FICTION

Litform
Fiction
Fiction is a narrative in prose that shows an
imaginative recreation and reconstruction of
life and presents human life in two levels the
world of objective reality made up of human
actions and experiences, and the world of
subjective reality dealing with human
apprehension and comprehension. Fiction is
categorized either as novel or short story
(Sialongo et al,2007).
TYPES OF FICTION
Prose allegory a prose form in which the
characters, ideas, and actions stand for something else
or for a system of ideas with meanings implied.

Concrete characters are personification of abstract ideas

Examples of this are fables, myths, and legends

Prose romances are types of stories in which some

supernatural or magical events, fantastic, and
unrealistic, occur.
These include fairy tales, folk tales.
 Prose satires are stories in which human vices and
follies are held up to ridicule. This include fabliau.

Novels are prose narratives on a large scale and can be

divided into three types, fantasy, love, and adventure
novels.

Short story is a prose narrative of limited length which

must have characterization, unity, cumulative interest,
climax, and a resolution
 Novelletes are prose narratives that are
intermediate between the short story and the
novels.
It is about 50 to 150 pages long, but no exact limits
can be given as to length.

It is more elaborate than a short story but can be

read in a single sitting and can produce a single,
concentrated effect.
SHORT STORY
Litform
ELEMENTS

Plot
Structure or framework
Arrangement or sequence in
which episodes and incidents
(small piece of action) are to be
found.
ELEMENTS
Plot structures
1. Man in the tub
2. Man in the hole
3. Man on the road
Plot line
Conventional
Unconventional
ELEMENTS

Conflict
No conflict, no story
External or internal
Types of conflict:
1. Man vs Himself
2. Man vs Man
ELEMENTS
Types of conflict:
3. Man vs Society
4. Man vs Nature
5. Man vs Technology
6. Man vs Supernatural
ELEMENTS

Characters
The who in the fictional text
Not necessarily people
Protagonist vs Antagonist
Classifications:
1. Round (well/fully developed)
ELEMENTS
Classifications:
2. Flat (minimally developed)
3. Dynamic (exhibit changes)
4. Static (remains essentially
the same)
ELEMENTS

Setting
Time, place and social context of
the story
Point of View
Omniscient / Third person
First person
ELEMENTS

Theme
Central or dominant idea of the story
Overall generalization about the
storys meaning and significance
Can be stated in a short phrase
LITERARY DEVICE
Symbol
Word/object that stands for an idea
beyond a literal meaning

Image
Visual, auditory, tactile, gustatory,
olfactory
LITERARY DEVICE
Tone
Manner, mood, pervading attitude that
writers establish for characters,
situations and readers