Elements of Fiction | 1

The Elements of Fiction

Plot, Setting, Character, Conflict, Symbol, and Point of View are the main elements which fiction writers
use to develop a story and its Theme.

Because literature is an art and not a science, it is impossible to specifically quantify any of these
elements within any story or to guarantee that each will be present in any given story. Setting might be
the most important element in one and almost nonexistent in another.

Just as a Crime Scene Investigator cannot approach a crime scene looking for a specific clue (e. g., shell
casings), you as a reader cannot approach a story deciding to look for a specific element, such as Symbol.
To assume could blind you to important elements. Both the CSI team and you must examine the entire
area carefully to determine what is present and how it is important.

With that understanding, lets examine the elements.

PLOT
Literature teachers sometimes give the impression that plot is not important, that anyone interested in
plot is an immature reader.

Of course plot is important. It was what got us interested in reading in the first place. It was the carrot
on the string that pulled us through a story as we wanted to see what would happen next.

That said, let me emphasize that plot is rarely the most important element of a good story. As much as
Ive always loved surprise endings, if the only thing a film or a story has is a great twist ending, it doesnt
have anything on a second look.

And its worth noting that recent fiction and film have deemphasized plot, frequently stressing character
or conflict for example. In film, for example, think David Lynch or Pulp Fiction.

SETTING
Stories actually have two types of setting: Physical and Chronological.

The physical setting is of course where the story takes place. The where can be very generala small
farming community, for exampleor very specifica two story white frame house at 739 Hill Street in
Scott City, Missouri.

Likewise, the chronological setting, the when, can be equally general or specific.

The authors choices are important. Shirley Jackson gives virtually no clues as to where or when her
story The Lottery is set. Examination suggests that she wants the story to be universal, not limited by
time or place. The first two stories you will read each establish a fairly specific physical setting; consider
what each setting brings to each story.



CHARACTER
What type of individuals are the main characters? Brave, cowardly, bored, obnoxious? If you tell me
that the protagonist (main character) is brave, you should be able to tell where in the story you got that
perception.

In literature, as in real life, we can evaluate character three ways: what the individual says, what the
individual does, and what others say about him or her.

CONFLICT
Two types of conflict are possible: External and Internal.

External conflict could be man against nature (people in a small lifeboat on a rough ocean) or man
against man.

While internal conflict might not seem as exciting as external, remember that real life has far more
internal than external conflict.

Film and fiction emphasize external conflict not simply because its more interesting but also because
its easier to write. In a film script, you merely have to write A five minute car chase follows and
youve filled five minutes. How long would it take to write five minutes worth of dialogue?

SYMBOL
Dont get bent out of shape about symbols. Simply put, a symbol is something which means something
else. Frequently its a tangible physical thing which symbolizes something intangible. The Seven/Eleven
stores understood that a few years ago when they were selling roses with a sign saying, A Rose Means I
Love You.

The basic point of a story or a poem rarely depends solely on understanding a symbol. However
important or interesting they might be, symbols are usually frosting, things which add interest or
depth.

Its normal for you to be skeptical about symbols. If I tell you that the tree in a certain story symbolizes
the Garden of Eden, you may ask Is that really there or did you make it up? or How do you know what
the author meant?

Literature teachers may indeed over-interpret at times, find symbols that really arent there. But if you
dont occasionally chase white rabbits that arent there, youll rarely find the ones that are there.

In the film 2001, a computer named HAL is controlling a flight to Jupiter. When the human crew decides
to abort the mission, HALprogrammed to guarantee the success of the missionlogically begins to
kill off the humans. Science fictions oldest theme: man develops a technology which he not only cannot
control, it controls him.

Consider HALs name. Add one letter to each of the letters in his name. Change the H to I, the A to B,
and the L to M. When you realize how close HAL is to IBM, the first response is disbelief. But clearly the
closeness of the names is either an absolute accident or an intentional choice. As much as we are
startled by the latter, we probably agree that the odds against the formerit being an accidentare
astronomical.

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Somebody thought that up. Or maybe a computer.

POINT OF VIEW
Point of View is the narrative point of view, how the story is toldmore specifically, who tells it.

There are two distinctly different types of point of view and each of those two types has two variations.

In the First Person point of view, the story is told by a character within the story, a character using the
first person pronoun, I.

If the narrator is the main character, the point of view is first person protagonist. Mark Twain lets Huck
Finn narrate his own story in this point of view.

If the narrator is a secondary character, the point of view is first person observer. Arthur Conan Doyle
lets Sherlock Holmes friend Dr. Watson tell the Sherlock Holmes story. Doyle frequently gets credit for
telling detective stories this way, but Edgar Allan Poe perfected the technique half a century earlier.

In the Third Person point of view, the story is not told by a character but by an invisible author, using
the third person pronoun (he, she, or it) to tell the story. Instead of Huck Finn speaking directly to us,
My names Huckleberry Finn and telling us I killed a pig and spread the blood around so people would
think Id been killed, the third person narrator would say: He killed a pig and spread the blood..

If the third person narrator gives us the thoughts of characters (He wondered where hed lost his
baseball glove), then he is a third person omniscient (all knowing) narrator.

If the third person narrator only gives us information which could be recorded by a camera and
microphone (no thoughts), then he is a third person dramatic narrator.

In summary, then, here are the types of point of view:

First Person Narrator
Protagonist
Observer

Third Person Narrator
Omniscient
Dramatic

Different points of view can emphasize different things. A first person protagonist narrator would give
us access to the thoughts of the main character. If the author doesnt want us to have that access, he
could use the first person observer, for example, or the third person dramatic.

THEME
Theme isnt so much an element of fiction as much as the result of the entire story. The theme is the
main idea the writer of the poem or story wants the reader to understand and remember.

You may have used the word Moral in discussing theme; but its not a good synonym because moral
implies a positive meaning or idea. And not all themes are positive.

One wordlove, for examplemay be a topic; but it cannot be a theme.

A theme is a statement about a topic.

For example: The theme of the story is that love is the most important thing in the world. Thats a
clich, of course, but it is a theme.

Not all stories or poems (or films) have an overriding universal theme.


Elements of fiction

Even among writing instructors and bestselling authors, there appears to be little consensus regarding
the number and composition of the fundamental elements of fiction. For example:
"Fiction has three main elements: plotting, character, and place or setting." (Morrell 2006, p. 151)
"A charged image evokes all the other elements of your storytheme, character, conflict, setting, style,
and so on." (Writer's Digest Handbook of Novel Writing 1992, p. 160)
"For writers, the spices you add to make your plot your own include characters, setting, and dialogue."
(Bell 2004, p. 16)
"Contained within the framework of a story are the major story elements: characters, action, and
conflict." (Evanovich 2006, p. 83)
" . . . I think point of view is one of the most fundamental elements of the fiction-writing craft . . . ."
(Selgin 2007, p. 41)
As stated by Janet Evanovich, "Effective writing requires an understanding of the fundamental elements
of storytelling, such as point of view, dialogue, and setting." (Evanovich 2006, p. 39) The debate
continues as to the number and composition of the fundamental elements of fiction.[citation needed]
[edit]Plot
Plot, or storyline, is often listed as one of the fundamental elements of fiction. It is the rendering and
ordering of the events and actions of a story. On a micro level, plot consists of action and reaction, also
referred to as stimulus and response. On a macro level, plot has a beginning, a middle, and an ending.
Plot is often depicted as an arc with a zig-zag line to represent the rise and fall of action. Plot also has a
mid-level structure: scene and sequel. A scene is a unit of dramawhere the action occurs. Then, after a
transition of some sort, comes the sequelan emotional reaction and regrouping, an aftermath.
[edit]Exposition
Exposition refers to a fiction story's initial setup, where, variably, setting is established, characters are
introduced, and conflict is initiated. For example:
It was a dark and stormy night. The young widow glared at the shadowy man dripping on her kitchen
floor. "I told you my husband's not home," she said.
He smiled a rictus smile and shut the door behind him. "Tell me something I don't know."
[edit]Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a technique used by authors to provide clues for the reader to be able to predict what
might occur later in the story. In other words, it is a technique in which an author drops subtle hints
about plot developments to come later in the story.

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[edit]Rising action
The Rising action, in the narrative of a work of fiction, follows the exposition and leads up to the climax.
The rising action's purpose is usually to build suspense all the way up the climactic finish. The rising
action should not be confused with the middle of the story, but is the action right before the climax. The
material beyond the climax is known as the falling action.
[edit]Climax
In a work of fiction, the climax often resembles that of the classical comedy, occurring near the end of
the text or performance, after the rising action and before the falling action. It is the moment of greatest
danger for the protagonist(s) and usually consists of a seemingly inevitable prospect of failure- it
surprises you to the point that gets you excited to see what is to come in the end.
A climax often includes three elements. The most important element is that the protagonist experiences
a change. The main character discovers something about himself or herself, and another unknown
character. The last element is revealing the theme itself.
[edit]Falling action
The Falling action is the part of a story, usually found in tragedies and short stories, following the climax
and showing the effects of the climax. It leads up to the denouement (or catastrophe).[2] Where the
story is settling down and you start to get the climax and where is might be resolved.
[edit]Resolution
Resolution occurs after the climax, where the conflict is resolved. It may contain a moment of final
suspense, during which the final outcome of the conflict is in doubt.
[edit]Conflict
Conflict is a necessary element of fictional literature. It is defined as the problem in any piece of
literature and is often classified according to the nature of the protagonist or antagonist, as follows:
[edit]Types of conflict
There are five basic types of conflict. In modern times, Person vs. Machine, also known as Person vs.
Technology, has become another one.[3]
[edit]Person vs. Him or Herself
Person vs. Him or Herself is the theme in literature that places a character against his or her own will,
confusion, or fears. Person vs. Him or Herself can also be where a character tries to find out who he or
she is or comes to a realization or a change in character. Although the struggle is internal, the character
can be influenced by external forces. The struggle of the human being to come to a decision is the basis
of Person vs. Him or Herself. Examples include the titular character of Beowulf. More recently, the
Academy Award winning movie A Beautiful Mind has been posited as an application of Person vs. Him or
Herself.
[edit]Person vs. Person
Person vs. Person is a theme in literature in which the main character's conflict with another person is
the focus of the story. 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 confrontations before the climax is reached. The conflict is external. An example is the conflict
between Judah and Messala in Ben-Hur,as would be the conflict between a bully and his victim.

[edit]Person vs. Society
Person 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 a single
character, just as an opposing party would be looked at in a Person vs. Person conflict.This can also be
one protagonist against a group or society of antagonists or society led by some antagonistic force. An
example in literature would be Wuthering Heights by Emily Bront.
[edit]Person vs. Nature
Person 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 Gary Paulson's Hatchet or Jack London's
short story "To Build a Fire".
[edit]Person vs. Supernatural
Person vs. Supernatural is a theme in literature that places a character against supernatural forces.
When an entity is in conflict with him-, her-, or itself, the conflict is categorized as internal, otherwise, it
is external. Such stories are often seen in Freudian Criticism as representations of id vs. superego. Bram
Stoker's Dracula is a good example of this, as well as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and "Christabel" by
Samuel Coleridge. It is also very common in comic books.
[edit]Person vs. Machine/Technology
Person vs. Machine/Technology places a character against robot forces with "artificial intelligence". I,
Robot and the Terminator series are good examples of this conflict.
[edit]Character
Characterization is often listed as one of the fundamental elements of fiction. A character is a participant
in the story, and is usually a person, but may be any personal identity, or entity whose existence
originates from a fictional work or performance.
Characters may be of several types:
Point-of-view character: The character from whose perspective (theme) the audience experiences the
story. This is the character that represents the point of view the audience will empathise, or at the very
least, sympathise with. Therefore this is the "Main" Character.
Protagonist: The driver of the action of the story and therefore responsible for achieving the story's
Objective Story Goal (the surface journey). In western storytelling tradition the Protagonist is usually the
Main Character.
Antagonist: The character that stands in opposition to the protagonist.
Static character: A character who does not significantly change during the course of a story.
Dynamic character: A character who undergoes character development during the course of a story.
Foil: The character that contrasts to the protagonist in a way that illuminates their personality or
characteristic.
Supporting character: A character that plays a part in the plot, but is not major
Minor character: A character in a bit/cameo part.
[edit]Methods of developing characters
Appearance: explains or describes the character's outward appearance for the readers to be able to
identify them
Dialogue: what they say and how they say it
Action: what the character does and how he/she does it
Reaction of others: how other characters see and treat him/her
[edit]Symbolism
Symbolism is the applied use of symbols: iconic representations that carry particular conventional
meanings.
The term "symbolism" is limited to use in contrast to "representationalism"; defining the general
directions of a linear spectrum - where in all symbolic concepts can be viewed in relation, and where
changes in context may imply systemic changes to individual and collective definitions of symbols.
"Symbolism" may refer to a way of choosing representative symbols in line with abstract rather than

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literal properties, allowing for the broader interpretation of a carried meaning than more literal concept-
representations allow. A religion can be described as a language of concepts related to human
spirituality. Symbolism hence is an important aspect of most religions.
The interpretation of abstract symbols has had an important role in religion and psychoanalysis. As
envisioned by Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, symbols are not the creations of mind, but rather are
distinct capacities within the mind to hold a distinct piece of information. In the mind, the symbol can
find free association with any number of other symbols, can be organized in any number of ways, and
can hold the connected meanings between symbols as symbols in themselves. Jung and Freud diverged
on the issue of common cognitive symbol systems and whether they could exist only within the
individual mind or among other minds; whether any cognitive symbolism was defined by innate
symbolism or by the influence of the environment around them.
[edit]Metaphor
Metaphor (from the Greek language: Meaning "transfer") is language that directly compares seemingly
unrelated subjects. It is a figure of speech that compares two or more things not using like or as. In the
simplest case, this takes the form: "The [first subject] is a [second subject]." More generally, a metaphor
is a rhetorical trope that describes a first subject as being or equal to a second object in some way. Thus,
the first subject can be economically described because implicit and explicit attributes from the second
subject are used to enhance the description of the first. This device is known for usage in literature,
especially in poetry, where with few words, emotions and associations from one context are associated
with objects and entities in a different context. A simpler definition is the comparison of two unrelated
things without using the words "like" or "as".
The term derives from Greek (metaphora), or "transference",*4+ from (metaphero)
"to carry over, to transfer"*5+ and that from (meta), "between"*6+ + (phero), "to bear, to
carry".[7]
[edit]Types of plots
[edit]Chronological order
All of the events occur in the order in which they happened in writing. There may be references to
events from the past or future, however the events are written in time order. There will not be
flashbacks/flash forwards.
[edit]Flashback
In history, film, television and other media, a flashback (also called analepsis) is an interjected scene that
takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used
to recount events that happened prior to the story's primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial
backstory. Character origin flashbacks specifically refers to flashbacks dealing with key events early in a
character's development (Clark Kent discovering he could fly, for example, or the Elric brothers' attempt
to bring back their mother). The television show Lost is particularly well known for extensive use of
flashbacks in almost every episode. In the opposite direction, a flashforward (or prolepsis) reveals events
that will occur in the future. The technique is used to create suspense in a story, or develop a character.
In literature, internal analepsis is a flashback to an earlier point in the narrative; external analepsis is a
flashback to before the narrative started.
[edit]Setting
Setting, the location and time of a story, is often listed as one of the fundamental elements of fiction.
Sometimes setting is referred to as milieu, 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. (Rozelle 2005, p. 2)
[edit]Theme
Theme, a conceptual distillation of the story, is often listed as one of the fundamental elements of
fiction. It is the central idea or insight serving as a unifying element, creating cohesion and is an answer
to the question, 'What did you learn from the piece of fiction?' In some cases a story's theme is a
prominent element and somewhat unmistakable. (Morrell 2006, p. 263)
[edit]Style
Style is not so much what is written, but how it is written and interpreted. Style in fiction refers to
language conventions used to construct the story or article. A fiction writer may manipulate diction,
sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and other aspects of language to create style or mood. The
communicative effect created by the author's style is sometimes referred to as the story's voice. Every
writer has his or her own unique style, or voice (Provost 1988, p. 8). Style is sometimes listed as one of
the fundamental elements of fiction.
Writer Philip Roth defined the "sensuous aspects of fiction" as "tone, mood, voice, and, among other
things, the juxtaposition of the narrative events themselves".[8]
[edit]