Literature vs Fiction: Understanding the Difference

Fiction vs. Literature

• Literature is an umbrella term that encompasses many genres, forms, and styles of writing, including fiction and non-fiction.
• Fiction is a type of literature, but not all literature is fiction, as poetry, plays, and other forms of writing are also considered literature.

Characteristics of Fiction

• Fiction is written to be read for pleasure, with clear themes, interesting characters, and an exciting plot.
• The main aim of fiction is to entertain and inspire readers, taking them into imaginary worlds and introducing them to characters who grow, change, and develop.
• Fiction can explore moral messages, emotions, and topics, aiming to educate readers and teach them something new.

Elements of Fiction

• A protagonist is the hero of the story, while an antagonist is the villain.
• The conflict is the fight between the protagonist and the antagonist, and can take five basic forms: person vs. self, person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. nature, and person vs. supernatural.
• The plot must have a beginning, middle, and end, with a climax as the most exciting part.
• Fiction is about what the protagonist wants and who or what is stopping them from getting it, with character change and development being key.

Writing Techniques

• The "show don't tell" technique is used to show the reader what's happening, rather than just telling them exactly what happens.
• Story mapping is a technique that helps pupils plan and structure their story visually.

Interesting Facts

• The world's oldest known fictional story is the 'Epic of Gilgamesh', an adventure story written in the style of a poem.
• Modern examples of fiction include films, video games, anime, manga, comic books, TV shows, and cartoons.

Seven Important Elements of Fiction

• Character: a person, animal, being, creature, or thing that you write into your fiction writing story.
• Plot: the series of events and actions that make up the narrative of a story.
• Other elements include theme, setting, point of view, style, and tone.