ELEMENTS OF

FICTION
POETRY
DRAMA
FICTION
 Fiction employs inventive ways to present any
tale as a portal to a created reality and
asks the reader to indulge in it without
questioning its veracity. It can be anything
from of writing like novels, short
stories, plays, comics, animations, games etc.
In this article, we will discuss 6 Elements of
Fiction
 THE SIX ELEMENT OF FICTION
1. THEME IN FICTION
2. CHARACTERIZATION
3. STYLE IN FICTION
4. SETTING IN FICTION
5. POINT OF VIEW IN FICTION
6. PLOT IN FICTION
THEME IN FICTION
 The theme is the controlling idea
or purpose behind a fiction story.
It is the threads all the characters
and the elements to the plot. The
theme does not have to be
the destined goal of the story or a
moral lesson and can be bizarre
but has to remain unchanged
throughout the story
It must be universally powerful and
must account for all other details of the
story. It cannot be contradicted within
the confines of the story. Even though
the theme is not stated and is often
hidden. Every other detail must
conform to it.
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EXAMPLE OF THEME IN FICTION
 Love
 One of the most popular topics
covered not only in books, but in
movies and music as well, love is a
universal, multi-faceted theme
that's been explored in a number
of ways throughout the history of
literature.
 Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is
obviously one of the first stories that
comes to mind – a tragic tale of
forbidden love with terrible
consequences.
 CHARACTERIZATION
 Characters are the various persons or animals
taking part in the story. They act as prime movers
to carry forward the plot. They form the footing
for the plot.
 It is the condition of the characters and

their countenance with respect to other

characters and the setting of the
story provides the momentum of a story.
 Their experiences can be portrayed emotionally

and mentally similar to the readers’ or audiences’

natural emotions to make them suspend their
power to disbelieve.
 THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF CHARACTERIZATION
1. Direct or explicit characterization-This kind of
characterization takes a direct approach towards
building the character. It uses another character,
narrator, or the protagonist himself to tell the
readers or audience about the subject.
2. Indirect or implicit characterization-This is a more
subtle way of introducing the character to the
audience. The audience has to deduce for
themselves the characteristics of the character by
observing his/her thought process, behavior,
speech, way of talking, appearance, and manner
of communication with other characters, as well
as by discerning the response of other characters.
EXAMPLE OF CHARACTERIZATION
  The Great Gatsby (By F. Scott Fitzgerald)
 There are many examples of characterization in
literature. The Great Gatsby, is probably the
best. In this particular book, the main idea
 revolves around the social status of each
character. The major character of the book, Mr.
Gatsby, is perceptibly rich, but he does not
belong to the upper stratum of society. This
means that he cannot have Daisy. Tom is
essentially defined by his wealth and the abusive
nature that he portrays every now and then,
while Daisy is explained by Gatsby as having a 
voice “full of money.”
SETTING IN FICTION
 It
is a multi-faceted term
which gives information
about how, when and where the
action takes place in a fictional
story. It can be a description of
the physical environment, the
time of the action, cultural,
historical and
social circumstances of the action.
 A writer can use various devices to create
details about the setting like clothing,
transportation,  communication (explicit or
gestural). Information about psychology,
philosophy, education, religion, etc. of the
character can make the setting pivotal in
engaging with the readers.
POINT OF VIEW IN FICTION
 It represents the voice that is telling the story. It
offers the angle to look at the subject and the
setting of the story. The perspective is generally
in first person or third person (the second
person is seldom seen).
 In the first person Point of View, the writer
becomes one of the characters. He gives his
own insights and uses pronouns “I” or “we”. The
first-person is direct and adds a sense of
personality to the events to the text. It is also
very recent.
STYLE IN FICTION
 It is the signature of the author or writer.
It represents the way words, expressions;
emotions, timing, and mood are utilized by the
writer to create a believable fictional environment
in the story. The word diction is used to represent
the signature style a write incorporates in his work.
It comprises of different devices
like vocabulary and the kinds of words
used (simple words, complex words abstract
words, words representing tangible objects
etc), syntactical arrangement and placement of
various words, the pattern of flow and rhythm of
the text (length and composition of sentences,
punctuation etc.)
PLOT
 The plot is the semantics of the story or
the order of events in it. Its structure
is sequential, strict and organized. The plot
usually begins with an exposition or
introduction.
 This is done to establish the setting and its
characters.  Then there is intensive action usually
a conflict. A conflict even if it is an internal
struggle with emotions etc., is quintessential for a
good story.
 The climax offers the tension at its maximum and
a turning point in the story. Everything hangs in
the balance and the emotions are running high. It
is the most critical part of the plot. It is succeeded
by dissipating action as things slow down.
 Tension reduces as the final resolution draws
close. Finally, the resolution is attained. It can be
sad, happy or even confusing. There are
various techniques that are used to construct
plots like foreshadowing, flashback,
suspense, and telescoping.
ELEMENTS OF POETRY
1. IMAGERY
2. RHYTHM
3. SOUND
4. DENSITY
5. LINE
6. STANZA
7. THEME
8. SYMBOLISM
WHAT IS POETRY
 It is literary work in which special intensity is
given to the expression of feelings and ideas by
the use of distinctive style and rhythm; poems
collectively or as a genre of literature: "he is
chiefly famous for his love poetry"
 ▪a quality of beauty and intensity of emotion
regarded as characteristic of poems: "poetry and
fire are nicely balanced in the music"
 ▪something regarded as comparable to poetry in
its beauty: "the music department is housed in a
building that is pure poetry"
imagery
 In poetry, imagery is a vivid and vibrant form
of description that appeals to readers’ senses
and imagination. Despite the word’s
connotation, “imagery” is not focused solely
on visual representations or mental images—
it refers to the full spectrum of sensory
experiences, including internal emotions and
physical sensations.
Rhythm
  in poetry, the patterned recurrence, within a
certain range of regularity, of specific
language features, usually features of sound.
Although difficult to define, rhythm is readily
discriminated by the ear and the mind, having
as it does a physiological basis. It is
universally agreed to involve qualities of
movement, repetition, and pattern and to
arise from the poem’s nature as a temporal
structure. 
Sound
 Sound poetry is a form of poetry that
emphasizes the sounds that make up words
rather than the actual words themselves. A
sound poem uses an arrangement of phonetic
sounds to create a musical tone and rhythm.
Although its text can be written, sound poems
are meant to be “performed,” spoken publicly
by the poet. Some of the poetry is available in
recorded rather than written form. As an art
form, it is related to visual poetry.
Density
 Density is what sets poetry apart from prose (normal
speech patterns/ the way fiction and nonfiction books
are written) Density is how much is said in how little of
space. The ability to use metaphors, not conform to
traditional grammar styles, and incorporate sounds
and rhythms is unique to poetry. All of these allow for
greater density.
 As you describe an image, you’re actually underlying a
metaphor, which expresses an idea about the human
condition, while simultaneously persuading the reader
to feel a certain way through the sound and rhythm of
the words, and all of this is done in the same space.
Pros can’t, and never will, be able to do that.
Line
 In traditional poetry, you’re a prisoner to the line.
The line owns you, telling you “Four lines there,
five there, then four again.” So as a poet in the
hipster age, of course you don’t want to conform.
Unless you’re so against the grain that you actually
want to write traditional poetry. But whatever the
case may be, the line is a very important part of
poetry. In fact, that’s another thing that makes it
unique to pros. In prose, you can format the lines
however you want and it has no impact on the
writing. However, in poetry, that’s not the case.
Stanza
 A stanza is a series of lines grouped together
in order to divide a poem the structure of
stanza often (though not always) repeated
throughout the poem. Stanzas are separated
from other stanzas by line breaks. Each
stanza is a standalone unit that can either
make up an entire poem or can build bigger
poem with other stanzas.
Theme
 What’s a poem without a theme? This element
is the general idea that a poet wants his or
her readers to grasp. This could be anything
from a story to a thought that is being
portrayed in the poem. Without such, it would
be difficult for readers to understand the
overall purpose and message that a poet
wishes to convey.
Symbolism
  is used to express one’s thoughts gracefully, yet
gently as well. It is a reflection of our emotions
written artistically to keep readers engaged as
they embark on a journey inside a poet’s
complex mind. As human as we are, we find
it difficult to portray how we truly feel through
the mere use of words. This is because the
standard language we speak can never interpret
our thoughts in a way that can make the people
around us understand. So instead, we use
symbols to give our words the effect it needs.
Elements of drama
1. Theme
2. Plot
3. Characters
4. Dialog
5. Setting
6. Performance
7. Music
8. Visual element
What is drama
 Drama is a mode of fictional representation through 
dialogue and performance. It is one of the literary
genres, which is an imitation of some action. Drama
is also a type of a play written for theater, television,
radio, and film.
 In simple words, a drama is a composition in verse
 or prose presenting a story in pantomime or
dialogue. It contains conflict of characters,
particularly the ones who perform in front of 
audience on the stage. The person who writes drama
for stage directions is known as a “dramatist” or
“playwright.”
 Theme
 The theme of a play refers to its central idea. It can
either be clearly stated through dialog or action, or can
be inferred after watching the entire performance. The
theme is the philosophy that forms the base of the
story or a moral lesson that the characters learn. It is
the message that the play gives to the audience. For
example, the theme of a play could be of how greed
leads to one's destroyable, or how the wrong use of
authority ultimately results in the end of power. The
theme of a play could be blind love or the strength of
selfless love and sacrifice, or true friendship. For
example, the play Romeo and Juliet, is based on a
brutal and overpowering romantic love between Romeo
and Juliet that forces them to go to extremes, finally
leading them to self-destruction.
Plot
 The order of events occurring in a play make its plot.
Essentially, the plot is the story that the play narrates. The
entertainment value of a play depends largely on the
sequence of events in the story. The connection between
the events and the characters in them form an integral part
of the plot. What the characters do, how they interact, the
course of their lives as narrated by the story, and what
happens to them in the end, constitutes the plot. A struggle
between two individuals, the relation between them, a
struggle with self, a dilemma, or any form of conflict of one
character with himself or another character in the play, goes
into forming the story's plot. The story unfolds through a
series of incidents that share a cause-and-effect
relationship. 
characters
 The characters that form a part of the story are
interwoven with the plot of the drama. Each 
character in a play has a personality of its own and a
set of principles and beliefs. Actors in the play have
the responsibility of bringing the characters to life.
The main character in the play who the audience
identifies with, is the protagonist. He/she
represents the theme of the play. The character that
the protagonist conflicts with, is the antagonist or
villain. While some characters play an active role
throughout the story, some are only meant to take
the story forward and some others appear only in
certain parts of the story and may or may not have a
significant role in it. 
Dialog
 The story of a play is taken forward by means of dialogs. The
story is narrated to the audiences through the interaction
between the play's characters, which is in the form of
dialogs. The contents of the dialogs and the quality of their
delivery have a major role to play in the impact that the play
has on the audiences. It is through the dialogs between
characters that the story can be understood. They are
important in revealing the personalities of the characters.
The words used, the accent, tone, pattern of speech, and
even the pauses in speech, say a lot about the character and
help reveal not just his personality, but also his social status,
past, and family background as given by the play.
Monologues and soliloquies that are speeches given to
oneself or to other characters help put forward points that
would have been difficult to express through dialogs.
Setting
 The time and place where a story is set is one of its
important parts. The era or time in which the incidents in
the play take place, influence the characters in their
appearance and personalities. The time setting may affect
the central theme of the play, the issues raised (if any), the
conflict, and the interactions between the characters. The
historical and social context of the play is also defined by
the time and place where it is set. The time period and the
location in which the story is set, affect the play's staging.
Costumes and makeup, the backgrounds and the furniture
used, the visuals (colors and kind of lighting), and the
sound are among the important elements of a play that
dictate how the story is translated into a stage
performance. 
Performance
 It is another important element of drama, as the impact that a story
has on the audiences is largely affected by the performances of the
actors. When a written play is transformed into a stage performance,
the actors cast for different roles, the way they portray the characters
assigned to them, and the way their performances are directed are
some important factors that determine the play's impact. Whether an
actor's appearance (includes what he wears and how he carries
himself on stage) suits the role he is playing, and how well he
portrays the character's personality are determinants of how well the
play would be taken by the audiences. Different actors may play the
same roles in different renditions of a play. A particular actor/actress
in a certain role may be more or less accepted and appreciated than
another actor in the same role. As different actors are cast for
different roles, their roles are more or less appreciated depending on
their performances. 
Music
 This element includes the use of sounds and
rhythm in dialogs as well as music compositions
that are used in the plays. The background score,
the songs, and the sound effects used should
complement the situation and the characters in it.
The right kind of sound effects or music, if placed
at the right points in the story, act as a great
supplement to the high and low points in the play.
The music and the lyrics should go well with the
play's theme. If the scenes are accompanied by
pieces of music, they become more effective on the
audiences.
Visual element
 While the dialog and music are the audible
aspects of drama, the visual element deals with
the scenes, costumes, and special effects used
in it. The visual element of drama, also known
as the spectacle, renders a visual appeal to the
stage setup. The costumes and makeup must
suit the characters. Besides, it is important for
the scenes to be dramatic enough to hold the
audiences to their seats. The special effects
used in a play should accentuate the portion or
character of the story that is being highlighted.