Point of view Setting Plot Characterization Conflict Theme The Six Story Elements Point of view Setting Plot Characterization Conflict Theme

Understanding Point of View in Literature: Who is telling the story? Point of view refers to the narration of a story. Literature must be narrated by someone, and a writer must decide who that someone will be. The selection of narrator determines the point of view from which the story will be told, as well as the amount and kind of information a reader will be given.

Point of view is the way the author allows you to "see" and "hear" what's going on. It is the “vantage point” from which the narrative is passed from author to the reader. The point of view can vary from work to work. Point of view is numbered: first, second, and third.

Often readers assume that the narrator represents, or speaks for, the author, or that in fact the narrator is the author. This is an area in which one must proceed with care: it often is hard to say that the narrator does not speak for the author, but the narrator is not the author, the narrator is a device of the fiction. Don't make the assumption that the narrator speaks for the author; refer to "the narrator," not to "the author." Matt Damon ≠ Jason Bourne (“The Bourne Identity”)

Always ask yourself Is the narrator reliable? How much does the narrator know? From where is the story been told? (internal/external) How many narrators are there?

First Person Point of View (Internal Narrator) When you tell a story through a viewpoint character using I or we, you are using first person point of view. 1. First-person involved (main character) First-person observer (minor character) Example: The banging on my door reverberated within my skull like a giant church bell in an empty hall. I groaned and rolled onto my stomach, pulling the pillow over my head.

Second Person Point of View Telling a story using you is called second person point of view. Using this viewpoint, you control all of the information and give the reader whatever you want. Example: “You open your eyes and the sun is already high in the sky. You’ve slept away the whole morning. You roll over on the hot sand, scrambling to your knees. The events of last night come rushing back to you…”

Third Person Point of View (External narrator) Third person point of view is by far the most common choice. It uses the third person pronoun he, she, and they to tell the story. Example: “As they followed Charlie through the crowded maze, Jake felt an odd excitement building inside him—or was it fear? He tried to grab Sophie’s hand, but she slapped him away.” 1. Third-person limited 2. Third-person reporter (observer) 3. Third-person omniscient (all-knowing)

Setting and Meaning People exist in a particular time and place. Where we live may contribute not only to our personality, but also to our values, attitudes, and even our problems. In literature, setting (time and place) can also influence characters and what they do.

Time We need to consider four kinds of time that may carry particular associations with them: Clock time: this can be used to provide suspense or create certain moods or feelings. Calendar time: the day, month, year, or more generally a day of the week or time of the month may provide an understanding of what takes place in a piece of literature. Seasonal time: the seasons or a span of time associated with a particular activity may be important. Historical time: this can establish a psychological or sociological understanding of behaviors and attitudes.

Place We may find significance in the actual location where the action occurs, but we need to pay attention to the nonphysical as well as the physical environment. The physical environment, including weather conditions, may be specifically described. The nonphysical environment includes cultural influences such as education, social standing, economic class, and religious belief. These may be revealed by physical properties in the scene or through the characters' dialogue, thoughts, statements, and behaviors.

Uses of setting The setting may be nothing more than the backdrop for what occurs; however, it may be directly linked to mood or meaning. It can create an atmosphere that affects our response to the work. It may have a direct effect on a character's motivation. An external force may enter the setting and change it, causing conflict for the characters. The setting itself may be an antagonist. Two settings may come into conflict with each other, causing conflict in the characters who must live in them and perhaps have to choose between them.

Reading for setting Sometimes the setting is clearly described by the narrator; however, some works will require you to search for clues, especially with regard to the nonphysical environment. Learn about the author and the time and place of writing. Note suggestive details. Note unique uses of language and, perhaps, hidden references to the historical or cultural environment.

Plot: Storyline

Plot Plot is the sequence of events and ideas that occur in the story and how the ways those events relate to one another. These events are presented to the reader to show relationships and meanings.

Stories often follow a pattern: 1. An opening introduces the situation – the exposition. 2. Complications occur usually based on some kind of conflict – a struggle between two or more characters, ideas or forces. The development of these complications is often called rising action. 3. The conflict or conflicts reach a height of tension called the climax. 4. Things then settle down to a stable situation. This stage is divided into the falling action, resolution, and denouement.

A typical plot follows time order; however, many plots have less predictable structure. For example, some plots start with falling action and then jump to the introduction; others jump around in time. The author’s choice of structure can affect the meaning of the story and the impact it has on the reader.

Questions to consider: ??? Can you divide the story into an opening, complications, climax and denouement? What is the series of events in the plot? Why do you think the author chose these events? Is the plot told in time order or does it follow a less predictable order? How does the choice of order affect the impact and meaning of the story? How would the impact of the story change if you changed the order of events? How would the impact of the story change if an event was left out or changed?

Defining Characterization Characterization is the process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character. Characterization is revealed through direct characterization and indirect characterization.

A. Direct Characterization tells the audience what the personality of the character is. Example: “The patient boy and quiet girl were both well mannered and did not disobey their mother.” Explanation: The author is directly telling the audience the personality of these two children. The boy is “patient” and the girl is “quiet.”

Indirect Characterization shows things that reveal the personality of a character. There are five different methods of indirect characterization (S.T.E.A.L.): Speech What does the character say? How does the character speak? Thoughts Self-Revelation - internal dialogue, asides, soliloquies. What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings? Effect Reflected Revelation - What is revealed through the character’s effect on other people? How do other characters feel, speak, or behave in reaction to the character? Actions What does the character do? How does the character behave? Looks What does the character look like? How does the character dress?

Certain types of characters appear in many stories: The Protagonist The protagonist is the main character in a story, novel, drama, or other literary work. a person who plays a leading or active part not always heroic in nature (villain-hero, anti-hero, tragic hero) around whom the action centers the character the reader or audience empathizes with In complex works of literature, it may not be as obvious. the well-written protagonists are round characters. They should be the most interesting, complex characters in your book or story.

The Antagonist The antagonist is the force in conflict with the protagonist. It may be society, nature, or fate, as well as another person. It can also be the protagonist's own self, if he or she has an internal conflict.

A character foil is a character whose traits are in direct contrast to those of the principal character. The foil therefore highlights the traits of the protagonist. The foil is usually a minor character, although if there are two protagonists, they may be foils of each other.

A stereotype, a.k.a. stock character, is a character who possesses expected traits of a group rather than being an individual. Using stereotypes is usually considered an indication of poor quality, especially in cases such as members of minority groups, people with disabilities, or women; however, stereotypes can be useful in furthering the story quickly and are acceptable in minor roles if they do not provide hurtful portraits of the groups in question.

Character Development Character development is showing the multitude of traits and behaviors that give the literary character the complexity of a human being. The amount of character development affects the quality of the story: A flat character is not fully developed; we know only one side of the character. A round character is fully developed, with many traits--bad and good--shown in the story. We feel that we know the character so well that he or she has become a real person.

Character development is a continuum with perfectly flat characters at one end and very round ones at the other. Every character lies somewhere on this continuum. Round characters are usually considered an indication of literary quality; however, characters in folktales are almost always flat, and flatness is appropriate for minor characters in modern literature for children. A character foil is often flat, even if the protagonist is round.

The amount of change in a character over the course of the story also affects its quality: A static character is one who does not experience a basic character change during the course of the story. A dynamic character is one who experiences a basic change in character through the events of the story. This change is internal and may be sudden, but the events of the plot should make it seem inevitable.

Conflict Conflict is defined as the struggle between opposing forces. One of the forces is usually the main character (protagonist). The opposition may arise between forces internal or external to the central character.

Internal Force:. Character versus himself Internal Force: Character versus himself (example: thoughts of suicide) External Force: Character versus character (example: fist fight) Character versus society (example: prejudice) Character versus nature (example: flood) Character versus beast/animal (example: shark attack) Character versus supernatural (example: ghosts) Simply put, the conflict is the WHY of a story.

When a character is in conflict, there are THREE possible solutions: Defeat Success A lack of resolution

When analyzing conflict, ask the following FOUR questions: Who or what is in conflict? What has caused the conflict (what are the obstacles or problems)? What is revealed about the characters as they respond to the conflict? What is the outcome of the conflict – it is resolved? Why or why not?

How is theme revealed? Theme: a common thread or repeated idea that is incorporated throughout a literary work. Theme must be found inside the story, not outside it. This means that the story’s theme must reflect its components. Generally, a theme has to be extracted as the reader explores the passages of a work.

Theme, therefore, is an idea revealed by the events of the story; whereas, plot is simply what happens in the story. As a unifying generalization about life or people, theme may be stated directly by the author. Most often, however, the writer may simply tell the story and let the reader discover the theme. The moral of a story and its theme may be connected. They, however, are not the same. To discover the theme of a story, the reader must try to discover the author’s central purpose. The central purpose is why the author wrote the story. The theme of a fable is its moral. The theme of a parable is its teaching. The theme of a piece of fiction is its view about life and how people behave.

Themes may be revealed in a number of ways: Does the title indicate theme? Most imaginative literature presents theme indirectly and dramatically, although in some works the theme is quite obvious and in others it is more difficult to detect. Are themes revealed in direct statements by a narrator in the work?

Are themes revealed through actions, dramatic statements or personalities of characters? If characters convey conflicting values, which values does the whole work seem to be defending? Sometimes a character's main function is to symbolize an abstract quality, such as greed or honesty or laziness. Remember that names are sometimes symbolic, in obvious or subtle ways.

Are there other symbols, images, and descriptive details in the work that suggest themes? Look for repeated words and images as clues to theme. Are there characters or events or other details that seem to have no importance in the plot of a story? In good literature, these details are there for a reason; they probably have a special thematic significance.

What ideas are implied by the total impression of the whole work? Sometimes theme is revealed only when the work is viewed as a whole. The author utilizes the characters, plot, and other literary devices to assist the reader in this endeavor. One theme that may be extracted by the reader of Mark Musa’s interpretation of Dante’s The Divine Comedy Volume I: Inferno is the need to take account of one’s own behavior now, for it affects one's condition in the afterlife.