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Prose and Its Elements

This document provides an introduction to prose and elements of fiction in literature. Prose is defined as straightforward written or spoken expression without metrical structure, as opposed to poetry. Common types of prose include fictional, nonfictional, and prose poetry. Key elements of fiction discussed include setting, mood, characters, plot, conflict, point of view, and theme. Setting establishes the where and when. Mood conveys the emotional tone. Characters can be dynamic or static. Plot follows a story's sequence of events. Conflict drives the narrative. Point of view determines the perspective. And theme explores life's broader messages.

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452 views

Prose and Its Elements

This document provides an introduction to prose and elements of fiction in literature. Prose is defined as straightforward written or spoken expression without metrical structure, as opposed to poetry. Common types of prose include fictional, nonfictional, and prose poetry. Key elements of fiction discussed include setting, mood, characters, plot, conflict, point of view, and theme. Setting establishes the where and when. Mood conveys the emotional tone. Characters can be dynamic or static. Plot follows a story's sequence of events. Conflict drives the narrative. Point of view determines the perspective. And theme explores life's broader messages.

Uploaded by

Youniverse
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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- INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE-

PROSE
AND ELEMENTS OF FICTION
PROSE IS …
● Prose comes from the Latin “prosa oratio,” meaning “straightforward.”

● Prose is a form of language that has no formal metrical structure. It


applies a natural flow of speech, and ordinary grammatical structure,
rather than rhythmic structure, such as in the case of traditional poetry.
PROSE – POETRY DIFFERENCES
Prose Poetry
• Follows natural patterns of speech • Traditional poetry has deliberate
and communication patterns, such as rhythm and
• Has a grammatical structure with rhyme
sentences and paragraphs • Many poems have a formal
• Uses everyday language metrical structure—repeating
• Sentences and thoughts continue patterns of beats
across lines • Incorporates more figurative
language
• Poems visually stand out on a page
with narrow columns, varying line
lengths, and more white space on
a page than prose
• Deliberate line breaks
COMMON TYPES OF PROSE
Nonfictional prose Heroic prose
A true story or factual account of events or
Heroic prose is usually a legend or fable.
information. For example: Textbooks,
newspaper articles, and biography, etc.

Fictional prose Prose poetry


The most popular type of literary prose, Poetry written in prose instead of using
used in novels and short stories, and verse but maintaining poetic qualities
generally has characters, plot, setting, and
dialogue.
Elements of Fiction
1. SETTING
Setting is the “where and when” of a story.
Furniture Dialects
Scenery Weather
Customs Time of day
Transportation Time of year
Clothing
The Functions of a Setting
Setting is not accidental. It is a vital part of the narrative and it can serve
many functions.

● To create a mood or atmosphere

● To show a reader a different way of life

● To make action seem more real

● To be the source of conflict or struggle

● To symbolize an idea
2. MOOD
Mood is the feeling that the author tries
to convey throughout the story. The
atmosphere or emotional condition
created by the piece, within the setting.
Does the author want the reader to be
frightened or sad, or does the story
make the reader laugh and think happy
thoughts?
To figure out mood, examine how you
feel while reading the story. Often mood
is conveyed by the story’s setting.
3. Characters

The person, animals, and


things participating in a
story
Types of Characters
Dynamic character Round character
Shows capacity for
Changes over the change from the
course of the story. moment we meet them.

Static character Confidante Character


The best friend or
A flat character sidekick of the
protagonist

Deuteragonists Foil Character


Close to the main
character, but their story Exists to bring the
does not correspond protagonist’s qualities
directly with the main plot
3. PLOT

● Plot is the organized pattern or


sequence of events that make up a
story.

● Plot is the literary element that


describes the structure of a story. It
shows arrangement of events and
actions within a story.
Parts of a Plot

Rising Action Falling Action


A building of interest or
Leads to the
suspense occurs and
leads to the climax. resolution

Exposition Climax Resolution


introduction The turning point of The conclusion
the story.
4. CONFLICT

Conflict is a problem that must be


solved; an issue between the
protagonist and antagonist forces. It
forms the basis of the plot.

Conflicts can be external with outside


force or internal within in a character’s
mind
5. POINT OF VIEW

First Person Point of View Third Person Point of View-


A character from the story is telling An outside narrator is telling the story;
the story; uses the pronouns “I” and uses the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”
“me”.
Example:
Example: She heard a loud crash in the middle of the
We should all be so lucky as to have night. She was so scared that she didn't
someone like Jim in our lives. know what she should do next.
Types of Third-Person
Point of View
The Objective Third Person Third-Person Limited
The narrator knows or reveal The narrator knows the
NOTHING about the character’s thoughts and feelings on only
internal thoughts and feeling. He ONE character in a story.
just sticks to the external facts of
the story.

Third-Person Omniscient
The narrator knows the thoughts
and feeling of ALL the
characters in a story.
Guess the Point of View
1. She walked along the street, wondering if she had enough time to stop
for an ice cream cone on the way to her next appointment. It was hot and
she was dreading her meeting, so she decided that an ice cream cone
might be just the thing to give her a boost. As she walked into the ice
cream shop, the owner greeted her pleasantly.

2. She walked along the street on the way to her meeting, stopped in front
of an ice cream shop and peered through the window. The shop’s owner
peered back at her.
3. She walked along the street, wondering if she had enough
time to stop for an ice cream cone on the way to her next
appointment. It was hot and she was dreading her meeting, so
she decided that an ice cream cone might be just the thing to
give her a boost. The owner of the ice cream shop saw her
peering through the window and wondered who was that
beautiful girl he had never seen before.
6. THEME
The theme is the central, general message,
the main idea, the controlling topic about
life or people the author wants to get across
through a literary work

To discover the theme of a story, think big.


What big message is the author trying to say
about the world in which we live?

What is this story telling me about how life


works, or how people behave?
The Theme is also …

● The practical lesson (moral) that we


learn from a story after we read it. The
lesson that teaches us what to do or
how to behave after you have learned
something from a story or something
that has happened to you.

● Example: The value of humility, the


occasional necessity of rebellion, the
dangers of desire (Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone)
THANK YOU
CREDITS: This presentation template was created by
Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, infographics &
images by Freepik

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