freedom