ELEMENTS OF STORYstory is told by a third person narrator, but from the viewpoint of one character...
Transcript of ELEMENTS OF STORYstory is told by a third person narrator, but from the viewpoint of one character...
ELEMENTS OF
STORY
SETTINGsetting includes:● Place → city name?
● Time → historical period, year, month, time of day, season, etc
● Social Conditions → What’s going on in the world at the time this story takes place? What about the speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular place/time? What are the economic conditions like?
● Mood or Atmosphere → rainy, sunny, stormy, night vs. day (all of these aspects create mood or atmosphere)
CHARACTER Two Meanings:
● The literal person (name) in a work of fiction
● The characteristics of a person
CHARACTERLiteral Person
● protagonist: main character(s)● antagonist: opposing character(s) ● supporting characters: remainder
CHARACTERCharacteristics: the information the author gives the reader about the characters themselves. We learn this through:
● direct statements by the author/narrator
● physical appearance
● what they say, think, feel and dream
● their actions
● what other characters say about them and how others react to them
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CONFLICT
INTERNAL: a struggle within one’s self
EXTERNAL a struggle with a force outside one’s self
Person vs. PersonPerson vs. SelfPerson vs. EnvironmentPerson vs. Society/Community Person vs. Supernatural Person vs. Technology
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POV (Point of View)
always ask yourself:
Are there any biases or inconsistencies in your narrator? Do we trust the narrator?
First Person: ● story is told by the protagonist or another character that
interacts closely with the protagonist or other characters
● uses first person pronouns (“I”, “me”, “we”, etc.)
● reader sees the story through this person's eyes as they
experience it and only knows what they know/feel
Second Person: ● the main character in the story is referred to using the
second person pronoun, “you”
● rarely used
Third Person: ● story is told using a narrator who is located outside of
the action of the story
● uses third person pronouns (“he”, “she”, “his”, “her”, “they” etc.)
● three subcategories: ○ Omniscient○ Limited Omniscient○ Objective
Omniscient: ● means “all knowing”
● the narrator can move from character to character, event to
event, having free access to the thoughts, feelings and
motivations of any character
● can introduce information where and when he or she chooses
third person sub-category 1:
Limited Omniscient: ● story is told by a third person narrator, but from the viewpoint
of one character in the story○ usually the main character or protagonist
● reader has access to the thoughts and feelings of only one character
third person sub-category 2:
Objective: ● appears as though a camera is following the characters,
recording only what is seen and heard.
● there is no comment on the characters or their thoughts.
● reader = spectator ○ reader has to interpret events on their own
third person sub-category 3:
THEME
THEMEThe controlling idea or central insight. It is a broad, general,
universal truth that is NOT particular to just this one story. ● Knowledge can be used for destructive ends ● For the benefit of society, sometimes an individual's needs must be
sacrificed● Appearances can be deceiving● Love can sometimes be more destructive than freeing
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fin.
PLOT
EXPOSITIONThe beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is
revealed.
RISING ACTIONThe events in the story become
complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed.
CLIMAX The highest point of interest the
turning point of the story.
We are left wondering, what will happen next? Will the conflict be resolved or not?
FALLING ACTIONThe events and complications begin
to resolve themselves.
The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not.
RESOLUTION/DENOUEMENT
The final outcome or untangling of events in the story.