Literary Story Elements
What is Literature?
What is LITERATURE? Literature that is: Preserved and valued by man Makes us think or feel Gives us new ideas Makes us see things in a different way Helps us to understand others
Characters people, animals, and creatures in a story
Protagonist/Antagonist the main character in the story the “good guy” Antagonist character opposing the protagonist the “bad guy”
Dynamic/Static Dynamic - the main character undergoes an important internal change by the end of story. He/she has a new understanding. Static – character does not undergo any type of change; stays same from beginning
Round/Flat Round – three dimensional; reveals physical, mental, and emotional expressions Flat – two dimensional; uncomplicated character; usually an extra
Setting The time and place of a story Where and when
Conflict a struggle between two opposing forces External – a character struggles against some outside force. Internal – tension is within one person who is facing a difficult choice or struggling with opposing emotions.
Types of External Conflict 1. Person vs. Person – a person is in conflict with another person Example: physical fight, verbal argument, athletic event 2. Person vs. Nature – a person is in conflict with a force of nature Example: wild animal, flood, hurricane, sickness
External Conflict continued 3. Person vs. Group – a person is in conflict with 2 or more persons, group, or society. Example: person rejects a culture, person breaks federal law 4. Group vs. Group – an entire group or culture is in conflict with another group Example: team sports, gang rivalry, republicans vs. democrats
Internal Conflict Person vs. Self – a person struggles to overcome some internal problem. It is a struggle between opposing needs, desires, or emotions. Example: fear, guilt, anxiety, making a decision
PLOT the sequence of events that happen in a story from beginning to end
Plot elements Exposition – an introduction of characters, setting, and situations of plot Rising action – a series of events that build to a change in the conflict Climax – the point in the story that creates the greatest suspense or interest Falling action – the events that lead to the conclusion Resolution – the final outcome of the story
Plot Line
Characterization Characterization – the way in which a writer develops the characters Methods: 1. appearance – physical traits 2. actions and speech – character traits (personality) 3. character’s thoughts - 4. reactions of others - 5. statement of author -
Terms to Know 1. audience – who the author is writing to or for 2. dialogue – conversation 3. mood – feeling the author wants us to have 4. tone – attitude of the author towards a character, subject, or audience 5. theme – the author’s message or lesson learned 6. moral – lesson
Point of View point of view – perspective of the story 1st person – narrator is a character in the story; uses “I”, “me”, “mine” 3rd person – narrative voice is outside the action, not one of the characters, uses “he”, “she” Omniscient – all knowing point of view, the narrator sees into the minds of all of the characters
Thought Question! So…how can a house and story elements be used as an ANALOGY?