Creative Writing Elements of Fiction PDF

► Some have Trilogies and tetralogies thus making novels the ideal form when Creative Writing dealing with st...

► Some have Trilogies and tetralogies thus making novels the ideal form when Creative Writing dealing with stories that involve more than 4 characters, varied plots, and Elements of Fiction setup. Most Essential Learning Competencies: Lesson 2: Elements of Fiction a. Identify the various elements, techniques, and literary devices in various modes 1. Theme of fiction ► It is the controlling idea of a story or its central insight b. Write journal entries and other short compositions exploring key elements of fiction 2. Tone ► The general emotional weather of a piece ► How a certain work make the readers feel Lesson 1: Fiction 3. Setting FICTION is a branch of literature consisting of stories, novels, and dramas based ► The time and location in which a story takes place on made-up and fabricated stories and characters and comments on something Aspects of a story’s setting significant related to social, political, or human related issues. Fiction may be based on ► Place-geographical location stories of actual historical events and characters. ► Time-When the story is taking place? Its function is to entertain, educate, and inspire the readers and the audience ang ► Weather conditions-Is it sunny, rainy, stormy? gives the audience an experience beyond their daily lives. ► Social conditions-What is the daily life of the characters’ like? ► Mood or atmosphere-What feeling is created at the beginning of the story? Forms of Fiction 1. Flash Fiction 4. Character ► type of fiction under the umbrella of the short story and contains a limited ► People who takes part and do the action in the story number of words that runs from 53 to 1,000. ► Sometimes, it could be an animal or object given human qualities ► Like the usual type of story, the flash fiction still has a protagonist antagonist, The character can be a conflict, and resolution. Protagonist- the chief figure who struggle against opposing forces 2. Short Story Antagonist-the force, most often another character, that opposes the protagonist ► usually runs from 3,500 to 7,500 words and is about eight to 24 pages. ► This sometimes limits the writer to explore possibilities of developing the Types of Characters character, and relationships among the characters, plot, and setting. a. Static characters are the ones that do not change at all throughout the 3. Novelette story. ► runs from 7,500 to 17, 000 words. ► Sherlock Holmes – The Complete Sherlock Holmes – Pipe-smoking, ► The writer must have a grasp of the structure and elements of a story to extend deerstalker-doning, bipolar, neurotic brilliant detective. to 17, 000 ► Homer Simpson – The Simpsons – Balding, slow-witted, Duff-chugging 4. Novella good-hearted father. ► a story that plays somewhere between a novelette and a novel. It commonly ► Donald Duck – Donald Duck Animated Shorts – Quick-tempered, lazy runs from 17, 000 to 40, 000 words and offers a greater avenue for the water fowl. character and theme development. 5. Novel b. Dynamic characters change or evolve as the story unfolds. ► no limits regarding length ► Disney’s Aladdin – Aladdin – From thieving street rat to dishonest ► one must know the story structure to write such a full-length novels. prince to honest hero. ► Batman – Batman Begins – From orphaned billionaire to cowl donning merciless dark knight. Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 1  ► Buzz Lightyear – Toy Story – From delusional hero to flightless self- accepting action figure. ► Jean Valjean – Les Miserables – From ex-convict outcast to saintly 5. Plot mayor to beloved father to revolutionary hero. Plot is an organized, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. c. Round characters can be associated with characters who are complex who can either be likable or unlikable because they have a diverse set of Elements of Plot attitudes, behaviors and beliefs. For example, Mr. Fredricksen, an old, cranky retired balloon salesman who loves his wife dearly, and has a soft spot for Russel d. Flat characters having only a single trait or quality. For example, an old and cranky retired balloon salesman. Characterization Characterization is the development of characters as written by the writer. It is the way in which an author presents his/her character. Characters can be presented directly or indirectly. Direct Presentation- The author makes explicit or outright statements about the character. For example, ► As years passed, Makato grew tall and handsome ► He never idled. He never complained and was satisfied Indirect Presentation-The author reveals the characters through actions or dialogues For example, ► “I would like to go to a journey for an adventure,” said Makato Types of Plot a. Linear Plot A linear plot begins at a certain point, moves through a series of events to a climax and then ends up at another point. The reader will have an idea where the plot goes next. b. Modular Plot Follows a nonlinear narrative The story doesn’t move in a chronological order Instead, jumping around a story or between different stories c. Episodic Plot Made up a series of chapters or stories Linked together by the same characters, place or theme Held apart by individual plot and purpose Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 2  6. Conflict ► The story is told by the protagonist or one of the characters who Conflict is the opposition of forces which ties on incident to another and interacts closely with the protagonist makes the plot move. ► Uses the first personal pronouns: I, we, me, us, etc. Types of Conflict Activity a. Internal Conflict Read the short stories with understanding. Use the table ► A struggle within oneself; a person must make a decision, overcome below to determine the parts of the plot in each story and write pain, quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc. your answers on your answer sheet. b. External Conflict ► A struggle with a force outside oneself Elements Story 1 Story 2 1. Plot Kinds of Conflict: a. Man vs Man Exposition ► A character struggles with another character Rising Action b. Man vs Circumstance Climax ► A character struggles against fate, or the circumstances of life facing Falling Action him/her Denouement c. Man vs Nature 2. Point of View ► A character struggles with a force of nature like natural disasters, or 3. Characters animals. ► The character struggles to survive 4. Setting d. Man vs Society 5. Conflict ► The character fights against social traditions or rules. (fight for freedom, rights, for a cause) 1. Kaitlin wants to buy a puppy. She goes to the pound and e. Man vs Self begins looking through the cages for her future pet. At the end ► The character’s struggles take place in his/her own mind of the hallway, she sees a small, sweet brown dog with a white ► Choosing between right or wrong, or overcoming emotions spot on its nose. At that instant, she knows she wants to adopt f. Man vs Supernatural him. After he receives shots and a medical check, she and the ► A conflict between a character and something that is not normal in dog, Berkley, go home together. some way. (ghosts, omens, superstitions, ETs, etc.) g. Man vs Technology 2. Scott wants to be on the football team, but he’s worried he won’t ► The protagonist must overcome a machine or technology. make the team. He spends weeks working out as hard as possible, preparing for try outs. At try outs, he amazes coaches with his skill 7. Point of View (POV) as a quarterback. They ask him to be their starting quarterback a. Third Person that year and give him a jersey. Scott leaves the field, ecstatic! ► The narrator does not participate in the story as a character but lets us know exactly what the characters feel ► uses third personal pronouns: he, she, it they b. Person ► An uncommon point of view, it uses the pronoun “you” to narrate the story. ► It would seem like that the narrator is directing the reader on what to do, think, and feel. c. First Person Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 3 Lesson 3: Techniques and Literary Devices For example, A man looks at a woman, the woman looks back. Romantic music Literary devices are literary or linguistic techniques that shapes a narrative to plays. produce an effect on the reader. The camera pans down to a suspect’s shoes which had mud just like in the 1. Vision murder site. Vision is a technique used when a character share with the reader a vision of the past or the future to explain a character’s motives. b.RED HERRING a. DREAM SEQUENCE ▪ a misleading clue that distracts the reader’s attention from the plot twist ▪ A series of dreams which gives the audience a glimpse into the character's ▪ Used to maintain tension and uncertainty mind ▪ trick used by storytellers to keep the reader guessing about what’s really going ▪ fantasy, vision, dream, flash forward, flash back on ▪ It is common in mystery, crime and thriller b. ANALEPSIS (FLASHBACK) For example, ▪ Presents events from before the current time frame In Harry Potter in The Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black, who has ▪ Usually are character’s memories and are used to explain their background escaped from Azkaban and is coming to kill Harry. He was made to appear For example, in the children's movie Up, the old man has a like a villain. It turns out, though, that Sirius Black is not coming after flashback as he remembers meeting his wife and marrying her, which Harry at all–he is actually trying to get into Hogwarts so that he helps us to better understand why he does not want to leave the house could protect Harry from Peter Pettigrew, who has been hiding in plain that they have shared. sight all along. c. PROLEPSIS (FLASH FORWARD) c. DEATHTRAP ▪ Presents events that will occur in the future ▪ Device that the villain uses to try to kill the protagonist and satisfy his own ▪ shows an actual occurrence, often complete with scenery, dialogue sadistic desires For example, in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, when Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and sees his own d. REVERSE CHRONOLOGY grave. This is such a compelling scene in the book that it finally tips Scrooge ▪ Story begins at the end and works back towards the beginning over the edge and convinces him to change his ways. For example, In the South Korean Film ‘Peppermint Candy’, it tells the story of a d. FORESHADOWING man’s miserable life. The film begins with his suicide, and works its way ▪ refers to clues that an author gives about what will happen later. back through the five major portions of his existence in an attempt to try ▪ does not depict the complete scene, just a sense of a theme that will and justify his self-afflicted destiny. reoccur ▪ Can be in a form of a prophecy, or symbols e. IN MEDIAS RES For example, ▪ Narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning In Final Destination, the premonition of characters’ death For example, In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke sees his own face under Vader’s mask In Batman Begins, the movie opens with Bruce Wayne in prison when he was in Dagobah. Later, he finds out Vader is his father. with no explanation. The story then flashes back to fill in the watcher on the previous scenes. 2. Plot Device Each book of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga opens with a preface A plot device can be an object, character or a concept introduced into the story by that is actually describing a scene that happens near the climax of the the author to introduce its plot. story. a. FLASHING ARROW ▪ Technique used to help readers follow the plot, give them hints and keep them guessing Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 4  3. Ending Examples are a. HAPPY ENDING Waverly by Sir Walter Scott ▪ A finale when everything ends the best way for the hero (Published in 1814, set 100 years prior; considered the first historical fiction) b. CLIFF HANGER ▪ An abrupt ending that leaves the plot incomplete Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden ▪ Often leaves characters in a difficult situation (Pre and Post WWII Japan) ▪ Hints of a sequel c. TWIST ENDING The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo ▪ An unexpected finale that gives an entirely new vision on the entire plot (15th Century France) d. DEUS EX MACHINA ▪ Plot dating back to ancient Greek theater Without Seeing the Dawn by Stevan Javellana ▪ conflict is resolve through a means that seem unrelated to the story (Pre to beginning of WWII Philippines ) ▪ Allows the author to end the story as desired without following the logic and continuity of the story Ermita by F. Sionil Jose For example, (Story of a Filipino Prostitue in the 1940s) In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, after entering the legendary Chamber of Secrets, Harry finds himself face to face with 3. SCIENCE FICTION Tom Riddle, the younger version of the evil wizard Voldemort. Riddle Content is imaginative but is heavily based on scientific facts, theories and sends a basilisk – an enormous, fanged snake – after Harry. Things principles seem hopeless for Harry, until…a magical Phoenix flies into the Magic is substituted with technology Chamber, dropping the sorting hat in front of Harry. Inside Harry Typically set in the future or on other planets finds the sword of Gryffindor, which he uses to kill the basilisk. The Examples are Phoenix’s tears even heal Harry’s wounds. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Genetic engineering) Lesson 4: Genre Jurassic Park by Michael Chrichton Genre is any category of literature or other forms of art or entertainment (Genetic engineering, cloning from DNA) 1. FANTASY A fictional story that could never really happen. Enders Game by Orson Scott Card Magic is the key element in this genre. (Space wars) No scientific basis This includes fairy tales, myths, fables, superhero fiction (supernatural) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffennegger Examples are (Time travel) The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi The Lord of the Rings and The Hobit by J.R.R. Tolkien Project 17 by Eliza Victoria Coraline by Neil Gaiman (Robots taking over) Janus Silang by Edgar Samar 4. MYSTERY FICTION 2. HISTORICAL FICTION Focus on solving a crime or scenario, puzzling crime, situation or circumstance Reconstructs the past May be supernatural or not A story with a historically accurate setting Has a lot of twists Characters can be real or imagined Usually has last minute resolutions Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 5  Examples are The Great Old Onesby HP Lovecraft Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn (malignant alien deities residing in different locations on Earth) (Mysterious disappearance of the wife) Jaws by Peter Benchley Copy Cat by Erica Spindler (blood thirsty great white shark) (Copycat of a serial killer) News of the Shaman by Karl R. De Mesa The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (4 horrific novellas; vampires, possession, ghouls) (Started with a murder) Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan by Bob Ong Smaller and Smaller Circles by FH Batagan (journal on horrifying incidents in a college student’s life) (Manila priests tries to solve the murder of 2 boys in 1990) Dwellers by Eliza Victoria (a blend of mystery and paranormal) 5. REALISTIC FICTION A fictional story that could happen in real life Set in the present day and includes modern day problems and events Examples are Soy Sauce for Beginners by Kirstin Chen (Culture shock) The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Choosky (high school coming-of-age story) The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (Terminal illness; romance) MacArthur by Bob Ong (false accusations, drug addiction) Ligo na ü, Lapit na meby Eros Atalia (Casual relationships) 6. HORROR Stories may be entirely realistic May contain elements of fantasy and SciFi Focused on the unsettling mood or atmosphere that gives the readers a feeling of fear and dread Examples are Cujo by Stephen King (Rabid St. Bernard terrorizing its owners) Prepared by: Ms.Reivy L. Cadacio 6