Elements of

Fiction:
Characters
Quarter I – Week 5
 Dear Father in heaven, we come before
you as your children, longing to be assured
through your Spirit that we are and may
remain your children. We long to live to
the glory of your name under the shelter
and guidance of the Lord Jesus in
expectation of the great day which shall
fulfill all promises made to us. Strengthen
us, especially in dark and troubled days.
Help us when danger threatens and when
evil tries to make headway among us.
Deliver us from all evil, for yours is the
kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever
and ever. Amen.
 Objectives

1.Identify the various elements,

techniques, and literary devices in
various modes of fiction (Characters)
2.Write short compositions exploring key
elements of fiction (characters)
 Fictio
n
literature created from the
imagination, not presented as fact,
though it may be based on a true
story or situation.
Types of literature in the fiction 
genre include the novel, short story,
and novella.
The word is from the
Latin fictiō, “the act of making,
fashioning, or molding.”
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.
Character
 Cold
Reading
1. A sibling who always appears to be the bad guy confronts her
siblings.
2. A mother encouraging her daughter to fight for her husband.
3. A husband lashing out to his wife about giving up his dreams.
4. A guy fed up with his girlfriend not giving him time.
5. An OFW expressing her sentiments to her boss who treats her
bad.
"Pero bakit parang galit ka? (pause) Pero bakit
kasalanan ko? Eh… sa totoo lang eh ako yung inggit na
inggit sa inyong lahat. Kasi meron kayong mga bagay na
sana meron din ako. Sana meron ako nung maternal
instincts mo. I wish I had your charm and innocence.
Sana naging adventurous din ako kagaya ni Alex. Sana
nagkaroon din ako ng sense fo humor mo kasi bentang-
benta iyon sa akin eh. Bentang-benta din kay mama.
Kaya siguro lahat ng attention niya na sa’yo."
"Dahil nga ang mundo ay isang malaking Quiapo.
Maraming snatcher. Maagawan ka, lumaban ka! Kasi
tignan mo naman yan itsura mo ha. Panahon na para i-
pack up yang Lucy Torres mo, ilabas mo na diyan si
Gretchen Barretto!"
“Kaya hindi natuloy ang pangarap ko e, dahil kinontra mo ko. Pinapili
mo ko, kung yung pangarap ko o ikaw. Natural pipiliin kita, mahal kita
eh!”

“O, anong nangyari sa akin ngayon, isa akong walang kakwenta-

kwentang tao! Walang pangarap, walang ambisyon, walang direksyon!
Pero kahit ganito ako, kahit kelan di ako nagsisi. Na nawala ang
pangarap ko dahil pinili kita. Kasi mahal kita e.
“Binigay ko lahat – ang oras ko, ang
pagmamahal ko. Ang buong pagkatao ko
binigay ko sa’yo. I gave you everything, but
you left me with nothing. At ayoko ng
pakiramdam na yun. Nauubos din ako.”
“Do you know that I had to leave my son
back home? I’m doing this for him because
I want him to be somebody. I want him to
have a better chance in life.

I care about my job, sir. I care about you.”

 01
Types of Characters
 #1. Dynamic
A dynamic character is a person who
changes over time, usually as a result of
resolving a central conflict or facing a
major crisis.
Most dynamic characters tend to be
central rather than peripheral characters,
because resolving the conflict is the
major role of central characters.
 #2. Static
A static character is
someone who does not
change over time;
his or her personality
does not transform or
evolve.
 #3. Round
A rounded character is
anyone who has a complex
personality;
he or she is often portrayed as
a conflicted and contradictory
person.
 #4. Flat
A flat character is the
opposite of a round character.
This literary personality is
notable for one kind of
personality trait or
characteristic.
 #5. Stock
Stock characters are those types of
characters who have become
conventional or stereotypical
through repeated use in particular
types of stories.
Stock characters are instantly
recognizable to readers or
audience members (e.g. the femme
fatale, the cynical but moral
private eye, the mad scientist, the
geeky boy with glasses, and the
faithful sidekick).
 #6. Protagonist
The protagonist is the central
person in a story, and is often
referred to as the story's main
character. He or she (or they) is
faced with
a conflict that must be resolved.
The protagonist may not always
be admirable (e.g. an anti-hero);
nevertheless s/he must command
involvement on the part of the
reader, or better yet, empathy
 #7. Antagonist
The antagonist is the character(s)
(or situation) that represents the
opposition against which the
protagonist must contend.
In other words, the antagonist is
an obstacle that the protagonist
must overcome.
 #8. Anti-Hero
A major character, usually the
protagonist, who lacks conventional
nobility of mind, and who struggles for
values not deemed universally admirable.
Loki. Everyone’s favorite god of
mischief and disaster. Where would we
be without the brilliance and bad decision
making of Thor’s adoptive younger
brother?! Spawned from real-world
ancient Viking mythology, Loki’s M.O.
has been and will always be to cause
trouble and play tricks on unsuspecting
humans, heroes, gods, and, well, anyone,
around him.
 #9. Foil
A foil is any character (usually the
antagonist or an important
supporting character) whose
personal qualities contrast with
another character (usually the
protagonist).
By providing this contrast, we get
to know more about the other
character.
 #10. Symbolic
A symbolic character is
any major or minor
character whose very
existence represents some
major idea or aspect of
society.
 02
Techniques in Writing
Fiction:
Characterization
Characterizatio
n
refers to the process used by the author to
create fictional characters.
Characterizatio
n
Methods of
Characterization
According to Johnston (2017), there are two
types of characterization: direct and indirect.
Direct characterization explicitly tells the reader
what a character's qualities are.
Indirect characterization uses five different
methods that combine different elements to reveal
a character's personality.
To remember these five elements, simply
remember the acronym STEAL, which stands for
speech, thoughts, effect on others, actions and
looks.
 #1. Speech
Characters’ personalities can be
greatly defined by the words they
say and how they say them.
The words they use can point to
intelligence or a lack thereof,
which also reveals their
educational background.
 #2. Thoughts
Looking into the minds of
characters in written stories is a
privilege often given to readers.
When we know the inner thoughts
and feelings of a character, we are
seeing a glimpse of their true
personality and how they really
view the world.
 #3. Effects on others
How do the characters affect other
people? And how do these people
react to the character?
This information describes how
the characters handle themselves
socially, and the relationships they
are able--or unable--to form with
fellow characters.
 #4. Actions
The actions and behaviors of the
characters show what truly drives
and motivates the characters.
How they physically or verbally
interact with other characters in
the story shows their overall
position as good-natured or mean-
spirited, sympathetic or selfish.
 #5. Looks
The dress of characters also provides a look into
their personalities.
For example, if the characters are constantly dressed
up in expensive clothing, this could point to great
education and money, while the characters dressed
in clothes with holes in them could appear less well-
off.
However, since outward appearances can be
deceiving, it’s also important to take expression and
body language into consideration.
 03
Techniques in Writing
Fiction: Character
Development
The process in creating a persona in a story
AND the changes this persona goes
through during the course of the story.
The key here is to realize the character
personality development process is not
just the act of sitting down and conjuring
up an imaginary person – it is also
showing your readers how this persona
changes and transforms throughout the
course of the story
.
Character
Development
 #1. IDENTIFY YOUR
CHARACTERS & THEIR ROLES
IN THE STORY
The first step may be an obvious one, but an
essential one! You need to know who will be the
main people in your book. It’s important to
identify not just who they are – but also what
their roles are.
In the story, Peter is a young bunny. He is the
son to the mother rabbit, and a brother of his
sisters Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail. This adds
to the overall character development of Peter,
because if he were a grown-up rabbit in the
story without a mother worrying about him or
perfectly behaved sisters to compare and
contrast with, you would miss a lot of the
 #2. GET INSIDE YOUR
CHARACTER’S HEAD
The next step, once we’ve identified each
character and the role they play in the storyline,
is to really get to know your character inside and
out.
While you will want to make a note of their
physical appearance and main personality traits,
it can be helpful to dig in even deeper.
 #3. RESEARCH, RESEARCH,
RESEARCH
Doing your initial research about your
characters before you start writing is very
important, because it can actually save you the
time-sucking distraction of trying to find
information mid- sentence or mid-chapter.
For example, let’s say you are writing a novel
where your main character is a cardiologist at a
busy hospital. Not only would you need to
research some basic information on cardiology
as a profession, but you would need to make
sure you are aware of medical customs and laws
where the hospital is located.
 #4. STRONG DIALOGUE =
STRONGER CHARACTER
DEVELOPMENT
Dialogue is an important part of almost every
story. The way your character talks and interacts
in conversations with others can make a big
difference on how well your audience can
connect with the person or creature.
Consistency is very important. Staying
consistent with your characterization of each
person is what makes the people in your novel
memorable and helps readers identify with the
character.
Write
Shop 6
 create a
conversation of your
character and
yourself by filling in
the messenger
template below.
  Exemplary 5 Proficient 4 Emerging 3. Incomplete 2
Character Dialogue shows a complete Dialogue shows a Dialogue shows part of Dialogue expresses
few feelings or ideas
Information picture of what character is complete picture of what what character is feeling that character has.
feeling and thinking by character is feeling and and thinking by restating

   
restating ideas from text and thinking by restating ideas from text. All ideas
   
adding to the situation. Writer ideas from text. Details may not be supported by
   
adds their own ideas, which from the text are used to details from the text.
     
match the characters as they provide examples.
  are shown in the text.      

Dialogue Dialogue is written as a Dialogue is written as a Most of the time, the Dialogue seems more
like characters talking
Quality conversation in which conversation in which dialogue is written as a separately instead of to
characters listen and respond characters listen and conversation. Characters each other. No
expression of emotions.
 
to each other. Characters respond to each other. It name their feelings without
 
express emotions and speak is usually clear what really expressing them in
 
naturally. All text is original, not emotions characters feel. words. Some lines may
  copied. No text is copied. come directly from the text.
Sentences Written in complete sentences Most sentences are Some sentences are Many incomplete or
incorrect sentences.
 
with adjectives and interesting complete and show incomplete or incorrect. A Almost no adjectives or
 
language. Shows use of new some use of adjectives few boring adjectives used. interesting language.
 
vocabulary. and interesting language. Uses simple vocabulary—
   
A few new vocabulary nothing new.
    words.  

Conventions Shows correct use of present and Shows correct use of Some mistakes in use of present Writer did not check
past tenses. Correct spelling, present and past tenses. A and past tenses. More than three for mistakes before
punctuation and capitalization. few mistakes in mistakes turning in work.
spelling, punctuation and in spelling, punctuation and
capitalization. capitalization.

Total    
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