Every story has building blocks
Every story you have ever read, from fairy tales to novels to movies, is built from the same parts. When you know these parts, you understand stories better, you can talk and write about them, and you can create your own great stories.
The main parts of a story are:
- Characters
- Setting
- Plot
- Conflict
- Theme
- Point of view
Let’s look at each one.
1. Characters
A character is a person, animal or creature in a story.
Main and minor characters
- The main character (protagonist) is the most important character. The story is mostly about them.
- Minor characters (supporting characters) help tell the story.
- An antagonist is a character or force that works against the main character.
In Cinderella, Cinderella is the protagonist, her stepmother is the antagonist, and the fairy godmother is a minor character who helps.
Getting to know characters
Authors show what characters are like through:
– What they say
– What they do
– What they think and feel
– How others react to them
– How they look
Words that describe what a character is like on the inside, such as brave, selfish, kind, curious, stubborn, are called character traits.
Characters change
Many main characters change by the end of a story. They learn a lesson, grow braver or become kinder. Noticing how a character changes helps you find the story’s message.
2. Setting
The setting is where and when a story happens.
- Place: a castle, a farm, a city, outer space, a school, a forest.
- Time: long ago, today, the future, a season, a time of day.
Why setting matters
Setting can:
– Create mood. A dark, stormy night feels spooky; a sunny beach feels cheerful.
– Cause problems. A blizzard might trap characters inside.
– Shape characters. Someone growing up on a farm may have different experiences than someone in a big city.
Look for setting clues in descriptions and pictures: weather, buildings, clothing, technology.
3. Plot
The plot is the sequence of events: what happens in the story. Many stories follow a pattern that looks like a mountain, called a plot diagram or story mountain:
Beginning: exposition
The story introduces the characters, the setting and the situation.
Rising action
Problems start to build. Events become more exciting and tense.
Climax
The climax is the most exciting or important moment, the turning point where the main character faces the problem head-on.
Falling action
After the climax, things begin to settle. We see what happens as a result.
Resolution
The resolution is the end, where the problem is solved and loose ends are tied up.
Example: The Three Little Pigs
- Exposition: Three pigs leave home to build their own houses.
- Rising action: The wolf blows down the straw house, then the stick house.
- Climax: The wolf tries to blow down the brick house but cannot, then tries the chimney.
- Falling action: The wolf falls into a pot of boiling water (or runs away, depending on the version).
- Resolution: The pigs are safe in the brick house.
4. Conflict
The conflict is the problem or struggle in the story. Without conflict, there is no story! Conflict keeps readers turning pages.
Types of conflict
| Type | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Character vs. character | two characters struggle against each other | a hero vs. a villain |
| Character vs. nature | a character struggles against weather, animals or the environment | surviving a storm |
| Character vs. society | a character struggles against rules, laws or a group | fighting an unfair rule |
| Character vs. self | a character struggles with their own feelings or choices | overcoming fear |
| Character vs. technology | a character struggles with machines | a robot gone wrong |
Many stories have more than one conflict.
5. Theme
The theme is the lesson or message about life that the story teaches. It is usually not stated directly. You figure it out by thinking about what the main character learns.
Common themes:
– Friendship is more important than winning.
– Honesty is the best policy.
– Hard work pays off.
– Be proud of who you are.
– Kindness can change others.
Finding the theme
Ask:
1. What problem did the main character face?
2. How did they solve it?
3. What did they learn?
4. What lesson could anyone learn from this?
In The Tortoise and the Hare, the tortoise wins by keeping steady. A theme is: Slow and steady effort can win the race.
Topic vs. theme: Friendship is a topic. True friends help each other in hard times is a theme, a complete idea.
6. Point of view
Point of view is who tells the story.
- First person: the narrator is a character in the story and uses I, me and we. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened the box.
- Third person: the narrator is outside the story and uses he, she, they and characters’ names. Ella couldn’t believe her eyes when she opened the box.
Point of view affects what readers know. In first person, we only know what the narrator knows and feels.
Putting it all together: a story map
A story map organizes the parts of a story:
| Part | My notes |
|---|---|
| Title and author | |
| Main character(s) | |
| Other characters | |
| Setting (where and when) | |
| Conflict (problem) | |
| Main events (rising action) | |
| Climax | |
| Resolution | |
| Theme | |
| Point of view |
Use a story map after reading to check your understanding, or before writing to plan your own story.
Using story parts to write your own story
- Create a character. Give them a name, traits and something they want.
- Choose a setting that fits your story and creates a mood.
- Give them a problem (conflict).
- Plan the rising action: two or three events that make the problem harder.
- Write an exciting climax where the character faces the problem.
- Wrap it up with a resolution.
- Think about your theme: What will your character learn?
Common mistakes
- Confusing setting with only place. Remember time too.
- Confusing the climax with the ending. The climax is the turning point; the resolution comes after.
- Writing a theme as one word. A theme is a full sentence.
- Stories with no conflict, which feel flat.
Try it yourself
Read this story: Leo wanted to win the school science fair, but his volcano kept collapsing. He almost quit. Then his grandmother showed him how to build a stronger base with papier-mâché. On the day of the fair, his volcano erupted perfectly. He didn’t win first place, but he felt proud that he never gave up.
- Who is the main character?
- What is the conflict, and what type is it?
- What is the climax?
- What is a possible theme?
Answers: 1. Leo. 2. His volcano keeps collapsing; character vs. self (and a challenge with his project). 3. The volcano erupts perfectly at the fair. 4. Persistence matters more than winning.
Study tip
After every book you read, fill in a quick story map. Over time, you will notice that stories you love often share similar structures, and you can use them in your own writing.
Quick recap
- Characters are who the story is about; they often change.
- Setting is where and when.
- Plot follows exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.
- Conflict is the problem that drives the story.
- Theme is the lesson; point of view is who tells the story.