Bell Ringer

Define the following terms in

your journal:

Elements of a Story
What you need to know!

Story Elements
➢ Setting
➢ Characters
➢ Plot
➢ Conflict Chargement…
➢ Resolution
➢ Point of View
➢ Theme

Setting
• Setting is the “where and when”
of a story. It is the time and place
during which the story takes place.

Setting
Time and place are where the action occurs

Details that describe:

• Furniture
•
•
•
Scenery
Customs Chargement…
Transportation
• Clothing
• Dialects
• Weather
• Time of day
• Time of year

The Functions of a Setting

➢ To create a mood or
atmosphere
➢ To show a reader a
different way of life
➢ To make action seem
more real
➢ To be the source of
conflict or struggle
➢ To symbolize an idea

Mood
• Mood is the feeling that the author tries to convey
throughout the story. The atmosphere or emotional
condition created by the piece, within the setting.
Does the author want the reader to be frightened
or sad, or does the story make the reader laugh
and think happy thoughts?
• To figure out mood, examine how you feel while
reading the story. Often mood is conveyed by the
story’s setting.

Characters
• The person,
animals, and
things
participating
in a story

Characters
• Protagonist and antagonist are used to describe
characters.
• The protagonist is the main character of the
story, the one with whom the reader identifies.
This person is not necessary “good”.
• The antagonist is the force in opposition of the
protagonist; this person may not be “bad” or
“evil”, but he/she opposes the protagonist in a
significant way

Plot (definition)
• Plot is the organized pattern
or sequence of events that
make up a story.
• Plot is the literary element
that describes the structure
of a story. It shows
arrangement of events and
actions within a story.

Parts of a Plot
➢ Exposition - introduction; characters, setting and
conflict (problem) are introduced
➢ Rising Action- events that occur as result of
central conflict
➢ Chargement…
Climax- highest point of interest or suspense of a
story
➢ Falling Action - tension eases; events show the
results of how the main character begins to resolve
the conflict
➢ Resolution- loose ends are tied up; the conflict is
solved

Plot Diagram
3

4
2
1
5

1. Exposition
• This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story.
Here the characters are introduced. We also learn
about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we
are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).

2. Rising Action
• This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A
building of interest or suspense occurs and leads to the
climax. Complications arise

3. Climax
• This is the turning point of the story. Usually the main
character comes face to face with a conflict. The main
character will change in some way. This is the most intense
moment.

4. Falling Action
• Action that follows
the climax and
ultimately leads to
the resolution

5. Resolution
• The conclusion; all loose
ends are tied up.
• Either the character
defeats the problem, learns
to live with the problem,
or the problem defeats the
character.

Putting It All Together

1. Exposition Beginning of
Story
2. Rising Action

Middle of Story
3. Climax

4. Falling Action
End of Story
5. Resolution

Diagram of Plot
Climax

Dev
Falli
elop
ng
ment
Acti
/
Introduction on
Risi
/ Exposition Resolution
ng
Setting, characters, Acti
and conflict are on
introduced

Special Techniques used in a Story

➢ Suspense- excitement, tension, curiosity
➢ Foreshadowing- hint or clue about what will
happen in story
➢ Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of
events to tell about something that happened in the
past
➢ Symbolism – use of specific objects or images to
represent ideas
➢ Personification – when you make a thing,
idea or animal do something only humans do
➢ Surprise Ending - conclusion that reader
does not expect

Conflict
Conflict is the dramatic struggle between
two forces in a story. Without conflict,
there is no plot.

Conflict
➢ Conflict is a problem that must be solved; an
issue between the protagonist and antagonist
forces. It forms the basis of the plot.
➢ Conflicts can be external or internal
• External conflict- outside force may be
person, group, animal, nature, or a
nonhuman obstacle
• Internal conflict- takes place in a character’s
mind

Types of External Conflict

Character vs Character

Character vs Nature

Character vs Society

Character vs Fate QuickTime™ and a

TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

Type of Internal Conflict

Character vs. Self

Point of View
• First Person Point of View- a
character from the story is telling the
story; uses the pronouns “I” and “me”
• Third Person Point of View- an
outside narrator is telling the story;
uses the pronouns “he”, “she”, “they”

Types of Third-Person
Point of View
• Third-Person Limited • Third-Person Omniscient
• The narrator knows the • The narrator knows the
thoughts and feelings thoughts and feeling of
on only ONE character ALL the characters in a
in a story. story.

Theme
➢ The theme is the central, general
message, the main idea, the controlling