Which of the following is NOT an element of fictional stories?

• A. Characters
• B. Settings
• C. Themes
• D. Real-world events

Answer: (D)

In fiction, the story is shaped by elements like characters who drive the action, the setting where the events take place, and a theme or idea the story explores. Real-world events are not an essential part of fiction itself; they can serve as inspiration or background, but a story can be entirely invented with its own characters and events. Even when a story is based on real events (historical fiction), the core building blocks—people, places, and ideas—remain, while the events may be drawn from reality or creatively reimagined. So real-world events aren’t an inherent element of fictional stories.