This document outlines the key elements of a narrative: point of view, characters, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. It explains that a narrative can be told from either a first person or third person point of view. The characters include main and secondary characters, and the setting establishes the time and place of the story. The plot involves the sequence of events, and is driven by the conflict, which can include person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. self, person vs. nature, or person vs. fate. The resolution concludes the conflict by the end of the story.

1. Prepared by Keisha Parris

2. Elements of a Narrative
 Point of view
 Characters
 Setting
 Plot
 Conflict
 Resolution

3. Point of view
A story can be told from one of two points of view:
First person: the narrator is included in the story.
Third person: the narrator is not included in the story.
N.B. There are other points of view but the focus at this
point is on the two basic types.

4. Characters
Characters are the persons in the story. There are round
(main) characters and flat (secondary) characters.
At least one of the main characters should go through
some type of change (usually mental/emotional) by
the end of the story. This change is brought about by the
events in the story.

5. Setting
The setting of an event is the time and place in which it
happens. The atmosphere is a major part of the setting.

6. Plot
The plot is the storyline; it is made up of the various
events in the story.
A strong plot is dependent on the conflict; this makes a
more interesting story.

7. Conflict
The conflict of a story is the problem that a character
faces. There are different types of conflict. They include:
 Person vs. person
 Person vs. society
 Person vs. self
 Person vs. nature
 Person vs. fate

8. Person vs. person
In this type of conflict, the character has some type of
problem with another character. The problem could
be anything - from a disagreement with a friend/relative
to a feud with an enemy.

9. Person vs. society
The character fights against society – its rules and laws
or its social norms. The character may be fighting for
change, freedom or something else he/she finds to be
important.

10. Person vs. self
The character struggles with emotions or with a
decision that has to be made. For example, the
character may have stolen something and now struggles
with (a) her feelings of guilt and/or (b) whether she
should confess.

11. Person vs. nature
The character struggles with a force of nature. This
could be a hurricane, an animal or any other non-human
source of nature. In this case, the character is usually
trying to survive.

12. Resolution
The resolution is the part of the story in which the
conflict is resolved. It is important to note that the
story does NOT have to have a happy ending in order for
the conflict to be resolved. A story should not end
without a resolution to the conflict.