The Formal Elements of Fiction In the same way that a painter uses shape, color, perspective, and other

aspects of visual art to create a painting, a fiction writer uses character, setting, plot, point of view, theme, and various kinds of symbolism and language to create artistic effect in fiction. These aspects of fiction are known as the formal elements. An understanding of the formal elements will enhance the readers appreciation of any piece of fiction, as well as his or her ability to share perceptions with others. While the list of formal elements encourages us to divide a story into parts, in the story itself these elements blend to create a whole. At some level, or perhaps in the first reading of a piece, readers should read without applying these divisions in order to experience the story's unique effect. Nevertheless, knowledge of the formal elements is necessary for most critical discussions of fiction. These elements provide a basic vocabulary and set of critical tools that can be used in conjunction with many other critical approaches. A. Character In fiction, character refers to a textual representation of a human being (or occasionally another creature). Most fiction writers agree that character development is the key element in a story's creation, and in most pieces of fiction a close identification with the characters is crucial to understanding the story. The story's protagonist is the central agent in generating its plot, and this individual can embody the story's theme. The forces working against her/him (whether persons, things, conventions of society, or forces of nature) are the antagonists. Characters can be categorized as the following depending on their level of development and the extent to which they change in the course of the story: 1. a stock character is a stereotyped character and is known by having one personality trait (e.g. a mad scientist, the absent-minded professor, the cruel mother-in-law); 2. a flat character which remains the same from the beginning of the plot to the end; 3. a dynamic or developing character which undergoes permanent change in the course of the plot; and 4. a round character which has a complex, multi-dimensional and many-sided personalities. Authors achieve characterization with a variety of techniques: by using the narrative voice to describe the character, by showing the actions of the character and of those reacting to her, by revealing the thoughts or dialogue of the character, or by showing the thoughts and dialogue of others in relation to the character. Characterization in literature refers to a step-by-step process wherein a character of a story is brought to notice and then detailed upon in front of the reader. Characterization is a sort of initiation wherein the reader is introduced to the character. The initial step is to introduce the character with a marked emergence. After the arrival his behavior is discussed. This is followed by an insight into his thoughtprocess. Then comes the part where the character voices his opinions or converses with others in the story. The last and finalizing part is when others in the plot respond to the characters presence. B. Setting Setting, quite simply, is the storys time and place. The elements making up a setting are: the geographical location, its topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements as the location of the windows and doors in a room; the occupations and daily manner of living of the characters; the time or period in which the action takes place, for example, epoch in history or season of the year; and the

general environment of the characters, for example, religious, mental, moral, social, and emotional conditions. Setting is also one of the primary ways that a fiction writer establishes mood. It is often developed with narrative description, but it may also be shown with action, dialogue, or a characters thoughts. C. Plot Plot refers to the series or sequence of events that give a story its meaning and effect. In most stories, these events arise out of conflict experienced by the main character. The conflict may come from something external or it may stem from an internal issue. As the character makes choices and tries to resolve the problem, the story's action is shaped and plot is generated. The plot is built around a series of events that take place within a definite period. It is what happens to the characters. No rules exist for the order in which the events are presented. In some stories, the author structures the entire plot chronologically, with the first event followed by the second, third, and so on, like beads on a rosary.

A unified plot has an exposition, the introductory material that creates the tone, gives the setting, introduces the characters, and supplies other facts necessary to understanding a work of literature; a rising action, the second section of the typical plot, in which the main character begins to grapple with the story's main conflict. The rising action contains several events which usually are arranged in an order of increasing importance; a climax, the point of highest interest in the story, where the reader makes the greatest emotional response; a falling action, the part of the plot after the climax, containing events caused by the climax and contributing to the resolution; and a dnouement or resolution or conclusion, the final unravelling of a plot; the solution of a mystery; an explanation of the outcome. Dnouement implies an ingenious untying of the knot of an intrigue, involving not only a satisfactory outcome of the main situation but an explanation of all the secrets and misunderstandings connected with the plot complication. However, many other stories are told with flashback techniques in which plot events from earlier times interrupt the story's present events. All stories are unique, and in one sense there are as many plots as there are stories. D. Point of View Point of view in fiction refers to the source and scope of the narrative voice. In the first-person point of view, usually identifiable by the use of the pronoun "I", a character in the story does the narration. A first-person narrator may be a major character and is often its protagonist. The author's choice of point of view has a significant effect on the story's voice and on the type of information given to the reader. In first-person narration, for example, what can be shown is limited to the character's observation and thoughts, and any skewed perceptions in the narrator will be passed on to the reader. The rarest narrative voice in literature is the second-person point of view, in which the narrator refers to the reader as "you", therefore making the audience member feel as if he or she is a character within the story. Third-person point of view occurs when the narrator does not take part in the story. There are four types of third-person point of view. In third-person omniscient, the narrative voice can render information from anywhere, including the thoughts and feelings of any of the characters. This all-knowing perspective allows the narrator to roam freely in the story's setting and even beyond. In third-person limited, the narrative voice can relate what is in the minds of only a select few characters (often only one, the pointof-view character). The third-person objective employs a narrator who tells a story without describing any

character's thoughts, opinions, or feelings; instead it gives an objective, unbiased point of view. Often the narrator is self-dehumanized in order to make the narrative more neutral; this type of narrative mode, outside of fiction, is often employed by newspaper articles, biographical documents, and scientific journals. This point of view can be described as a "fly on the wall" or "camera lens" approach that can only record the observable actions, but does not interpret these actions or relay what thoughts are going through the minds of the characters. Works of fiction that use this style put a great deal of emphasis on characters acting out their feelings in an observable way. Internal thoughts, if expressed, are given voice through an aside or soliloquy. While this approach does not allow the author to reveal the unexpressed thoughts and feelings of the characters, it does allow the author to reveal information that not all or any of the characters may be aware of. It is also called the third-person dramatic, because the narrator (like the audience of a drama) is neutral and ineffective toward the progression of the plot merely an uninvolved onlooker. The third-person subjective is when the narrator conveys the thoughts, feelings, opinions, etc. of one or more characters. In third-person subjective, sometimes called the "over the shoulder" perspective, the narrator only describes events perceived and information known by a character. At its narrowest and most subjective scope, the story reads as though the viewpoint character were narrating it. Dramatically this is very similar to the first person, in that it allows in-depth revelation of the protagonist's personality, but it uses third-person grammar. E. Tone Tone refers to the attitude that the story creates toward its subject matter. It is the way an author communicates a feeling or attitude toward the subject he is writing about. To determine tone in poetry (or in other writing), you have to consider diction and syntax, the grammatical structure of the sentence. You also have to consider which details are included and which are left out. For instance, if the author is listing reasons and answering likely objections in advance, the tone is argumentative or persuasive. If the poet goes on and on about the snowy, picture-perfect holidays of childhood, nostalgia is a good bet. When you're determining tone, "hear" the poem in your head. Put yourself in the author's shoes and imagine what she feels. Examine the language closely, and bring your own experience to the poem. F. Style Style in fiction refers to the language conventions used to construct the story. A fiction writer can manipulate diction, sentence structure, phrasing, dialogue, and other aspects of language to create style. Thus a story's style could be described as richly detailed, flowing, and barely controlled or sparing and minimalist to reflect the simple sentence structures and low range of vocabulary. Predominant styles change through time, therefore the time period in which fiction was written often influences its style. G. Symbol A symbol means more than what it is. It has layers of meanings. While a normal image is generally used once, to complete a scene or passage, a symbol is often referred to repeatedly and carries meanings essential to the story. Some symbols are universal, like water for cleansing, but others are more culturally based. In some African societies, for example, a black cat is seen as good luck. Fiction writers use preexisting cultural associations as well as meanings drawn from the context of the story to create multiple levels of meaning. The ability to recognize and interpret symbols requires experience in literary readings, perception, and tact. It is easy to "run wild" with symbols - to find symbols everywhere. The ability to interpret symbols is essential to the full understanding and enjoyment of literature. Given below are helpful suggestions for

identifying literary symbols: 1. The story itself must furnish a clue that a detail is to be taken symbolically - symbols nearly always signal their existence by emphasis, repetition, or position. 2. The meaning of a literary symbol must be established and supported by the entire context of the story. A symbol has its meaning inside not outside a story. 3. To be called a symbol, an item must suggest a meaning different in kind from its literal meaning. 4. A symbol has a cluster of meanings. H. Dialogue Dialogue is a literary and theatrical form consisting of a written or spoken conversational exchange between two or more ("dia" means through or across) people. It is the conversation between characters in a narrative. It is the lines or passages in drama which are intended to be spoken. Functions of Dialogue 1. It moves the action along in a work and it also helps to characterize the personality of the speakers, which vary depending on their nationalities, jobs, social classes and educations. 2. It also gives literature a more natural, conversational flow, which makes it more readable and enjoyable. 3. By showcasing human interaction, dialogue prevents literature from being nothing more than a list of descriptions and actions. 4. Dialogue varies in structure and tone depending on the people participating in the conversation and the mood that the author is trying to maintain in his or her writing. In great fiction, dialogue is not intuitive, and it does not come naturally to writers. Most importantly, for effective dialogue in fiction, authors cannot simply describe a dialogue from real experience or from an imagined scene. Basically, dialogue is always created for a purpose of story development, therefore, it cannot function as a taped recording of reality; and it must be stripped of nuances that may not be true to the story or confuse the reader. I. Theme Theme is the meaning or concept we are left with after reading a piece of fiction. It can be a revelation of human character or it may be stated briefly or at great length. It develops from the interplay of character and plot. A theme is the central and unifying concept of the story. It must adhere to the following requirements: 1. It must account for all the major details of the story. 2. It must not be contradicted by any detail of the story. 3. It must not rely on supposed facts - facts not actually stated or clearly implied by the story. A theme is not the "moral" of the story. A theme is the author's way of communicating and sharing ideas, perceptions, and feelings with readers, and it may be directly stated in the text, or it may only be implied. Literary Devices Literary devices refer to the typical structures used by writers in their works to convey his or her

message(s) in a simple manner to his or her readers. When employed properly, the different literary devices help readers to appreciate, interpret and analyze a literary work. Here are some examples of literary devices (literary techniques): 1. Allusion An allusion is a literary device whereby the author refers to a subject matter such as a place, event, or literary work by way of a passing reference. It is up to the reader to make a connection to the subject being mentioned. 2. Conflict A conflict is a literary device used for expressing a resistance the protagonist of the story finds in achieving his aims/ dreams. The conflict is a discord that can have external aggressors or can even arise from within the self. It occurs when the subject is battling his inner discord, may be at odds with his surroundings and lastly, may be pitted against others in the story. 3. Flashback A flashback is a literary device wherein the writer/ author depicts the occurrence of specific events to the reader, which have taken place before the present time the narration is following, or events that have happened before the events that are currently being unfolded in the story. Flashback devices that are commonly used are past narratives by characters, depictions and references of dreams and memories and a sub-device known as authorial sovereignty wherein the author directly chooses to refer to a past occurrence by bringing it up in a straightforward manner. Flashback is used to create a background to the present situation, place or person. 4. Foreshadowing The literary device foreshadowing refers to the use of indicative words/phrases and hints that set the stage for a story to unfold and give the reader a hint of something that is going to happen without revealing the story or spoiling the suspense. Foreshadowing is used to suggest an upcoming outcome to the story. 5. Irony The use of irony in literature refers to playing around with words such that the meaning implied by a sentence/word is actually different from the literal meaning derived. Often, irony is used to suggest the stark contrast of the literal meaning being put forth. The deeper, real layer of significance is revealed not by the words themselves but the situation and the context in which they are placed. 6. Juxtaposition In literature, juxtaposition is a literary device wherein the author places a person, concept, place, idea or theme parallel to another. The purpose of juxtaposing two directly/indirectly related entities close together in literature is to highlight the contrast between the two and compare them. This literary device is usually used for etching out a character in detail, creating suspense or lending a rhetorical effect. 7. Motif

The literary device motif is any element, subject, idea or concept that is constantly present th rough the entire body of literature. Using a motif refers to the repetition of a specific theme dominating the literary work. Motifs are very noticeable and play a significant role in defining the nature of the story, the course of events and the very fabric of the literary piece. 8. Pun Puns are a very popular literary device wherein a word is used in a manner to suggest two or more possible meanings. This is generally done to the effect of creating humor or irony or wryness. Puns can also refer to words that suggest meanings of similar-sounding words. The trick is to make the reader have an ah! moment and discover 2 or more meanings. 9. Symbol A symbol is a literary device that contains several layers of meaning, often concealed at first sight, and is representative of several other aspects/ concepts/ traits than those that are visible in the literal translation alone. Symbol is using an object or action that means something more than its literal meaning.