Lesson 5:

Reading and Exploring Fictional

Works

Prepare to Learn

Man is indeed gifted with a powerful mind. Our mind has the ability to create and
construct experiences beyond reality. Thus, these imagined experience are best
depicted and manifested through the creative use of language which gives birth to
one interesting form of literature – fiction.

Desired Learning Outcomes

To make your learning experience productive and meaningful, you are expected to:

a. Describe the key features of fiction.

b. Discuss the various forms of fictional forms.
c. Note and explain the nature of the specific elements of fiction.
Learning Explorations

Most people spend their leisure time reading various materials like
pocket books, e-books, and comics and even watching telenovelas
or teleseryes, and films in different genres. Thus, many are truly
interested in the stories involving the many aspects of life.

Basically, all these that we enjoy are manifestations of man's power

to reconstruct and recreate life. Thus, stories that people see and
read many not always be true or realistic since they are just offshoots of a writer's
imaginative and creative thinking. Works coming from such are classified as fiction.

What is Fiction?

Fiction generally includes works which are purely products of the writer's
imagination. It pertains to any account involving people and events that are
perceived to be unreal for they are just invented by a writer's creative mind.

Major Forms of Fiction

 Short Story
It is a work of fiction that can just be read in one sitting. Short stories have a
few characters, complication, and are ascribed to be thematic. Also, they, in
effect, propel an intellectual and effective response to the readers.
 Novella
This is a shorter version of a novel. A work of fiction recognized for its
intermediate length. This form comes with a short story and a novel. Thus, a
novella is longer than a short story and shorter than a novel.
 Novel
It is generally perceived to be long prose narrative that deals with human
experience through a relative sequence of events. A novel presents a
circumstance that may involve a number of characters. A novel has a series
of episodes and is known to be very complex.
Requisites Composites of Fiction (Baritugo et. al. 2000)

 Form
This pertains to the design and arrangement of the parts that form the whole.
It also involves how a certain work is written and done.
 Theme
It is the idea or meaning that literary work attempts to convey and
communicate.

Elements of Fiction

Setting

This element includes the place and the time of the actions that transpire in a story.
The environment may be real or invented. The time may be in previous years or
decades, in the present period, or even some time in the future. Aside from time and
place, the setting also highlights various conditions and milieus which are not always
perceive to be physical. It may also involve social norms, traditions, social set-uo,
political atmosphere etc. The setting may or may not be directly stated by the writer.
In cases of no explicitly stated setting, some words may serve as clues to determine
where and when an action happens. Thus, readers need to be aware as to how the
words work in the text.

Character/s

A person or any entity presented in a narrative or dramatic work. Characters are the
ones mainly involved in the circumstances and actions of a story. In a story,
characters can be classified as major and minor character depending on their roles
and importance in the development of the story. Hereunder are the other types of
characters.

 Protagonist
Principal or lead character; commonly referred to as the "hero".
 Antagonist
Known as the villain; the role is mainly to oppose or to challenge the main
character; it can also be in the forms like death, defeat, illness etc.
  Static/Flat Character
A character that does not challenge the course of the story. The qualities and
characteristics of a certain character remain as is.
 Dynamic Character
This character undergoes significant changes in personality, behavior,
perspective etc. as the story develops
 Round Character
Known as complex and multidimensional. A that people can relate the most.
This also appears to be lifelike.
 Antihero
A character who does not exhibit the stereotypical qualities inherent to a hero.
Mostly, this hero is known of being graceless, dishonest, and stupid.
 Foil
Refers to a character used to stand in contrast to another character.

Plot

This refers to the flow and sequence of events in a story. This is also shows the
casual relationship between and among events. The plot has a several composite
including exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and the denouement or
resolution.

Plot Patterns and Techniques

There are numerous concepts in literature which are helpful to deepen one's
understanding and appreciation of a fictional work. Below are some important
concepts that one has to bear in mind.

 en medias res
The term mean "in the middle things" or "in the middle of the action". Aside
from the classic chronological
 Flashback
A technique which utilizes the inclusion of episodes or prior events to the base
time of the plot.
  Prolepsis or Flash-forward

Involves the provision of a quick look or glimpse into what may transpire in the
future.

 Foreshadowing
This is mainly technique to provide clues or hints as to some events or
circumstances that may come soon in the flow of the story.
 Frame story
A larger work having separate narrations found within or to say it simply, a
story within a story. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales is a good example of this.

Point-of-View

It refers to the vantage point as to how the story unfolds. Thus, it mainly relates as
to the way how the story is told or narrated. This has several kinds like:

 Participant Narrator/First Person

Usually marked by the use of "I" and the narrator is mainly part of the story or
is perceived as one of the characters. This narrator establishes an intimate
and close connection with the readers since the delivery of the story seems to
be more personal.
 Second Person
Emphasizes "you" perspective in which a person or an entity is being directly
addressed.
 Non-participant Narrator/Third Person
This narrator is seemingly not part of the story. Specifically, the omniscient
point-of-view has access to minds of the characters and knows the entirety of
the circumstances in the story. Thus, a story is told based on what the
narrator sees and observes.

Conflict

This is the element of fiction which refers to opposition of forces that may set forth
the problems, issues, and challenges of various forms and sources that the main
character need to face and to deal with. Examples of this are man vs. himself, man
vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. culture, and man vs. nature.
Symbols

An object which is used to represent ideas aside from its literal meaning. For
example, a crown represents power and authority, the apple for disobedience,
temptation, and sin.

Theme

This is the significant truth about life which a story attempts to communicate to its
readers. In addition, this is mainly the idea, realization, reflection, or simply, the
lesson that readers may extract from the work.

Other Important Concepts in Fiction

1. Allusion
Pertains to an implicit or indirect reference to a person, event, or literary work.
2. Atmosphere
Refers to the tone and mode perceived to be prevailing in a particular literary
work. Such is established by the environment or landscape used in the work.
3. Dialogue
Mainly the conversation or exchanges between among individuals as
presented in a written work.
4. Genre
Refers to the classification or categories in which literary works are identified
in grouped in accordance with conventions and content.
5. Irony
The difference between what is said and what is shown, reality and
appearance, expectation and result, or meaning and intention. It has some
types like verbal irony and irony of the situation.
6. Local Color
Presents local or regional symbols and images including speech, practices,
beliefs, mannerism and the like which are known to be peculiar to a certain
topography.
7. Satire
Usually humorous which n c sometime can be gentle or biting. It criticizes
weakness of people, vices perspectives, or even institutions to bring about
some improvements or social reforms
8. Sci-Fi or Science Fiction
Tells of imaginary events that mainly include science and technology. Most
sci-fi stories are situated in the future and the environment of the actions can
be in outer space or in an imaginary setting.
9. Stream of Consciousness
A style in modern writing that attempts to show the random flow of thoughts,
memoirs, emotions, and associations as these move within the character's
mind.