Literary Nonfiction

 Nonfiction text about a person, place, or event written using narrative or literary techniques.

What does that mean?  A literary nonfiction story must be TRUE and have NARRATIVE ELEMENTS!

Examples of Literary Nonfiction  Biographies  Autobiographies

Biography  An account of a person’s life written by another person; follows the structure and uses elements of literary text

Autobiography  An account of a person’s life told by that person; follows the structure and uses elements of literary text

What are Literary Techniques?  Plot structures  Illustrations  Characterization  Theme  Foreshadowing  Flashback  Symbolism  Repetition  Figurative Language  Imagery

Plot Structures  Literary nonfiction text sound like a story because they sometime contain the following elements of plot structure  Exposition : Beginning of the story, introduction of characters, setting, and problem  Rising Action : This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense occurs.  Climax : This is the turning point of the story. Usually the most exciting part.  Falling Action : All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.  Resolution : The story comes to a reasonable ending

Plot Diagram

Putting It All Together 1. Exposition 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4. Falling Action 5. Resolution Character Problem Resolution

Summary  For the summary of Literary Nonfiction text, you will use CPR.  C haracter  P roblem  R esolution

Illustrations  Real life illustrations (pictures) are often used in literary nonfiction because it is about a real person, place or event

Characterization  The author provides details about:  Traits: how the characters look, feel, and act  their relationships and how they feel about them  the changes they undergo  Their conflicts  Character vs. Character  Character vs. Self  Character vs. Society  Character vs. Nature  Functions- Pursue, Avoid, Help, Hinder

Foreshadowing  the use of clues that let the reader know what might happen later

Part Two

Theme  The main message  The lesson you learn from the story  Example Themes:  Acceptance  Courage  Perseverance  Cooperation  Compassion  Honesty  Kindness  Loyalty

Flashback  An event described that takes place before the time in the text

Symbolism  Any object, person, place or action that has both a meaning in itself and that stands for something larger than itself, such as an idea, belief or value  Example Symbols:  Birds can mean freedom  Buildings can mean strength  Cats can signify mystery  City can represent civilization  Feathers can signify lightness  Fire can symbolize anger  Plants can represent nature  Snakes can mean danger  Trees can represent steadfastness  Water can symbolize life

Repetition  Words or phrases used more than once

Figurative language  A way of creating interesting images with words by using language that has a deeper meaning than what the words actually say  Alliteration  Simile  Metaphor  Onomatopoeia  Personification  Hyperbole  Idioms

Alliteration  Consonant sounds repeated at the beginnings of words  Alliteration poems tend to be tongue twisters. They are written for the fun they bring when they are read. If P eter P iper p icked a p eck of p ickled p eppers, how many p ickled p eppers did P eter P iper p ick?

Simile  A comparison of two things using “Like” or “as” Example:  “She is as beautiful as a sunrise.”

Metaphor  A direct comparison of two unlike things  “This classroom is a three-ring circus  Life is a dance

Onomatopoeia  Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it represents  BAM!  Fizz  Meow  Kerplunk  Clink  Buzz

Personification  Personification is talking about things, ideas, or animals as if they were humans.  Personification can give objects and animals thoughts, feelings, and words  This stapler is out to get me!  My car is begging me for gas.  My feet are screaming at me to sit down.

Hyperbole  A hyperbole is a huge exaggeration used to make a point. It is often so extreme that it’s funny.  The biggest cat in the whole world.  A stack of papers a mile high.  The stale cookie is as hard as a rock.  I’m so hungry, I could eat a cow.

Idiom  An idiom is a group of words that doesn’t really mean what it says.  If taken literally, most idioms are quite funny to imagine.  It’s raining cats and dogs.  In a pickle  Straight from the horse’s mouth  Let the cat out of the bag  Eyes are bigger than stomach

IMAGERY  Language that appeals to the senses.  Most images are visual, but they can also appeal to the senses of sound, touch, taste, or smell. then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather... from “Those Winter Sundays”

Sensory Details  A sensory detail is a detail that uses one or more of the five senses to describe something.  It helps you make a picture in your head.

Sensory Details Examples  Sight/Visual  Flash of lights in the night sky  The sun was setting behind low, gray-blue storm clouds  Sounds  The walls shook and vibrated like the tail of a rattle snake  The sounds of emergency sirens awakened the still roads

Sensory Details Examples  Smell  Sweet aroma of baking corn bread  Ocean air  Touch  Stick my toes in the warm and grainy sand  Soft tufts of fur  Taste  Salty chips  Juicy tartness of an orange

STAAR Question Stems  In paragraph __the __symbolizes __.  In paragraph __, the author states that “__” to help the reader understand –  Why does the author describe __ as “__?”  Read this sentence from paragraph. What does the author mean by this line  What is the best summary of the section?