Southeastern Mindanao Institute of Technology (SMIT), INC.: A. Elements of Fiction
Southeastern Mindanao Institute of Technology (SMIT), INC.: A. Elements of Fiction
Southeastern Mindanao Institute of Technology (SMIT), INC.: A. Elements of Fiction
Because literature is basically an art and not a A round character, on the other hand, has a
science, it is not always a good idea to leading role in the narrative.
specifically approach fiction while looking for In contrast with a flat character, a round
these elements. Rather, it is better to read a character is complex, multi-dimensional, and
fiction work and examine it closely then decide well-developed that they seem “to come to life.”
for yourself what element(s) was/were These characters may undergo change through
highlighted and how important and significant it the circumstances where they are placed, hence
is to what the writer is trying to convey. making them lifelike.
For beginning fiction writers, on the other hand, Characters can also be static or dynamic (also
it is important to know what makes fiction. A called developing).
chef trying to cook a particular gourmet dish
should know the ingredients and how each will A static character remains the same throughout
affect the flavor of the food being prepared. This the narrative while a dynamic one undergoes
is similar to writing. With this understanding in change. The change can be brought by factors
mind, let us find out the ingredients when and elements experienced by the character and
cooking up fiction. may impact on his or her attitudes, beliefs, or
actions.
A. Character
B. Setting
Characters are beings who live in the story. They
can be actual people from this planet to aliens Simply put, setting answers the question
from somewhere in the outer space. At other “where” and “when” about the
times, they can be animals, and even inanimate
narrative. Answers to these questions give rise to part and go backwards to where the events
the two types of setting: the began.
physical and chronological setting. Freytag’s Pyramid is named after the German
playwright of the 1800s,
Physical setting refers to where the story takes
place. It can be very Gustav Freytag, and has the five-part plot
structure which includes the exposition, rising
general like in a farm, a school, or a laboratory;
action, climax, falling action, and denouement,
or it can be specific, like “in the
also known as resolution.
Metropolitan Naga Cathedral,” or “at
McDonald’s Diversion Road branch.”
The chronological setting can also be general or
specific, as during the
“Christmas season,” or “during the early
morning of December 16 in 2019.”
Sometimes, the setting is immaterial to the
story, as when the writer wants
to be universal and not limited by time and
space. Freytag’s Pyramid
Aside from the chronological and physical a) Exposition introduces the characters, time,
setting, it also includes the and the problem. This occurs at the start of the
story up to the point where an inciting incident
following: happens for the main character to handle or
solve. The exposition creates the beginning of
a) the immediate surroundings of the characters
the story.
such as props in a
b) Rising action includes the happenings that
scene: trees, furniture, food, inside of a house or
the main character encounters. As each event
car, etc.,
develops, more complications arise, making the
b) the weather such as cloudy, sunny, windy, problem more complex for the character.
snow, or rain, etc., and
c) Climax refers to the turning point in the story.
c) the geographical location including the city, This is usually a single event with the greatest
state, country, and intensity and uncertainty. Here the main
character contends with the problem hence
possibly even the universe, if the writer is creating the peak of interest for the readers.
writing science fiction.
d) Falling action are the events that unfold after
C. Plot the climax. The resulting events after the climax
Plot is the order of events in the story. Writers create an emotional response from the reader.
usually follow a particular e) Denouement or resolution provides closure
plot structure, called “Freytag’s Pyramid,” and ties up loose ends in the story.
although this is not always the case, as some
may opt to start from the middle part or ending
D. Conflict c) The third person point of view is classified
into third person limited and third person
Conflict is the struggle between opposing forces omniscient. In both types of view, the narrator is
or entities. The main character encounters a not a character nor in the story. In third person
conflict which may be an adversary or any other limited, the narrator is limited only to one of the
force to contend with. character’s thoughts. In third person omniscient,
Generally, there are two types of conflict: the narrator is “allknowing” and “all-seeing” and
external and internal. External conflict could be knows various characters’ thoughts. This view
man against nature (a mother and her child uses third person pronouns like he, she, it, and
evacuating at the height of typhoon Yolanda), or they.
man against man (a student being harassed by a F. Theme
bully classmate). Internal conflict could be man
against society or culture, or man against Theme is the underlying truth conveyed by the
himself or herself. author through the story.
Readers might find external conflict more Themes are usually universal which means that
exciting than internal conflict, but it is they are understood by readers across cultures,
worthwhile to think that in real life, people eras, or nationalities. Some common themes
experience more of the latter than of the former. include coming of age, circle of life, prejudice,
greed, good vs. evil, and beating the odds.
E. Point of view Theme is different from the moral or lesson of a
Who is telling the story? How is the story told? narrative.
Point of view answers these questions.
Elements of Poetry
There are three different types of point of view
Rhyme
which writers use in telling fiction.
This is the easiest feature to identify in a poem.
a) First person point of view means that the
If the last word in the first line of poetry rhymes
story is told from the viewpoint of one of the
with the last word in the second line, or the
characters who may be the protagonist or main
third, you can easily identify a pattern. Rhyme
character in the narrative. Here, first person
does not depend upon spelling; it is a matter of
personal pronouns are used like I, me, my, we,
sound, or pronunciation.
and our. By using this point of view, readers
may feel an affinity and empathy for the narrator Rhyme Scheme
as the narration can include the narrator’s
motives, thoughts and feelings. On the other When you can identify a repeating pattern of
hand, this view may be limited as it cannot say similar-sounding words at the ends of the lines,
for certain other characters’ thoughts, feelings, then you have a rhyme scheme. Simply assign a
and motives. letter of the alphabet (starting with A, of course)
to each word at the end of a line of poetry;
b) The second person point of view which is rhyming words are given the same letter.
seldom used, speaks to the reader as if the reader Sometimes a pair of words nearly rhymes; you
is the protagonist. At other times, the narrator assign the same letter to each of these words
may use apostrophe, a figurative language where also.
the speaker talks to an absent or unidentified
person. The second person pronouns are used Rhythm
here like you and your. Rhythm (or meter) is a slightly more difficult
aspect of poetry for some students.
There is a natural rise and fall in our language: Elements of Drama
we stress certain syllables and words more than
others in order to emphasize meaning. In poetry, Drama is pretty much similar in certain
these patterns of stressed and unstressed narrative aspects to fiction, like the presence of
syllables or words form a rhythm or meter. characters, plot, setting, conflict, and theme.
There is a name for each of the common Since drama is intended for performance, it has
patterns. In your study of poetry, it is not particular elements, though, which are distinct
necessary to memorize and agonize over these from other genres.
lists of terms. They are presented here merely This includes presentation elements like venue,
for your information and as a starting point in costumes, set design, lighting design, and music.
understanding the rhythm of poetry.
There were rules in writing poetry in the past.
Poets arranged lines (also called verses) into
groups called stanzas. Usually the poems were
quite neat and evenlyshaped - the lines were QUIZ A
roughly the same length, the stanzas all
contained a predetermined number of lines. The Directions: Read the following selection
rhyme schemes were regular, and the rhythm then identify the narrative elements present
was identifiable. in the text.
1. Character QUIZ B
______________________________
______________________________ Direction: Create samples of narrative
elements based on your personal experience.
______________________________
Write at least 2-3 sentences for each writing
2. Setting
prompt. Be guided by the element being
______________________________
highlighted..
______________________________
______________________________ 1. Point of view
3. Conflict - What point of view do you think
______________________________ would be most effective when
______________________________ talking about your personal
______________________________ experience?
4. Point of view ___________________________
______________________________ ___________________________
______________________________ 2. Theme
______________________________ - Think about a specific truth
5. Plot about life that you want to
- Exposition discuss.
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ ___________________________
___________________________ 3. Characters
- Rising Action
- Who were two of the most
___________________________
memorable people you have met
___________________________
in life? Talk about them and
___________________________
describe how they look like.
- Climax
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________
4. Setting
___________________________
- Falling Action
- What particular place do you like
best? What makes the place
___________________________
special? Think about the
___________________________
particular time of day you would
___________________________
want to go to your favorite place.
- Resolution
___________________________ _____________________
___________________________ _____________________
___________________________
5. Conflict
- Recall an incident when you were in
opposition with somebody/someone
or yourself. How did it feel like?
How were you able to go through
the struggle?
_____________________________
_____________________________
6. Plot
- Think about the events that led you
to your most embarrassing
experience. Write about it following
Freytag’s Pyramid.
_____________________________
_____________________________
Prepared by:
Maam Blaze Cañedo
Contact No.: 09201550925
Facebook account: Joy Cañedo
Gmail: canedoblaze@gmail.com