How to understand fiction.

1. AN INTRODUCTION
TO THE ELEMENTS OF
FICTION.
PREPARED AND DELIVERED
BY MR. SB NKOSI

2. WHAT IS FICTION?
THIS IS ALL WORKS OF LITERATURE WHICH ARE BASED ON IMAGNED REALITIES, THEY ARE NOT
NECESSARILY TRUE, BUT THEY PROVIDE A MEDIUM WITHIN WHICH WE CAN VIEW LIFE.
FICTION INVOLVES WRITINGS BASED ON IMAGERY SUCH AS NOVELS AND SHORT STORIES.

3. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE ELEMENTS OF
FICTION?
• Literature is about inventing ourselves in the views of others. As readers of a text,
we need to understand that these elements work together to enhance our
understanding of a fictional work; each element of fiction represents a different
meaning/explanation.

4. WHAT IS A PLOT IN A LITERARY TEXT.
• Plot refers to the sequence of events in the story
• It questions what happens in the story.
• It tells us why certain events occur in the story. In other
words, it tells us the causality of actions.
• It answers questions such as: the conflicts and problems
in the story

5. PLOT
CONT…(PLOT
COMPONENTS)
EXPOSITION: The start of the story, the situation
before the action
RISING ACTION: the series of conflicts and crisis in
the story that lead to climax
CLIMAX: the turning point, the most intense
moment- either mentally or in action
FALLING ACTION: all of the action which follows the
climax
RESOULUTION: the conclusion, the trying together
of all the threads.

6. WHAT IS
CHARACTERIZATION?.
Characters can be people or animals in the story who perform actions and
share thoughts.
The important thing to examine when dealing with characterization its the
development of each character. In other words, how do they progress from
time to time in the plot.
Characters are important because they are a medium through which a
reader interacts with the story.
TYPES OF CHARACTERS
Flat character- less is known of this character they appear once or twice
Round character- This character appears frequently in the story, in most
cases the story is centered around them.
Dynamic character- This is able to change throughout the story; he is not
reliable.
Static Character- This is a character who remains static throughout the
story.

7. WHAT IS NARRATOR/NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW?
• THE VOICE OF THE STORY.
• THE NARRATOR CAN BE THE MAIN
CHARACTER/PROTAGONIST WHO TELLS US THE EVENTS AS
THEY UNFOLD IN THE STORY.
• IN OTHER WORDS, THIS IS A WAY TO CONVEY MEANING
TO THE READER.
• IT IS THE ‘VANTAGE POINT’ FROM WHICH THE NARRATIVE
IS PASSED FROM AUTHOR TO READER.
• THEY ARE THREE TYPES OF NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEWS
FIRST PERSON SUCH AS; I AND ME
SECOND PERSON SUCH AS; YOU
THIRD PERSON SUCH AS: THEY AND IT

8. WHAT IS A SETTING?
THE TIME, PLACE, PHYSICAL
DETAILS, CURCUMTANCES IN
WHICH A SITUATION OCCURS
SETTING INCLUDES THE BACK-
GROUND, ATMOSPHERE OR
ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH
CHARACTERS LIVE AND MO-
VE.

9. WHAT IS A THEME?
• This is a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a
literary text.
• A theme is a thought or idea the author presents to the reader that may be deep,
difficult to understand or even to moralistic
• A theme helps the reader to understand what the story is about.

10. REFERENCES
Moreau, D. (2015). Overview of the elements of fiction. Available from Slideshare at:
https://www.slideshare.net/DonnaMoreau/donnas-elements-of-fiction?qid=78f8ad5f-9549-47e0-a209-
03fe54ccd417&v=&b=&from_search=8 (Accessed 17 August 2020)
Mellati, M. (2017). The elements of fiction. Available from Slideshare at: https://www.slideshare.net/MortezaMellati/m-
mellati-the-elements-of-fiction?qid=e096d96d-4fd5-46dc-ad8b-25326bdc5d2d&v=&b=&from_search=5 (Accessed 17
August 2020)
Montenverde, D. (2017) Elements of Fiction. Available from Slideshare at:
https://www.slideshare.net/DAPHNIEMONTEVERDE1/elements-of-fiction-71409453?qid=1d6d90e9-b3e6-4956-a9e5-
9cff54b5d5c9&v=&b=&from_search=2 (Accessed 17 August 2020)
Lalacanteach (2019). Presentation for grade 9 students on Elements of Fiction. Available from Slideshare at:
https://www.slideshare.net/lalacanteach/elements-of-fiction-5392687?qid=47d57c8a-ea5b-4590-b3a8-
a677102e97de&v=&b=&from_search=1 (Accessed 17 August 2020)
Taichung, (2015). Elements of Fiction. Available from Slideshare at: https://www.slideshare.net/taichung/elements-
offiction-49100512?qid=1d6d90e9-b3e6-4956-a9e5-9cff54b5d5c9&v=&b=&from_search=6 (Accessed 17 August 2020)

11. THE END