English 11 Adapted from

The setting is the place where the story takes place. It includes the following:  The geographical location  The time period  The socio-economic characteristics of the location  The specific building, room, etc.

The setting can be used to:  Tell readers about the characters  Set the atmosphere for the story

The people (or animals, things, etc. presented as people) appearing in a literary work  Round Characters are convincing/true to life; have many different, sometimes even contradictory, personality traits.  Dynamic Characters undergo some type of change or development in story, often because of something that happens to them.

 Flat Characters are stereotyped, shallow, and often symbolic; have only one or two personality traits.  Static Characters do not change in the course of the story.  Protagonist - the main character in a literary work.  Antagonist - the character who opposes the protagonist.

 Direct – The author develops the personality of a character by direct statements  Indirect – Revealing a character’s personality through 1. The character’s thoughts, words, and actions 2. The comments of other characters 3. The character’s physical appearance

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangements of events and actions within a story. Beginning Exposition Rising Action Falling Action Climax Middle End Resolution (* Dénouement)

 Exposition (beginning) – The start of the story; the situation before the action starts.  Rising Action – The series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax.  Climax – The turning point; the most intense moment (either mentally or in action).  Falling Action – All of the action which follows the climax.  Resolution/ Dénouement – The conclusion; the tying together of all the threads.

The dramatic struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict there is no plot. Types of Conflict:  Human vs Human  Human vs Nature  Human vs Society  Human vs Self (Interpersonal) (Internal)

The perspective from which the story is told.  3 rd Person Omniscient = The author is telling the story directly.  3 rd Person Limited Omniscient = Told from the viewpoint of a character in the story.  1 st Person = Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters in the story using the first person pronoun “I”

The central idea or message of the story. Usually the theme contains some insight into the human condition – telling something about humans and life. The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story.

A symbol represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than itself. It is more than what it is/appears to be. For example: A journey = life Water = cleanliness and renewal A lion = courage A red rose= love