Literary%20Elements

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Literary Elements

• Short Story Unit

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Key difference between short stories and novels

• Novels usually contain more characters (longer
  time and space to develop)
• Novels contain several sub-plots, while short
  stories usually focus on one plot line.

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Characterization

• Process by which writer reveals the personality
  of a character
• Telling the reader directly
• Describing looks and dress
• Hear character speak
• Revealing characters thoughts

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Protagonist

• The main character, sets plot in motion
• Example
• The Metamorphosis- Gregor
• The Stranger Meursault

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Antagonist

• Character or force that opposes/blocks the
  protagonist (main character)
• Example
• Metamorphosis- The boarders, family
• The Stranger Society

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Direct Characterization

• Writer tells the reader directly what a character
  is like
• Example The Metamorphosis
• ..he saw his vaulted brown belly, sectioned by
  arch-shaped ribsHis many legs, pitifully thin,
  were waving helplessly before his eyes.

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Indirect Characterization

• Reader has to use own judgment put clues
  together to figure out what a character is like.
• Example The Stranger
• she asked me if I loved her. I said that sort
  of question had no meaning really but I supposed
  I didnt.
• (implying that he is unemotional, detached)

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Dynamic Characters

• Changes in some way as a result of the storys
  action
• Example Metamorphosis
• Gregor Physical change. Also changed from
  provider to burden. Attitude changed from
  sympathy towards family to anger

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Static Characters

• Does not change in course of story
• Example The Stranger
• Raymond selfish and refuses to take
  accountability through entire novel. Never
  realizes that he is the cause of Meursaults
  situation.

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Flat Characters

• A character with only 1or 2 personality traits
• Example Metamorphosis
• Mother emotional, weak
• The Stranger
• Marie- doesnt truly know Mersault, even up to
  end of novel still thinks that he is going to
  marry her

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Round Characters

• Have more dimensions to their personalities-comple
  x, solid, and multifaceted
• Example The Stranger
• Meursault smart, observant, opinionated,
  emotionless

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Point of View

• The vantage point from which a writer tells a
  story.
• Three types
• Omniscient
• First person
• Third person

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Omniscient Point of View

• The person telling the story knows everything
  thats going to happen.
• Outside of story
• Can tell us what is happening and what characters
  are feeling
• Example The Scarlett Letter

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1st person narrator

• The narrator is a character in the story.
• Uses I to tell of his experiences
• Can only hear and see what narrator sees
• Example The Stranger through Meursaults view
  point

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3rd person narrator

• The person telling the story is not a character
  in the story, but can only tell the story from
  one characters point of view.
• Uses he, she, they etc, throughout the story.
• ExampleThe Metamorphosis

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Rising Action

• All action leading up to the climax of the story.
• Example The Metamorphosis
• Climax Gregor dies
• Action leading up to Father injures Gregor,
  Gregor sneaks out of room, Cleaning lady visits
  Gregoretc.

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Climax

• Point of greatest emotional intensity, or
  suspense in a plot when the outcome of the
  conflict becomes known
• The Stranger Meursault receiving death sentence
• The Metamorphosis Gregor dying

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Falling Action

• Action following the climax
• The Stranger Meursault accepting truth,
  reflecting on lifes purpose.
• The Metamorphosis The family telling the
  boarders to leave, the cleaning woman getting rid
  of Gregors body

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Resolution

• When all the problems, mysteries and conflicts
  unravel and are explained
• The Stranger Meusaults vision of how he
  envisions the crowd at his execution.
• The Metamorphosis The family taking the day off
  and thinking about the future

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Themes

• Central idea or insight of a work of literature
• Not the subject of the work

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Themes from The Metamorphosis

• Absurdity of life
• Limits of sympathy
• Alienation
• Separation between body and mind

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Themes from The Stranger

• Irrationality of the Universe
• Meaningless of life
• Importance of the physical world

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Mood

• Overall emotion created
• The Stranger Injustice
• The Metamorphosis absurdity
• The Canterbury Tales humor
• Frankenstein suspense

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Setting

• Time and place of a story
• Often linked to mood
• Often changes throughout story
• Example
• The Metamorphosis Apartment
• The Stranger WWI, Algeria, urban, beach

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Irony

• A contrast between
• what is said and what is meant
• what is expected and what really happens
• what appears to be true and what really is true

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Examples of Irony

• Meursault tells the reader that one should take
  an interest in matters in reference to an
  execution because you never know how your life
  will end.
• However, had he taken his own advice, he might
  not have been in the situation he was in.

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Diction

• Writers/Speakers choice of words
• Influenced by audience
• Determines effect writer is trying to produce
• Example The language describing a snow flake in
  a science article is different that what would be
  described by a poet.

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Imagery

• Language that appeals to the senses
• Sight, sound, taste, smell, hearing
• The Stranger The marvelous peace of the
  sleepbound summer night flooded through me like a
  tide. I woke, the stars were shining down on my
  face, sounds of the countryside came faintly in,
  and the cool night air, veined in smells

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Allegory

• A story in which characters, settings and events
  stand for abstract or moral concepts
• Example Gregror and Meursaults death standing
  for an abstract concept (both relating to Christ)

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Symbolism

• The use of symbols to suggest ideas, emotions,
  moods and meaning
• Common Symbols heart (love), dove (peace),
  skull and cross bones (danger)

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Symbols in The Metamorphosis

• The picture of the woman in the frame Gregor
  made.
• Food
• Violin/music
• The fathers uniform

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Dialogue

• Conversation between two or more people
• Hamlet
• Barnardo Whos there?
• Francisco No Answer me! Halt and identify
  yourself!
• Barnardo Long live the king!

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Allusion

• A reference to a statement person, place or event
  known from literature, history, religion, myth,
  politics or another field of knowledge
• Example Hamlet describing his father (A3)
• the curls of the sun god Hyperion the forehead
  of kingly Jove, an eye like that of Mars, a
  bearing like the herald Mercury.

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Motif

• A word, character, object, image, metaphor, or
  idea that recurs in a work, or several works.

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Motifs from The Metamorphosis

• Physical/emotional metamorphosis
• Sleep/rest

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Motifs from The Stranger

• Death and decay
• Watching/observing

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Atmosphere

• Mood or feeling created through details and
  images
• Things Fall Apart The night was very quiet.
  Darkness held a vague terror for these people,
  even the bravest among themDangerous animals
  became more sinister and uncanny in the dark. A
  snake was never called by its name at night,
  because it would hear.

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Atmosphere, example cont.

• Example The train was hot and crowded. The
  exhaust from the engines filled the cars meant
  for lower class passengers. Smells of food and
  body odor mixed together, as people tried not to
  stick to the seats

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Hyperbole

• Uses extreme exaggeration to express a strong
  sentiment or create comic effect.
• Example sweating to death!
• Ive told you a million times!
• If I had a dollar every time you said that, I
  would be a billionaire.

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• The End!!!