Story Elements

Setting The time and location of a story. Example: The setting of The Outsiders is 1960’s USA. The setting of “7th Grade” is a junior high in CA in modern USA.

Tone & MOOD Tone is the way the author feels about the subject. Mood is the way the reader feels when reading the story.

SENSORY LANGUAGE Words or phrases that appeal to (make you think of) your five senses Example: The laundry felt and smelled like a fresh summer morning.

Theme The moral of the story, the lesson the author wants to teach the readers. Do not confuse theme with subject! The SUBJECT of a story is just what it is about. The THEME is the moral. How to find theme: Look at what the character learns in the story What does the character experience? Is he\she different at the end than the beginning? Do any of the characters say anything that might lead to the theme?

Irony When the opposite of what you expect to happen is what happens. Ex- A man who is a traffic cop gets his license suspended for unpaid parking tickets.

Characters A person in a story The protagonist is the main character. This is the character whose growth and struggle the audience follows. The antagonist is the character or force working against the protagonist. This character or force what creates the conflict. NOT ALWAYS “Good Guy” NOT ALWAYS “Bad Guy”

CharacterIZATION Indirect Direct When the audience is TOLD character information Indirect When the audience understands things about a character based on their thoughts, actions, appearance or speech “Mrs. Haber is a crazy person.” “Sometimes Mrs. Haber dances or rolls on the floor.”

Conflict

Conflict Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces or characters. A story can have several conflicts. The main conflict is central to the plot and is usually resolved by the resolution.

Ex. A husband and wife disagree about where to spend the holidays. Types Of Conflict Internal Takes place inside a character’s mind or heart Sometimes involves a decision External Takes place between a character and something outside the character Outside Forces- Nature, an event/situation, or another character Ex. A woman is tempted to steal money from work to feed her hungry children. Ex. A husband and wife disagree about where to spend the holidays.

MAN VS. SELF Internal Conflict A struggle between a character and his feelings, conscience, or fear.

Man vs. society External Conflict A struggle between a character and the laws or beliefs of a group Could involve poverty, politics, social norms, expectations, or values Does not mean man vs. a group of people!

Man vs. nature External Conflict A struggle between a character and nature Nature=Weather, animals, insects, sickness, epidemics

Man VS. Man External Conflict A struggle, mental or physical, between one or a group of characters Other character may be antagonist

Tell me a story Monkey vs. Monkey Kitty vs. Self Squirrel vs. Nature Snail vs. Society

Marlin in “Finding Nemo” Types of Characters Static A character who stays the same throughout the story Dynamic A character who goes through an important inner change, such as in belief, personality, or attitude Michael in “7th Grade” Marlin in “Finding Nemo”

Point of View

Point of view The perspective from which a story is told. -Whose eyes are we seeing through?

First person Told from the perspective of the character experiencing the story. Keywords: Me, Myself, I, We, Us Ex. “As I walked up the hill, I realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who was nearly always singing from the top of the maple tree. I thought I saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when I looked again it was gone. Still, I shuddered as I felt a silent threat pass over me like a cloud over the sun.”

Third person Limited POV Told from the perspective of a narrator who only knows the thoughts and feelings of ONE character. Like it’s told by that character’s shadow EX. “As she walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. There was no sound from the cardinal who she so often heard singing from the top of the maple tree. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. Nevertheless, she shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.”

Third person omniscient The narrator is an outside observer who can tell us the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in a story. The narrator is “all-knowing.”

Third person omniscient Example: “ As the girl walked up the hill, she realized that the atmosphere was just too quiet. The cardinal tipped his head back and drew breath to sing, but just as the first note passed his beak he heard the crack of a dead branch far below his perch high in the maple tree. Startled, he looked down, cocking his head to one side and watching with great interest while the man rattled the blades of grass as he tried to hide himself behind the tree. As the man saw her start up the hill, he moved quickly into the shelter of the huge old maple tree. If she saw him now, everything would be ruined. She thought she saw a shadow move high up on the slope, but when she looked again it was gone. The man thought if he could stay hidden until she came within range, she'd have to talk to him. Wouldn't she? The girl shuddered as she felt a silent threat pass over her. It felt like a cloud creeping over the sun.”