Fiction is a branch of literature that deals with events that are not factual at the time of writing as used in storytelling where the writer seeks to portray certain arbitrary characters or ideas. Fiction in the field of literature is used for the purposes of giving instructional examples; advertising; moralizing like in the use of fables; and propaganda. The elements of fiction as used in the development of a story’s theme include; plot, characters, symbols, conflict, point of view, and settings. However due to the fact that literature is an art and not a science; all these elements cannot be quantified or have representation in any given story. The author of this story has used the elements of fiction descriptively in explaining the character, settings; and conflict among other aspects of fiction as can be seen from the story (Michael, 2008).
From the story the hand; elements of fiction include; the element of conflict where the writer denotes “his big arm under the small of her slim, adolescent back” (240). Here the writer uses the element of conflict as a tool to make the story interesting as well as making the narration of the story easier. The author further uses the fictional element of settings; where he describes the point at which the hand of the character lay in relation to the position of the woman’s right elbow. “His strong hand lay on the sheet next to the young woman’s right elbow”(240). The settings given to the story, in this case, are important in helping the reader understand the real position of the characters at that time which is referred to as universal when not specified (Michael, 2008).
The author further takes the point of view of a third person character in narrating the story; as he tells the story from an invisible point of view where he is not one of the characters within the plot. In the third-place point of view, an author uses the words he, she, or it when referring to the fictional characters and contra factual events. This perspective is evident from the line, “he had slipped his big arm under the small of her slim, adolescent back” (240), here the words he and her are used. The author further uses the element of fictional conflict where he contrasts the “blue of the brand new curtains, instead of the apricot-pink through which the first light of day filtered into the room where she had slept as a little girl” (241). The writer gives the conflict of time and place in this same part of the story (Michael, 2008).
The fictional element of symbolism is put into use; where the writer notes;” the charming authority exercised by weak creatures”(241) in which he tries to give symbolic meaning to the charming authority of weak creatures with relation to the current situation where the wife grasps her husband’s neck. The author also uses the element of fictional character where he portrays the woman as being investigative. This is used in the plot of the story severally like at the point where the lady thinks “it’s so big! It really is bigger than my whole head”(241). The wife’s character is also portrayed as being obnoxious where she internally conflicts “and I’ve kissed that hand” (241) where she was referring to the husband’s hand; on which she notices curves she had not known. The fictional plot used in this case is that of a newlywed couple sleeping that goes further to explain the topic in question which is the hand (Michael, 2008).
The author of this story has fully used the functional elements of fictional; as can be seen from the story that he has related the elements of plot, character among the others to arrive at an interesting story that is so intriguing that a reader cannot stop but continue to find out what happened in the next point within the plot.
Reference
Michael, M. (2008).Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. Bedford/St. Martin’s