The Grim Grotto: Elements of Fiction

There are many elements of fiction. All of them together are a recipe for the perfect story. There are five elements all together. They are conflict, setting, character, plot and theme. "The Grim Grotto" displays all of these elements with an exceptionally well written storyline.

Conflict is a very significant factor of fiction. Without conflict there would be no story. The main conflict in "The Grim Grotto" is locating the sugar bowl and keeping it away from Count Olaf. The opposing forces are Count Olaf's troupe and the Baudelaire orphans. This conflict was never resolved within the book. However, there are many subordinate conflicts in this story. The first subordinate conflict is finding Quigley Quagmire and meeting him at the last safe place. The conflict is in between the Baudelaire orphans and Count Olaf. This is the Baudelaire's conflict. Another one is saving the youngest Baudelaire-Sunny from the poisonous Medusoid Mycelium. This is Sunny's conflict because she is suffering from the Medusoid Mycelium. All of these conflicts were external conflicts because they are about characters against each other and not about emotions.

I agree with the way that the characters try to solve the conflict because they refuse to give up on anything. They didn't give up when they had to save Sunny or get away from the Medusoid Mycelium. "There must be something we can do to save Sunny. There just has to be something." The importance of the conflict is huge. This is because the characters go to great lengths to try and get the sugar bowl. They travel underwater and go to the darkest of places to reach the sugar bowl. They go through numerous dangers just for a little sugar bowl. They go through the Medusoid Mycelium and a huge submarine just for a sugar bowl. You also know this because many characters, such as Captain Widdershins, Count Olaf and Quigley Quagmire say that this object is too important and secretive to reveal its purpose.

The climax of this book is when Violet Klaus and Sunny are walking to the taxi parting with Mr. Poe. This is the climax of the book because this was the highest point of interest and appeal. The author, Lemony Snicket, uses details and delays the end to an extent where you become very anxious to read the story.

Setting is an important aspect in some stories and less important in others. In this story setting plays a decent role. This story takes place in four different places. The first place is the Queequeg, is a submarine owned by Captain Widdershins. This story could not have taken place in another submarine because this particular submarine had a mycological library and a small stash of poetry books. Coincidentally, these two types of books are the ones which had helped all the characters solve minor conflicts within the book. The second place is aboard the Carmelita, is a submarine named after Carmelita Spatz who was taken in by Count Olaf and his wicked girlfriend, Esme Squalor. This story could have taken place in any submarine because there is nothing crucial that could massively affect the story in this submarine. The Gorgonian Grotto, the third place, is a cave in which Klaus expected to be the location of the sugar bowl. This could not have taken place somewhere else because this specific cave was one which the V.F.D. had decided to use Volatile Fungus Deportation to relocate the Medusoid Mycelium to that area. The final place is Briny Beach. a place. which the Baudelaire orphans had to travel to in order to get to the last safe place. This could not take place anywhere else because Briny Beach is a specific beach which Quigley Quagmire had told the Baudelaire orphans to go to because there would be a taxi waiting for them.

Character is a component which stands on its own. Characters create the story and make the story happen. There are numerous main characters in this book. Violet Baudelaire is a fifteen year old girl who plays the determined hero role in this story. She tries to save Sunny from poison with out ever thinking about giving up. She is a great inventor, resourceful and a wonderful sister. She has always invented things with spare objects to help her and her siblings get out of a mess. Klaus Baudelaire is a young teen who also plays a determined hero role in the story. He uses his resources to try and cure Sunny from the Medusoid Mycelium. He is a resource himself using his commonplace notebook as a tool to help his siblings. He writes anything important in it, using it as an immediate resource to answer almost any question he has. Sunny Baudelaire is toddler who is a valuable tool. She uses her teeth and cooking ability to help her and siblings when they need to cut some thing or cook a meal. She can help them in the toughest of situations. Fiona is young woman who plays a hero/villain role in the story. She is a mycologist who is on a hunt for rare fungi. She also likes poetry but her stepfather doesn't like poetry. She changes role from hero to villain to hero. In the beginning, she is a straightforward girl. Then, she transfers in to a villain.