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The five essential elements

Read this article to understand what are the five essential elements of a narrative.
Five stylised illustrations: a dove, mountains with a forrest, a knight on a horse, a flying bat, two swords crossing
© FrankCapability
The five essential elements we were looking for are:

  1. Characters
  2. Setting
  3. Conflict
  4. Plot
  5. Resolution.

Let’s look at what each element means.

Characters
The characters are the actors about whom the story is told. They have roles to play, such as hero, antagonist, or voice of wisdom.

Setting
The setting describes where and when the story takes place. This is valuable context within which the action will occur.

Conflict
The conflict sets up the challenge to be overcome and drives the plot forward.

Plot
The plot is the sequence of actions that takes us from where we are now (the setting), to understanding and then resolving the conflict.

Resolution
The resolution is our new view of the world that occurs because the characters take actions to address the conflict.

© FrankCapability Limited
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Compelling Narratives for Complex Decisions: Policy Analyst Fundamentals

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