Title: Literary Elements
1Literary Elements
- What parts make up a story?
- http//members.tripod.com/dscorpio/images/literary
_elements.ppt
2Story are made up of 4 parts
- Setting
- Characters
- Plot
- Climax
- Resolution
- Theme
3SETTING
4Setting
Time and place where the action occurs
- Clues that tell you SETTING
- Furniture
- Scenery
- Customs
- Transportation
- Clothing
- Dialects
- Weather
- Time of day
- Time of year
5Elements of a Setting
6The Functions of a Setting
- To create a mood or atmosphere
- To show a reader a different way of life
- To make action seem more real
- To be the source of conflict or struggle
- To symbolize an idea
Thomas Kincaid painting- If a narrative begins in
this painting, what mood and tone is it setting?
Where does it take place? When? How does this
warm, fuzzy setting affect the story?
7CHARACTERS
- WHO IS IT?
- WHY IS HE THAT WAY?
- HOW DOES HE AFFECT THE STORY?
8Types of Characters
- Protagonist-main character
- Antagonist-against the main character
- Secondary characters
- Static characters-dont change, have no depth
- Dynamic characters-interesting, change throughout
book
9Characterization
- A writer reveals what a character is like and how
the character changes throughout the story. - Two primary methods of characterization
- Direct- writer tells what the character is like
- Indirect- writer shows what a character is like
through actions, speech, or thoughts of other
characters.
10Direct Characterization
And I dont play the dozens or believe in
standing around with somebody in my face doing a
lot of talking. I much rather just knock you down
and take my chances even if Im a little girl
with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is
how I got the name Squeaky. From Raymonds
Run by T. Bambara
11Indirect Characterization
I will do that, Ramona, said the lawyer. But
be careful. He is a devious, danger man. -pp.
33 Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
12Elements of Character
13Factors in Analyzing Characters
- Physical appearance of character
- Personality
- Background/personal history
- Motivation
- Relationships
- Conflict
- Does character change?
14PLOT
- WHAT IS HAPPENING?
- WHY?
- WHY DOES IT MATTER?
15Plot
- Plot is what happens and how it happens in a
narrative. A narrative is any work that tells a
story, such as a short story, a novel, a drama,
or a narrative poem.
16Parts of a Plot
- Exposition-introduction to story where setting,
main characters, conflict, mood, and tone are
introduced. - Rising Action- events that occur as result of
central conflict. - Climax- point where protagonist makes a profound
change. - Falling Action- where loose ends are tied up,
especially in side-stories. - Resolution- when conflict ends.
17Diagram of Plot
Climax
Falling Action
Rising Action
Resolution/Denouement
Exposition
18Special Techniques of Plot
- Suspense- excitement or tension.
- Foreshadowing- hint or clue about what will
happen in story. - Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of
events to tell about something that happened in
the past. - Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not
expect. - Cliffhanger- when a narrative lacks a satisfying
resolution.
19Conflict
- Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces
- Every plot must contain some kind of conflict
- Stories can have more than one conflict
- 4 main types of conflict
- Man vs. man- protagonist struggles against
another character in the narrative - Man vs. self- protagonist has internal struggle
against some problem within himself - Man vs. nature- protagonist struggles against an
element of nature (like a blizzard or an animal) - Man vs. society- protagonist against a social
injustice, like racism or an unfair government
20THEME
- WHAT CAN THE READER LEARN FROM THIS NARRATIVE?
21Theme
- A central message, concern, or insight into life
expressed through a literary work - Can be expressed by one or two sentence statement
about human beings or about life - Interpretation uncovers the theme-it is usually
not directly stated by the author
22Example of Theme
Every man needs to feel allegiance to his native
country, whether he always appreciates that
country or not. From A Man Without a Country
by Edward Hale pg. 185 in Prentice Hall
Literature book
23Example of what ISNT a theme
- Love
- Love is not a lesson you learn from a narrative.
It is an idea, not a theme. - In order to truly love someone else, you must
first love yourself. - This is a lesson you can learn about love from a
narrative, therefore this is a THEME.