This document outlines the key elements of fiction stories including characters, setting, plot, theme, and tone/point of view. It discusses that novels involve more complex plots while short stories revolve around a single idea. Characters include main and minor characters along with their motives and traits. Setting establishes the time, location, and culture. Plot consists of exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. Theme conveys the underlying meaning or message. Tone and point of view determine if it is told from a character or narrator perspective.

1. Story Elements
Reading Fiction

2. Types of Fiction

3. Novels
Involves a more complicated plot
A longer piece of work

4. Short Stories
Usually revolves around a single idea
Is short enough to be read in one setting

5. What are the Key Elements of a
Story?

6. Characters
Main characters-people, animals or imaginary
creatures that take part in the story
Minor characters-the other less important
characters, interact with the main characters
Motives- the characters’ emotions, desires and
needs that prompt action
Traits- permanent qualities such as
personality, looks, and how they react to
situations

7. Characters

8. Setting
Time, location, and place in which the story
occurs
It can also include the customs and culture of
time
Setting can play a role in the development of
the story or character

9. Setting

10. Plot
Exposition- provides background for the story,
characters are introduced, setting is described
Rising Action-this is when the plots “thickens” the
central conflict begins to unfold
Climax-the high point of the story with the greatest
suspense, it can be a turning point
Falling Action (resolution)- occurs after the climax
and resolves the conflict in the story

11. Plot

12. Theme
The meaning, moral, or message about life
that the writer conveys to the reader
Usually not stated in the story but are
revealed in the title, important phrases, and
character changes

13. Theme

14. Tone and Point of View
Who is telling the story? Is it a character, a narrator, or
other outsider?
1st Person- one of the characters is telling the story
(I, me, my, mine)
3rd Person- a narrator tell the story (he, she, they, them)
Limited- the narrator can only tell what is going
on, cannot express thoughts in a character’s head
Omniscient- the narrator knows everything

15. Tone and Point of View