Rikki-Tikki-Tavi Literary Elements
Think about a story you read or a movie you saw that had you “on the edge of your seat” wondering what was going to happen next. What made you feel that way? SUSPENSE!
S U S P E N S E Suspense is a feeling of growing tension and excitement. Suspense makes the reader curious about the outcome of the story. Suspense is created by raising questions in the reader’s mind. When is a time that you have felt suspense?
Examples of Suspenseful Movies
PREDICTION A reasonable guess about what will happen in a story. When you make predictions, you stay involved because you want to know if your predictions are correct.
EXAMPLES OF PREDICTION In the story, “Seventh Grade”… What predictions did we make about Victor? That he would become friends with Teresa What did we think would happen after Victor “spoke” in French? Mr. Bueller would tell Teresa the truth
How to Make a Good Prediction Review what you already know about the setting and the plot. Guess what the characters might do next. What events might result? Base your prediction on characters’ words, actions, and personalities.
F O R E S H A D O W I N G Foreshadowing occurs when a writer provides hints that suggest a future event in the story. Foreshadowing creates suspense. Foreshadowing is often accomplished through symbols and imagery. “Gut feeling”
An example of foreshadowing: ~Character is cleaning a gun in the opening scene. What could this foreshadow? Merely the appearance of a deadly weapon, even though it is used for an innocuous purpose - such as being cleaned - suggests terrible consequences later on in the story.