Literary Elements

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Literary Elements

• Mrs. Fries
• 6th Grade Reading

2
Literary Elements

• Character
• Setting
• Plot
• Theme
• Point of View

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Character

• When we look back at movies and books weve
  loved, its usually the memorable characters in
  them that first come to mind the courageous and
  magical Harry Potter, for example. Its these
  characters that hook us and make us want to
  continue reading. As you consider character
  think about these questions
• What seems real about this character?
• How are they like other characters Ive read?
• How are they like me, or other people I know?
• How does the author help me understand the
  characters?
• How could I develop characters in my own stories?

4
Character

• There are two main types of character Antagonist
  and the Protagonist.
• Protagonist is the main character in the story.
  (Example Harry Potter)
• Antagonist is whatever is working against the
  main character. May take many forms
• Man
• Nature
• Self
• Society

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Character

• Character Traits
• Physical Traits What the character looks like.
  Example Brown hair, brown eyes, glasses,
  lightening shaped scar on forehead, 11 years old.
• Personality Traits describe the characters
  personality. Example adventurous, brave, good
  friend, great imagination, magical.

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Character

• How a character is revealed
• Things the character says Dont worry, Ill
  save you!
• Things the character does He dashed across the
  burning field to save the princess.
• Things that the character thinks or feels
  loneliness swept over him
• How other characters respond to the main
  character. The horse backed away sensing the
  intruder.
• Author tells us directly The soldier was brave
  and fierce.

7
Setting

• Setting is the time and place in which story
  events happen.
• Example Times future, during WWII, 30 years ago,
  present day
• Example Places New York City, a small farm,
  Germany, outer space

8
Setting

• How setting is developed
• The author may not always come right out and
  tell you the time and setting. You need to look
  for clues that tell you when or where the story
  is taking place. What do you see, hear, touch ,
  smell, or taste.
• Example.
• See People swimming, boats anchored offshore,
  kids sandcastles
• Hear seagulls crying, a lifeguards whistle,
  waves breaking
• Touch hot sun, gritty sand, refreshing water
• Smell/taste salty air, sunscreen lotion
• Where The seashore When a warm summer day

9
Plot

• Plot is the series of related events that happen
  in a story. There are five basic parts of plot
  development
• 1. Opening/Introduction
• 2. Rising Action (conflict Complications)
• 3. Climax
• 4. Falling Action
• 5. Resolution

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Plot

• Opening/Introduction
• This is the beginning of the story where the
  characters and setting are introduced. Lets us
  know what they are thinking as the story begins.

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Plot

• Rising Action
• The rising action contains the conflict and
  complications.
• Conflict the problem that arises between the
  protagonist (main character) and the antagonist
  (opposing force). Conflict can come in many
  forms
• Man vs. Man Harry Potter against Voldemort
• Man vs. Nature Brian against survival in the
  wilderness
• Man vs. Self Claudia against herself wanting
  to be different
• Man vs. Society Cassie against Prejudices in the
  South
• Complications the assorted actions that the
  character takes to try to resolve the conflict.

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Plot

• Climax
• In books and short stories characters face their
  conflicts and grapple with related complications
  as they seek to settle the conflict. This final
  settlement of the conflict comes in the climax of
  the story, usually an event in which the
  characters have to make a BIG DECISION.

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Plot

• Resolution
• After the climax comes the resolution. This is
  the big finale in which all of the characters
  adapt to the solution. The resolution confirms
  how all the main characters feel and what they do
  now that the conflict has been resolved.

14
Theme

• The major idea or ideas that a writer presents
  about life in general through the vehicle of the
  story.
• In most stories the author doesnt just announce
  the theme in words. The reader has to discover
  it.
• Literary themes are stated in sentences, not in
  one word or phrase.
• Example The Sign of The Beaver or My Side of The
  Mountain
• Theme By living with nature, we learn a lot
  about the world and about ourselves.

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Point of View

• A good story is usually told from one standpoint.
  Following are the most common points of view
• Omniscient Point of View (All-Knowing) The
  narrator, or storyteller, knows what all the
  characters are thinking and doing.
• First Person Point of View the narrator is a
  character in the story and uses I, me, and so on
  to refer to herself or himself. Readers only
  know what the narrator does, thinks, observes,
  and feels.
• Third Person Limited Point of View The narrator
  is outside the story, but tells the story chiefly
  from the main characters point of view. The
  main character is the one whose actions,
  thoughts, and feelings the reader is aware of.