The Elements of Fiction
Climax
Rising Action
Exposition
Resolution /
Falling Action
1. Exposition: Beginning of the story. Often reveals:
•
•
•
Some of the characters – Protagonist (good guy!) – Antagonist (bad guy!)
The setting of the story –Where and when the story takes place.
The beginning of the plot
• plot - a series of events that form a pattern of action w/ a beginning, middle,
and end with the purpose of overcoming a conflict.
2. Rising Action:
 Plot events that happen on the way to the story’s climax.
 Increase the tension in the story.
3. Climax:
 This is the critical point in a story where the conflict ends.
 Main character succeeds or fails.
 Often it is the point of the most action in the story, but it doesn’t have to be.
4. Resolution (Falling Action): The resolution (or falling action) is the set of events that occur
after the climax that tie up "loose ends“.
5. Conflict in Plot
Conflict - problems that need to be solved.
Person vs. nature: Main character is facing something in nature – a storm, the ocean, a
blizzard, the wilderness.
Person vs. person: The main character is fighting against one other individual. It
doesn’t have to be two humans. It’s a one on one battle.
Person vs. society: Main character goes against accepted beliefs in society. (the civil
rights movement)
Person vs. self: Character must overcome an internal struggle - choose good over evil,
honesty over lying, overcome a fear to move forward, etc.
6. Foreshadowing: This is when the reader is given little hints about an important future
event.
7. Mood: The mood is the feeling the reader gets while reading a story.
 Mood created by carefully chosen descriptive words.
 Examples of mood are: angry, optimistic, happy, excited, etc.
8. Theme: The theme in a story is its underlying message, or 'big idea.'
 It’s a critical belief about life that the author is trying to communicate.
 Themes go beyond cultural barriers – they are universal and apply to all people,
regardless of race or language.
 Ex. good vs. evil, love conquers all, change vs. tradition
9. Symbolism: A symbol is a concrete object that's used to represent an abstract idea; it is
something which stands for something else.
 white dove = peace
 red roses = love
 stars & stripes = America