What Is a Narrative Story?Narrative Elements

Ms. Kim

Narrative Elements●Setting●Characters●Plot: conflict &

resolution ●Climax●Theme

Setting

Time and place are where the action occurs

Where and when does your story take place?•“Paint” a picture of the scene.

CharactersThe main people (or other living things) that are involved in your story. ●Reveal what a character is like and how the character changes throughout the story. ●Show who your characters are through their behaviors and dialogues, and by describing what they look like.●Make your characters realistic.

PlotPlot is what happens and how it happens in a narrative. It is the sequence of events in a story.

A narrative is any work that tells a story, such as a short story, a novel, a drama, or a narrative poem.

Parts of a Plot● Introduction – opening situation & intro to conflict

○ Setting, characters, and conflicts are introduced.

● Rising Action – all events leading up to the climax

● Climax – the most important or exciting event in the story

● Falling Action – events that follow the climax and lead to the resolution

● Resolution – conclusion of the story, usually the conflicts are resolved.

Plot Diagram

Setting, characters, and conflicts are introduced.

Introduction Risin

g Acti

on

Climax

Falling

Action

Resolution

Conflict● Conflict is a struggle between the main character

(protagonist) and the opposing character (antagonist).● Every plot must contain some kind of a conflict.

What problem or challenge does

the main character in the story face?

Theme● A central message, lesson, or moral

What is the message of the story? What does the author want to tell us about life and human

nature?

● Examples○ Kindness wins in the end.○ Actions speak louder than words.○ It’s okay to be different.

OutlineBeginning (paragraph 1)•Who is the main character?•What is the setting? •What is the problem?

Middle (paragraphs 2-3)•How does the character try to solve the problem?•Include actions, dialogue, sensory details, thoughts, feelings, and suspense.

End (paragraph 4)•Is the problem resolved? How?•What is the theme/message?