How do we interpret, understand, and make meaning from texts? PACTS in LITERATURE How do we interpret, understand, and make meaning from texts?

WHAT IS PACTS? PACTS is an acronym for the important parts of literature we need to know and understand, and be able to identify in a text. A TEXT is anything that can be read and interpreted – a poem, a short story, a novel, an article, what else?

PLOT

It is the sequence of events of what actually happens throughout the story Exposition/Introduction: It gives details about important events that occurred before the story began. It tells us the setting, creates the mood, introduces some of the main characters, and tells us background on them. Inciting Event: This event begins the action of the plot

Rising Action: Is the major events and conflicts that develop the main problem of the story. Climax: It is the turning point of the story and is usually the highest point of tension/action. The conflict and outcome of the main conflict is determined. Falling action: The action or events that bring the story to a conclusion. They are the direct result of the climax. Resolution/Conclusion: It is the end of the story, where minor details are wrapped up. Some problems are not always completely solved.

POINT OF VIEW It is the position from which an author tells a story. FIRST PERSON: the story is told through one of the character’s eyes and the events are influenced by his/her experience. THIRD PERSON: Limited: the narrator tells the story through one character’s eyes. Omniscient: the narrator knows everything about all the characters and events, and can shift from one character to another.

CONFLICT Makes the plot move! Conflict is any form of opposition that faces the main character. There may be only one, or a few minor ones as well. There are two types: EXTERNAL and INTERNAL INTERNAL: Person VS Self – the character must learn/overcome something about herself.

EXTERNAL: Person vs person Person vs environment Person vs society Person vs technology Person vs fate

ATMOSPHERE Also known as mood, it is the feeling or attitude that a story expresses (e.g. cheerful, dark, suspenseful)

CHARACTERS These are the people who are in the story. There are two types: FLAT and MULTI-DIMENSIONAL FLAT: a character with only one or two traits MULTI-DIMENSIONAL: a character with many different traits. He/she seems real and the reader can identify with him/her

Characters can also be STATIC or DYNAMIC STATIC: A character remains the same throughout the story DYNAMIC: a character changes/learns/grows as the story progresses, usually due to an internal struggle or external conflict.

THEME It is the author’s overall message concerning human nature or life Should be stated as sentence or phrase, not just one word.

SETTING It is the TIME, PLACE and CIRCUMSTANCE for the story. Can create the MOOD or ATMOSPHERE and sets the stage for the story

OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS FORESHADOWING: Heightens the suspense in a story – the writer gives hints of what is to come later on. IRONY – there are three types: SITUATIONAL means the opposite of what you expected happens. VERBAL is saying the opposite of what you mean = sarcasm. DRAMATIC happens when the audience knows something in a play that the characters do not know.