Elements of Elements of FictionFictionOf Mice & MenOf Mice & Men

““The Big Rock The Big Rock Candy Mountains”Candy Mountains”

By Harry McClintockBy Harry McClintock

PLOTPLOT

expositionexposition

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climaxclimax

falling action

falling action resolutioresolutionn

CONFLICTCONFLICT

Internal Conflict Internal Conflict a character’s struggle with himself a character’s struggle with himself

or his confidenceor his confidence

External Conflict External Conflict a character’s struggle with an a character’s struggle with an

outside force, such as another outside force, such as another character, nature, or his character, nature, or his environment.environment.

CHARACTERSCHARACTERS

ProtagonistProtagonist The central character in a story; The central character in a story;

struggles against the antagoniststruggles against the antagonist

AntagonistAntagonist The conflicting force against the The conflicting force against the

protagonist; can be another character, protagonist; can be another character, a force of nature, or the protagonist a force of nature, or the protagonist struggling against himself.struggling against himself.

SETTINGSETTING

PhysicalPhysical The physical environment in which a The physical environment in which a

story takes place; this includes the story takes place; this includes the social and political environmentsocial and political environment

ChronologicalChronological The time in which a story takes place The time in which a story takes place

(include the era, season, date, time (include the era, season, date, time of day, etc.)of day, etc.)

POINT OF VIEWPOINT OF VIEW NarratorNarrator

The “voice” that tells a story; may The “voice” that tells a story; may or may not reflect the opinions and or may not reflect the opinions and attitudes of the author himselfattitudes of the author himself

First PersonFirst Person A narrator who uses the first-person A narrator who uses the first-person

pronouns (I, me, my, myself, etc.) pronouns (I, me, my, myself, etc.) when telling the story;when telling the story;

Focuses on the thoughts, feelings, Focuses on the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of a particular and opinions of a particular charactercharacter

POINT OF VIEW, POINT OF VIEW, cont’dcont’d Third Person LimitedThird Person Limited

A narrator who uses the third-A narrator who uses the third-person perspective with the third-person perspective with the third-person pronouns (he, she, it, they, person pronouns (he, she, it, they, etc.)etc.)

Observes the action as an outside Observes the action as an outside observer, revealing the thoughts, observer, revealing the thoughts, feelings and opinions of feelings and opinions of only oneonly one charactercharacter

POINT OF VIEW, POINT OF VIEW, cont’dcont’d Third Person OmniscientThird Person Omniscient

Like third-person limited, the third Like third-person limited, the third person omniscient narrator uses person omniscient narrator uses the third-person perspective with the third-person perspective with the third person pronouns (he, the third person pronouns (he, she, it, they, etc.)she, it, they, etc.)

This type of narrator observes the This type of narrator observes the action as an outside observer, action as an outside observer, however, revealing the thoughts, however, revealing the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of feelings, and opinions of severalseveral characterscharacters

THEMETHEME The main idea behind a literary workThe main idea behind a literary work

The message in the storyThe message in the story