Literary Elements

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Literary Elements
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What makes a great story?

• Plot, Setting, Characters, Conflict, Symbol, and
  Point of View are the main elements which fiction
  writers use to develop a story and its theme.

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Plot

• Plot is the sequence of related events in a work
  of literature.

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What makes up the plot?

• Exposition gives background information about
  the setting and characters
• Foreshadowing the use of hints or clues to
  suggest what will happen later in the story.
• Inciting Force the event or character that
  triggers the conflict.
• Conflict the essence of fiction. It creates
  plot. The conflicts we encounter can usually be
  identified as one of four kinds. A series of
  events that builds from the conflict. It begins
  with the inciting force and ends with the climax.
• Crisis the conflict reaches a turning point. At
  this point the opposing forces in the story meet
  and the conflict becomes most intense. The crisis
  occurs before or at the same time as the climax.
• Climax the climax is the result of the crisis.
  It is the high point of the story for the reader.
  Frequently, it is the moment of the highest
  interest and greatest emotion. The point at which
  the outcome of the conflict can be predicted.
• Falling Action the events after the climax which
  close the story.
• Denouement the resolution the aftermath or
  outcome of the plot how things are settled in
  the end

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• Flashback  a scene that interrupts the action to
  show an event that happened earlier
• Epiphany  a moment of understanding, insight, or
  revelation experienced by a character concerning
  what is happening to him or her

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Setting

• The setting is the time and place in which events
  of a literary work take place.
• There are two types of setting Physical and
  Chronological.
• The physical setting is where the story takes
  place. The where can be very generala small
  farming community, for exampleor very specifica
  two story white frame house at 739 Hill Street in
  Scott City, Missouri.
• Likewise, the chronological setting, the when,
  can be equally general or specific.

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Character

• A character is a person, animal, object,
  creature, or natural force in a work of
  literature.
• Protagonist the main character in a work of
  literature
• Antagonist  a character or force that opposes
  the protagonist not necessarily a villain or
  "bad guy"
• Foil  A character who provides a contrast to the
  protagonist.
• Static Character  a character who does not
  change
• Dynamic Character  a character who changes in an
  important way
• Flat Character  a "one-sided" character
  displays only one or two distinguishing traits
  usually can be summed up in one sentence
• Round Character  a character presented in-depth
  from many angles may be complex and many-sided

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What is Conflict?

• Conflict  struggle between characters or forces
  (ideas, actions, desires, goals, etc.) that
  brings about action
• internal conflict  occurs within an individual
• external conflict  occurs when an individual
  struggles against an outside force (an animal, a
  force of nature, another character, etc.)

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Types of Conflict

• Man versus ManConflict that pits one person
  against another.
• Man versus NatureA run-in with the forces of
  nature. On the one hand, it expresses the
  insignificance of a single human life in the
  cosmic scheme of things. On the other hand, it
  tests the limits of a persons strength and will
  to live.
• Man versus SocietyThe values and customs by
  which everyone else lives are being challenged.
  The character may come to an untimely end as a
  result of his or her own convictions. The
  character may, on the other hand, bring others
  around to a sympathetic point of view, or it may
  be decided that society was right after all.
• Man versus SelfInternal conflict. Not all
  conflict involves other people. Sometimes people
  are their own worst enemies. An internal conflict
  is a good test of a characters values. Does he
  give in to temptation or rise above it? Does he
  demand the most from himself or settle for
  something less? Does he even bother to struggle?
  The internal conflicts of a character and how
  they are resolved are good clues to the
  characters inner strength.

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Symbol

• A person, place or object which has a meaning in
  itself but suggests other meanings as well.
  Things, characters, and actions can be symbols
  Anything that suggests a meaning beyond the
  obvious.
• Ex A dove may represent peace

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Point of View

• A story's point of view is the angle or position
  from which a narrative is told. 
• First-person point of view  the narrator is one
  of the characters and tells the story in his or
  her own words uses the words I, me, we, and us
  the reader only knows what the narrator knows and
  observes 
• Third-person point of view  the narrator is not
  one of the characters (an outside observer) and
  uses the words he, she, it, they, and them the
  two types of third-person point of view are
  limited and omniscient
• Third-person limited focuses on the feelings and
  thoughts of one character third-person
  omniscient has an "all-knowing" narrator who can
  describe the thoughts and feelings of all
  characters
• (Omni- means "all") 
• Objective/Dramatic point of view  the narrator
  does not reveal the feelings and thoughts of any
  character the narrator only records what is seen
  and heard the reader, like a spectator at a
  movie or play, can only infer what characters
  feel

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Theme

• Theme isnt so much an element of fiction as much
  as the result of the entire story. The theme is
  the main idea the writer of the poem or story
  wants the reader to understand and remember.
• You may have used the word moral in discussing
  theme but its not a good synonym because
  moral implies a positive meaning or idea and
  not all themes are positive.
• One wordlove, for examplemay be a topic but it
  cannot be a theme. A theme is a statement about a
  topic.
• For example The theme of the story is that
  love is the most important thing in the world.
• Not all stories or poems (or films) have an
  overriding universal theme.