Introduction to Fiction and Literary Elements

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Questions and Answers

What defines Dystopian Fiction?

An illusion of a perfect society under oppressive conditions (correct)

A narrative centered around fantasy realms

A focus on historical accuracy and realism

A world that is ideally perfect in all aspects of society

What type of poetry is characterized by a specific shape or figure?

Blackout Poetry

Free Verse

Lyric Poetry

Visual Poetry (correct)

Which element does NOT typically constitute the elements of drama?

Imagery (correct)

Dialogue

Stage Directions

Diction

What does 'Diction' refer to in literature?

The author's choice of words Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements refers to the playwright's instructions about performances?

Stage Directions Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of Apocalyptic Fiction?

Destruction due to societal collapse Signup and view all the answers

Which character type is considered non-realistic?

Stereotype/Stock Character Signup and view all the answers

Blackout Poetry is created through which method?

Reduction of words from existing texts Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes a motif in literature?

It consists of repeated elements. Signup and view all the answers

What is denouement or resolution primarily concerned with?

The ending of the story Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes satire?

It provides a means of social commentary. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of conflict involves a character struggling against societal norms?

Character vs.Society Signup and view all the answers

What is a cliffhanger typically characterized by?

A story that ends abruptly with unresolved events. Signup and view all the answers

What is dramatic irony?

When characters are unaware of impending events known to the audience Signup and view all the answers

How does syntax influence poetry?

By influencing word order and sentence structure. Signup and view all the answers

Which category does 'her touch tells me she loves me' represent?

Abstract imagery. Signup and view all the answers

What exemplifies internal conflict?

A character struggles with personal decision-making Signup and view all the answers

What does general slang expression typically refer to?

Broad statements about groups or categories. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of symbolism in literature?

To represent larger ideas or themes through objects Signup and view all the answers

In the context of storytelling, what does 'In Medias Res' mean?

In the midst of things Signup and view all the answers

What element does olfactory imagery appeal to?

Smell. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a specific slang expression?

Cats are adorable. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conflicts is an example of external conflict?

A hero fighting against societal injustice Signup and view all the answers

What does the term allegory signify in literature?

A story that reveals underlying truths on a larger scale Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a Filipino migrant?

They exhibit an ability to stay rooted despite cultural exposure. Signup and view all the answers

Which theme focuses on understanding oneself amid difficulties?

Self-Discovery/Recovery Signup and view all the answers

What type of character has no interiority and experience no change throughout the story?

Static Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a round character?

A fully developed character with complex thoughts and feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What aspect do the themes discussed relate to in social institutions?

Connection of individual experiences to broader societal influences. Signup and view all the answers

In terms of literary elements, what is considered fiction?

Any literary piece that is fabricated or imaginary. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best illustrates initiation to social processes?

The various influences of family, church, and media on personal behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is a dynamic character known for?

Showing change in morals or personality by the story's end. Signup and view all the answers

What is the term that describes the study of poetic sounds and rhythms?

Prosody Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the repetition of the same letter sound at the beginning of several words?

Alliteration Signup and view all the answers

What does blank verse refer to?

Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter Signup and view all the answers

Which poetic device uses a part to represent a whole or a whole to represent a part?

Synecdoche Signup and view all the answers

What does 'cacophony' in poetry refer to?

Use of percussive and choppy sounds Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes 'tone' in poetry?

The author's attitude towards the subject Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of a stanza consisting of two rhyming lines?

Couplet Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'form' refer to in poetry?

The specific structure or layout Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Fiction

Anything made up or shaped
A prosaic literary piece that is untrue
Can be long or short
Fiction may be a novel or short story

Literary Elements

Characters
- Verbal presentation of a person (aliens, objects, or animals)
Types of Characters
- Round:
  - Fully developed thoughts, feelings, and complexities
  - Relatively flawed
- Flat:
  - No interiority (no character development)
  - No changes
  - No flaws to resolve
- Dynamic:
  - Their morals and personality change at the end of the story
  - Usually primary characters
- Static:
  - Their morals and personality do not change at the end of the story

Plot

Sequence of events that happen in a work of fiction
Exposition: An introduction to the setting, situation, and characters
Rising Action: The point in the story where problems and complications start to emerge
Climax: The most exciting moment in the story; the turning point
Falling Action: The events that happen after the climax
Denouement or Resolution: The ending of the story
- May be open-ended (cliffhanger) or closed-ended (fixed ending)

Conflict

Internal Conflict: Self-struggle of a character
- Example: Character vs. Self
External Conflict
- A conflict beyond the character's control
- Examples:
  - Character vs. Character
  - Character vs. Nature
  - Character vs. Supernatural
  - Character vs. Technology
  - Character vs. Society

Other Literary Techniques and Devices

Dramatic Irony: When the characters in the story do not know what will happen, but the readers do
Cosmic Irony: When fate seemingly intervenes with what happens to the characters
Flashback: Technique where the narrative is interrupted to recount or recall earlier events
Symbolism: Using an object to represent something else, like a rose for love and a dog for freedom
In Medias Res (Latin): "In the midst of things"
Allegory: Used to express large concepts or ideas
Allusion: Referencing an event, person, or place in mythology or another literary work
Motif: Repeated elements in a work of literature
Satire: Social commentary that pokes fun
Cliffhanger: A story with an unresolved ending

Poem

Greek - poiein "to create or make"
Can be long or short
Written in verses (lines and stanzas)

Syntax

Word order and sentence structure
In English, the normal word order is subject-verb-object, but some authors use the reverse word order

Imagery

Appeals to the reader's senses
Types of Imagery:
- Visual: Appeals to the sense of sight
- Auditory: Appeals to the sense of hearing
- Olfactory: Appeals to the sense of smell
- Gustatory: Appeals to the sense of taste
- Tactile: Appeals to the sense of touch

Figurative Language

Expression of abstract ideas through concrete language that makes writing more vivid
Types of Figurative Language
- Metaphor: A comparison between two unlike things without using "like" or "as"
- Simile: A comparison between two unlike things using "like" or "as"
- Personification: Giving human qualities to inanimate objects or animals
- Synecdoche: A part stands for the whole or a whole for a part
- Metonymy: Substituting one thing for another with which it is closely identified
- Pun or Paronomasia: Wordplay stemming from the fact that words with different meanings have surprisingly different and even contradictory meanings

Poem Sound Devices

Sound Devices: Used to create a musical quality
Types of Sound Devices:
- Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds in different words
- Alliteration: The repetition of the same letter sound at the start of several words
- Cacophony: Use of percussive and choppy sounds that make for vigorous and noisy pronunciation
- Rhyme: Repetition of end sounds of a stanza in a poem

Poem Form

Form: What a poem looks like; Does it follow a specific form?
- Closed Form: The writer uses a specific structure for the poem
- Open Form: The poem is written more freely
Blank Verse: "Unrhymed Iambic Pentameter" A poem with 14 lines, and each line has five (5) sets of iambs
Couplet: A stanza with two (2) rhyming lines
Free Verse: A poem with no specific structure

Drama

A composition written to be performed by actors
When a drama is adapted on stage, it becomes a play

Elements of Drama

Dialogue: Spoken words of the characters
Stage Directions: The playwright's (script writer's) instructions about facial and vocal expressions, movements, actions, gestures, 'body language,' stage appearance, and lighting
- Often italicized
Diction, Imagery, and Style:
- Diction: the author's choice of words
- Imagery: the use of words to trigger the reader's imagination
- Style: the shaping of the story, setting, theme, costume, and vibe
Characters:
- Realistic
- Non-realistic
- Stereotype/Stock Character
- Ancillary
- Symbolic
Themes
- The main ideas or messages in a work of literature
- Themes:
  - Self-Discovery/Recovery
  - Initiation to Social Process and Institutions
  - Love and Romance

Genres

Genres: Categories of literature
** Types of Genres:**
- Horror: Stories about terror, whose main objective is to scare the reader
- Utopian Fiction: A world that is ideally perfect in all aspects of society
- Dystopian Fiction: A futuristic, imagined world in which there is only an illusion of a perfect society, but it is in fact one which is oppressed through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control
- Apocalyptic Fiction: The end of civilization either through nuclear war, plague, or some other catastrophic event

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Description

Explore the foundational elements of fiction, including character types and plot structure. This quiz will test your understanding of characters such as round, flat, dynamic, and static, as well as the key components of a plot including exposition and climax.