Parts of a Story

Characters, setting, and the shape every story follows.

Characters and setting

Every story needs a character: a person, animal, or creature the story is about. Every story also needs a setting: the place and time where it all happens, like a castle, a school, or a forest long ago.

Beginning, middle, and end

Stories are told in an order called a plot. The beginning introduces the characters and setting. The middle is where something happens, usually a problem. The end wraps everything up and shows how it was solved.

The problem and the solution

Most stories are about a problem that a character has to face, like a lost puppy or a scary storm. The most exciting part of a story is watching the character figure out how to solve that problem by the end.

Quick quiz: Parts of a Story

Question 1 of 5

The people (or animals) in a story are called...