Literary Elements,

basic parts

Both the
elements
and
Techniques and
devices in Writing
devices
used

how to write

Fiction
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. identify the various elements, techniques,

and literary devices in various modes of
fiction; and

2. write journal entries and other short

compositions exploring key elements of
fiction.
 Activity #4
Think of any story that you
have read or read any short
story. Try to remember your
favorite line or lines from that
story.
 Activity #4 on your notebook
Share it in class with the following guide
questions
1. What makes that line or those lines
your favorite?
2. How can you relate it to an experience
of others or your personal experience.
1. What important things that
we must consider in writing
fiction?
What is a
fiction?
Fiction is a literature created from
imagination. It is a story written with
imaginary characters, and events and
does not describe real people nor
deal with facts though it may be
based on a true story or situation.
What are the
elements of
fiction?
CHARACTERS
CHARACTERS
CHARACTERS
A character is a person, animal, or
imaginary creature
2 Kinds of Characters:
Protagonist: main character or hero
Antagonist: another character which causes
conflict for the protagonist. The antagonist can
be a character, society or object.
Characterization
A description of individuals in a story
4 ways to develop a Character:
1. Physical Description of Character
2. Character’s Speech, Thought, and Actions
3. The Speech, Thoughts, and Actions of Other
Characters
4. Eye-Awakening Situation
 SETTING
- Where and When a story takes place
- Is the time and location that a story takes place
1. Place – What is the geographical
location/ mountains, forest, desert?
2. Time – what is the historical period, time
of day, or year?
3. Weather conditions – Is it rainy, sunny,
stormy, etc?
 4. Social conditions – What is the daily life
of the character’s like? Does the story contain
local color (writing that focuses on the speech,
dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular
place)?

5. Mood or atmosphere – What feeling is

created in the story? Sad, happy, or scary?
 POINT OF VIEW

The angle or perspective from which the story is

told (Who tells the story)

The point of view is divided into two main types:

- First person point of view
- Third person point of view
 PLOT

Plot is the author’s arrangement of events

in the story. It has a beginning, middle and end.
More specifically, the plot follows the Freytag
pyramid:
 PLOT - Exposition
- The beginning part of a story that:
 Sets the tone
 Establishes the setting
 Introduces the characters
 Gives the reader important background
information
 PLOT – Rising Action

-Series of actions which lead the

story to the climax
 PLOT – Climax
- “turning point” of the story
- ”The climax is the point of maximum
interest. It usually occurs toward the end
of the story, after the reader has
understood the conflict and become
emotionally involved with the characters.
At the climax, the outcome of the plot
becomes clear.
 PLOT – Falling Action

- Occurs after the climax

- Conflicts are beginning to be

resolved-loose ends are tied up
PLOT – Resolution/ Denouement
- Part of the story where the
problem or conflict is solved

- Occurs after the climax and falling

action “the end”
 CONFLICT
- Struggle between a character
and an opposing force
2 Kinds of Conflict:
Internal Conflict
External Conflict
Internal Conflict

- Struggle within a character’s mind

- Usually occurs when a character has
to make a decision or to deal
with feelings
 Man vs. Self
External Conflict
Struggle between a character and an
opposing outside force such as society,
nature or another character
 Man vs. Man
 Man vs. Nature
 Man vs. Society
 Man vs. Animal
 Man vs. Machine
 THEME
The underlying message in a story that
deals with life or human nature

 When determining theme, think about:

 The title
 The way a character changes and what
they learn
 Big ideas such as courage and freedom
 What are the
literary devices
in writing
fiction?
Alliteration is a repetition of the same consonant
sounds in a sequence of words, usually at the beginning
of a word or stressed syllable: “descending dew drops;”
“luscious lemons.”
Alliteration is based on the sounds of letters,
rather than the spelling of words; for example, “keen”
and “car” alliterate, but “car” and “cite” do not.

Assonance is the repetition of similar internal vowel

sounds in a sentence or a line of poetry, as in “I rose and
told him of my woe.”
Figurative language is a form of language use in
which the writers and speakers mean something
other than the literal meaning of their words. Two
figures of speech that are particularly important for
poetry are simile and metaphor. A simile involves a
comparison between unlike things using like or as.
For instance, “My love is like a red, red rose.”
Imagery is the concrete representation of a sense
impression, feeling, or idea that triggers our
imaginative ere-enactment of a sensory experience.
Images may be visual (something seen), auditory
(something heard), tactile (something felt), olfactory
(something smelled), or gustatory (something tasted).
Imagery may also refer to a pattern of related details in
a poem.
Tone – The attitude the writer projects in a poem. Tone can be
determined by word choice and poetic elements that the author
uses.

Rhetorical questions - Are questions which are asked but

seem to require no answer. They are simply language tools to
convey an idea, but not actual questions which require an
answer.

Repetition - Is when an author repeats a word or line multiple

times to reinforce its importance to the audience.
Allusion – A reference to a recognized literary work,
person, historic event, artistic achievement, etc. that
enhances the meaning of a detail in a literary work.

Epiphany - A profound and sudden personal discovery.

Fate - An outside source that determines human events.

Flashback - The description of an event that occurred

prior to the action in the story.
Foreshadowing – A technique a writer uses to hint or suggest
what the outcome of an important conflict or situation in a
narrative will be.

Limited omniscient point of view - Occurs when a narrator

has access to the thoughts and feelings of only one character in
a story.

Omniscient point of view - An all-knowing point of view,

evident when an external narrator has access to the thoughts
and feelings of all the characters in a story.
Objective point of view – A detached point of view, evident
when an external narrator does not enter into the mind of any
character in a story but takes an objective stance, often to create
a dramatic effect.

Limited omniscient point of view - Occurs when a narrator

has access to the thoughts and feelings of only one character in
a story.

Omniscient point of view - An all-knowing point of view,

evident when an external narrator has access to the thoughts
and feelings of all the characters in a story.
Persona – Literally, in Latin, “a mask.”

Situational Irony- When the outcome in a situation is the

opposite of what is expected.

Dramatic Irony - When the reader or audience knows more

about the action than the character involved.

Verbal Irony - When words are used to convey a meaning that

is opposite of their literal meaning.
 Submit your
note taking in
15 mins
Read the short story “After Twenty Years”
by O. Henry, and make a graphic
organizer to show the plot of the story.

https://americanenglish.state.gov/files/a
e/resource_files/after-twenty-years.pdf
Directions:
Read the excerpt from the flash fiction, “The Deep”. By
Adam Smith in this link:
https://www.flashfictiononline.com/article/the-deep/.

Study and analyze the lines of the story as to what

figurative speech and imagery it belongs. Put them in the
appropriate Author’s tool Box. Write your answers in your
Creative Writing Notebook.
Imagery Figures of Speech
Finish answering the
evaluations.
Prepare for a 30 item
quiz next meeting.