Which term best describes a fictional work that is not true in fact but is invented?

• A. Plot
• B. Theme
• C. Novel
• D. Myth

Answer: (C)

The concept here is identifying the term for a fictional work that is created by an author and not presented as a factual account. A novel refers to a long prose narrative that tells an invented story with invented characters and events. It is distinct from the other terms in these ways: the plot is just the sequence of events in a story, not the type of work itself; the theme is the central idea or message the author explores, not the form; and a myth is a traditional story from a culture, often passed down and not a modern, authored work of fiction. Because a novel specifically denotes an extended, invented piece of fiction, it is the best fit for a fictional work that isn’t true in fact.