Fiction refers to imaginary stories, both realistic and unrealistic, told through prose. Early forms of fiction include fairy tales about supernatural characters and fables where animals can talk. Modern fiction is dominated by novels, a form that arrived in English in the 18th century and has key elements like setting, characters, plot, theme, and point of view. Novels can be social, domestic, historical, autobiographical, epistolary, stream-of-consciousness, science fiction, terrifying, or detective fiction. Short stories are also a form of narrative prose but are typically shorter works that cover less time and space than novels. Both novels and short stories should have a beginning, middle, end and follow basic story structure

1. Fiction
Works of prose in which
imaginary stories either
realistic or unrealistic are told.

2. The Early Types of Fiction are :
1- Fairy Tales:
Are imaginary stories that tell the story of
supernatural characters
Example:
Cinderella and Aladdin and His Magic Lamp
The stories in Arabian Nights
2- Fables: are stories in which animals can talk
and are very intelligent
Examples: The Panchatantra or stories about the
Phoenix or dragons.

3. Modern Fiction
• Novels arrived in English in the
18th century.
The First great novel in English
was Tom Jones by Fielding

4. Every novel has these five elements:
1. Setting - When and where the story takes place.
2. Characters - The people (or sometimes animals) the
story is about.
3. Plot - What happens in the story.
4. Theme - The lesson the writer of the story is trying to
teach the reader. The "message".
5. Point of view - Who is telling the story.
-First person point of view uses "I", and is told by one of
the characters of the story.
-Third person point of view uses an unnamed
narrator who knows what all (or most) of the story's
characters are thinking.

5. Types of Novels:
1- A Social Novel: is any novel that describe the ordinary social
life of people.
Example: The Mayor of Casterbridge – Hard Times – Vanity Fair
2- A Domestic Novel: is a portrayal of domestic life. Example:
Pride and Prejudice
3- Historical Novels: are drawn from history. Example: A Tale of
Two Cities
4- Autobiographical Novels: based on the life and experiences of
their authors. Example: David Copperfield
5- Epistolary Novels: kinds of novels that are written in the form
of a series of letters exchange between characters. Example :
Pamela

6. 6- Stream of Consciousness Novels: Novels that
concentrate on the inner minds of the characters
and their mental reactions.
Examples: Novels by Virgina Woolf and James
Joyce. Mrs. Dalloway
7- Science Fiction: the effect of scientific discoveries
in the 19th century has influenced the creation of
novels. Example: The First Men on the Moon.
8- Novels of Terror : arouse the feelings of terror
and mystery in the reader. Example: The Castle of
Toranto .
9- Detective Fiction: the plot of such novels is
woven around an investigation of crime or a
murder. Example: Agatha Christie’s novels

7. The Short Story
The short story is a brief work of literature,
usually written in narrative prose.

8. What are the differences between a
novel and a short story?
A short story can be seen as a slice of life.
A novel could cover an entire life.
A short story covers a narrow time frame.
A novel could cover a massive time frame.
A short story most often only includes one geographical location.
A novel could cover many geographical locations.
A short story can be anywhere from 500 to 9,000 words, although
most magazines prefer them to be under 2,000.
A novel can be anywhere from 60,000 to over 100, 000 words.

9. What are the similarities?
Both a novel and short story should have a beginning, middle and end and
follow the three act time frame.
Both should start with a great hook, so that the reader doesn't want to put
it down until the book/short story is finished.
Both should have an inciting incident .
Both should have the characters facing obstacles, setbacks, and minor
victories .
Both should end with the climax of the story.
Both should have a conclusion to the story.
While the short story helps the author become clear and concise, the
novel offers the opportunity to expand and elaborate descriptions,
subplots, and character.