Elements of Fiction

1.It is a compilation of expressions of emotion with

the use of writing materials. It is also a compilation
of works of art published orally or written.
 

A. Literature
B. Figures of Speech
C. Idioms
D. Grammar
2. It is a shorter version of literature that uses
idiomatic expression and imagery with a song of
feeling in a rhyme, scheme, song, psalm,
imagery, and symbolism.

A. Novella
B. Poetry
C. Novels
D. Plays
3. This refers to a struggle between
two people or things in a short story.

A. Point of View
B. Conflict
C. Plot
D. Theme
4. It is literature created from the
imagination, not presented as fact, though
it may be based on a true story or situation.

A. Fiction
B. Novel
C. Psalm
D. Proverbs
5. It is the central idea or belief in a
short story.

A. Point of View
B. Conflict
C. Plot
D. Theme
Fiction is defined as prose based on the
author’s imagination. It means, such stories
never happened in real life. Types of literature
in the fiction genre include the novel, short
story, and novella. The word is from the Latin
fictiō, “the act of making, fashioning, or
molding.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Fiction." Encyclopedia Britannica,
Invalid Date. https://www.britannica.com/art/fiction-literature.
Fiction is defined as prose based on the
author’s imagination. It means, such stories
never happened in real life. Types of
literature in the fiction genre include the
novel, short story, and novella. The word is
from the Latin fictiō, “the act of making,
fashioning, or molding.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Fiction." Encyclopedia Britannica,
Invalid Date. https://www.britannica.com/art/fiction-literature.
Characters - are the people, animals,
or aliens in the story. Readers come
to know the characters through what
they say, what they think, and how
they act. It is a figure in the literary
work (personality, gender, age, etc).
Characters can be categorized or classified as:

A. Flat Character vs Round Character

B. Static Character vs Dynamic Character
Flat characters do not play important
roles in the stories. They often have only
one or two traits with little description
about them. A flat character may even be a
stock character, which is a stereotypical
figure that is easily recognized by readers,
for example, the mad scientist or the evil
stepmother.
Round characters play an important role,
often the lead roles in stories. They are
complex, dimensional, and well-
developed. The stories are about them;
therefore, pages of writing will be about
them. They often change by going through
a life-changing experience as the story
unfolds.
Static means the
character stays the same
throughout the story.
They do not change.
Developing, also called dynamic,
means the character changes. The
change may impact the character’s
beliefs, attitudes, or actions. The change
may be small or large. This change
occurs because the character experiences
an epiphany, an insight about life.
 Common Character Roles:

Protagonists – “bida”
Antagonists – “kontra-bida”
Confidante or “sidekicks ng bida”
Plot - This is a series of
events in a story. It has
exposition, rising action,
climax, falling action, and
denouement.
Exposition is an introduction to the
characters, time, and the problem. At the
point where exposition moves into rising
action a problem, sometimes called an
inciting incident, occurs for the main
character to handle or solve. This creates
the beginning of the story.
Rising action includes the events
that the main character
encounters. Each event,
developed in separate scenes,
makes the problem more
complex.
Climax is the turning point in the
story. Usually, it is a single event
with the greatest intensity and
uncertainty. The main character
must contend with the problem at
this point.
Falling action includes the
events that unfold after the
climax. This usually
creates an emotional
response from the reader.
Denouement or resolution
provides closure to the
story. It ties up loose ends
in the story.
Denouement or resolution
Resolution is the ending of the story
Happy ending
Tragic ending
Open-minded/ Lack of or Partial
Resolution
Setting - This tells
when and where
the story happened.
Setting is where and when the story takes place. It includes the
following:
• The immediate surroundings of the characters such as props in a
scene: trees, furniture, food, inside of a house or car, etc.
• The time of day such as morning, afternoon, or night.
• The weather such as cloudy, sunny, windy, snow, or rain, etc.
• The time of year, particularly the seasons: fall, winter, summer,
spring.
• The historical period such as what century or decade the story takes
place.
• The geographical location including the city, state, country, and
possibly even the universe, if the writer is writing science fiction.
Conflict - This refers
to a struggle between
two people or things in
a short story.
Conflict is the struggle between two entities. In story writing
the main character, also known as the protagonist, encounters
a conflict with the antagonist, which is an adversary. The
conflict may be one of six kinds:
• Character vs. character
• Character vs. nature or natural forces
• Character vs. society or culture
• Character vs. machine or technology
• Character vs. God
• Character vs himself or herself
Point of view - This refers
to how the story is
narrated based on a
particular view or
perspective.
 POINT OF VIEW

Stories are generally told in one of two points of views:

• First-person point of view

• Third-person point of view
 FIRST PERSON POINT OF VIEW
First-person point of view means that one of the
characters in the story will narrate–give an
account–of the story. The narrator may be the
protagonist, the main character. Writing in first-
person point of view brings the readers closer to the
story. They can read it as if they are the character
because personal pronouns like I, me, my, we, us,
and our are used.
 THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW

Third-person point of view means

that the narrator is not in the
story. The third-person narrator is
not a character. Third-person point
of view can be done two ways:
 THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW
Third-person point of view means that the
narrator is not in the story. The third-
person narrator is not a character. Third-
person point of view can be done two
ways:
• Third-person limited
• Third-person omniscient
 THIRD PERSON LIMITED POINT OF VIEW

Third-person limited means

that the narrator limits
him/herself by being able to
be in one character’s
thoughts.
THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT POINT OF VIEW

Whereas, third-person
omniscient means the
narrator has unlimited
ability to be in various
character’s thoughts.
Theme - It is the
central idea or belief
in a short story.
It is the underlying truth that is being
conveyed in the story. Themes can be
universal, meaning they are understood by
readers no matter what culture or country
the readers are in. Common themes
include coming of age, circle of life,
prejudice, greed, good vs. evil, beating
the odds, etc.
COMMON LITERARY DEVICEs USED IN FICTIONS
Flashback shows the past event which
causes the story or event to happen

Foreshadowing shows hints of a

future event that will happen because
of the present story or event.
QUESTIONS TO REINFORCE COMPREHENSION

1. Why do fictions have to follow the

right series of events or plot?
2. What are the elements of fiction?
3. What are the differences of short
stories and novels?
 Group Activity
Divide yourselves to four groups.
You will be given a handout with a sample fiction, “The
Legend of Mayon Volcano”.
After reading the said fiction, you will brainstorm and
analyze the story by identifying (1) the characters, (2) the
plot, (3) the setting, (4) the point of view, (5) the theme,
the (6) conflict, and the (7) moral of the story.
Afterwards, the leader from each group (four groups) will
present his group’s analysis of the story.
 Analysis
Characters
Setting
Plot
Conflict
Point of View
Main Theme
Moral of the Story
Directions: On a ½ sheet of paper, please identify the following, AND WRITE THE ANSWERS ONLY:

1. _____________________ is the final resolution of the main complication of a literary or dramatic work.
2. _____________________ is a literary device used to show hints of a future event that will happen
because of the present story or event.
3. ______________________ is a kind of character who is prone to change over a period of time.
4. ______________________ is a part of the plot that indicates where the conflict of the story begins.
5. _______________________is defined as prose based on the author’s imagination. It means, such stories
never happened in real life.
6. _____________________ are characters that never change, even from the beginning to the end of the
story.
7. _____________________ is a part of the plot where the characters are introduced.
8. _____________________is a literary device that uses a reference of what took place in the past to add
clarity or explanation of the story.
9. _____________________is the central idea or belief in a short story.
10. __________________ is a shorter version of a novel which contains plot, characters, setting, theme, and
point of view.