Elements of Story
What makes up a story?
1. Setting
2. Characters
3. Plot
4. Conflict/Resolution
5. Theme
Setting
Examples:
Magical kingdom (location) in the future (time)
Playground (location) in the 1930s (time)
North Carolina (location) in the colonial era (time)
Characters
Examples:
a 15-year-old girl from Saudi Arabia with long, dark braids
an elderly man who was a Vietnam War veteran
Plot
Most stories follow this basic outline:
1. Introduction
2. Rising action
3. Climax
4. Falling action
5. Resolution
The plot is usually built around the climax, which is the most exciting or important part of the story.
Imagine that the plot follows the shape of a mountain. Sometimes the action will go up and down before reaching the climax.
Conflict/Resolution
Examples:
A princess is kidnapped by an evil king
A little boy struggles to learn to read
A city is attacked by aliens
The resolution is what occurred to help or fix the conflict.
Examples:
A princess is rescued by a prince
A little boy learns how to read with his grandmother's help
A city is able to defeat the aliens
Theme
To find the theme, try asking these questions:
- What is this story about (big idea)? (1-3 words)
- What is the author saying about this idea? (7-10 words)
In the book Where the Red Fern Grows, the plot is about the relationship between a boy and his dogs. The theme could be love or friendship. The author is saying that love can help us survive hardship.