The Three-Century Woman

LEARNING ABOUT FICTION
The Three-Century Woman

 

Fiction is writing that tells a story. The story can include some
facts, be inspired by facts, or be completely made up.
Elements of Fiction
All works of fiction share these basic elements:
• characters—made-up people or animals
• plot—a made-up series of events
• setting—a time and place, which can be real or made up
• narrator—the speaker who tells the story
• point of view—the narrator’s relationship to the story. In firstperson
point of view, the narrator is a character in the story. In third-person point of view, the narrator is outside the story.
• theme—a message about life

 

Types of Fiction
Novel	Long work of fiction, such as Little House on the Prairie. A novel can have a main plot and one or more sub-plots.
Novella	Long work of fiction that is shorter than a novel but longer than a short story
Short Story	Brief work of fiction with only one main plot

The Fall of the Hindenburg

Nonfiction is writing that presents facts, details, and other true information.

 

Elements of Nonfiction

 Nonfiction is different from fiction in these ways:
• Nonfiction contains real people, events, and ideas.
• Nonfiction works are told from the point of view of the author, a real person.
• Nonfiction presents facts or discusses ideas about real issues.
• Nonfiction sometimes reflects the historical context—the real time and place, including facts about the society and culture.

 

Types of Fiction
Biography	Story of someone’s life told by someone else
Autobiography	Story of the author’s life
Memoir	Writer’s thoughts and feelings about the past
Letter	Communication from one person to another
Journal	Daily record of life and events, sometimes private
Diary	Daily record of life and events, usually private
Essay	Brief nonfiction writing about a single topic
Article	Brief nonfiction writing for a magazine, newspaper, or other publication
Informational texts	Documents such as textbooks, instructions, and applications