Literary Elements Short Story Unit

Literary Elements A Short Story is defined as… A brief literary work, usually between words. A genre that contains a beginning, middle, and end and has a protagonist involved in a conflict.

Literary Elements Plot –The sequence of events in a literary work –The plot of a literary work is made up of SIX incidents Aristotelean Plot Structure 4. Climax Exposition 2. Conflict 6. Resolution Rising Action Falling Action

Plot Structure: Aristotelean Diagram Exposition Introduces the setting, characters, and basic situation Provides insights to time and culture

Plot Structure (cont’d.) Conflict –Struggle between TWO opposing forces External Conflict (Occurs between two or more characters or forces) –Person vs. Person –Person vs. Nature –Person vs. Society –Person vs. Machine (Also referred to as Fate or the gods) Internal Conflict (Occurs WITHIN a character who possesses opposing ideas, feelings, emotions…) –Person vs. Self

Plot Structure (cont’d.) Rising Action The characterization develops further, the conflict intensifies, and the author provides more insight to the setting (e.g. social ideals, culture)

Plot Structure (cont’d.) Defined as “The Point of NO Return” The climax is the turning point of the action. A crisis occurs or a decision is made that cannot be altered. The climax has a specific and direct connection to the central conflict of the story. The climax may occur ANYWHERE and at ANYTIME in the literary work.

Plot Structure (cont’d) Falling Action The characters actions begin to “wind down”: conflicts begin to reach a resolution In genres such as Tragedies, the falling action generally reveals the “failing fortunes of the hero.”

Plot Structure (cont’d.) Resolution or Denouemont The culmination of events following the climax and falling action The French term, Denouemont, translates: “To tie up loose ends.”

Characterization Characters may be categorized according to one of FOUR “types”: –Protagonist: The main character in the literary work who faces conflict. This character exhibits many traits. –Antagonist: A character or force in conflict with the main character. –Static (Flat): The character only exhibits one side of himself; the reader only sees one distinguished trait. The static character does not change or grow throughout the literary work. –Dynamic (Round): The character reveals many different traits, faults, and virtues. The dynamic character develops and grows throughout the literary work.

Point of View Point of View is defined as the vantage point from which the author presents the actions of the literary work. –The perspectives of Point of View are: 1 st Person: character in the story tells the story 3 rd Person: narrator; voice outside the story tells the story Limited 3 rd Person: narrator tells the story through the eyes of one of the characters. 3 rd Person Omniscient: the narrator is all-knowing and all- seeing; the narrator has privileged access to the characters’ thoughts and feelings, speech and actions, and feelings and motives.

Setting Setting is “When” and “Where” the literary work takes place; however, the discussion and analysis of setting also includes the physical environment (e.g. houses, streets, daily life), weather, time (e.g. time of day, as well as the “social” time of the characters and their actions in the literary work.)

Theme Theme is defined as the “central insight into life.” When asked to define a theme in a literary work, ask yourself: “What does the author wish to reveal about the (topic)?” For example, after reading The Good Earth, what does Pearl Buck wish to reveal about man’s pride? Always state the theme as a complete sentence.

Symbolism Symbolism is the use of one object to represent or suggest another –Literary Symbol –Conventional Symbol

Irony Irony is defined as the recognition of a reality that is different from its appearance. –Verbal Irony: expression through words which carry an opposite meaning. –Dramatic Irony: a character in a play or story thinks one thing is true, but the reader or audience knows the reality of the situation. –Situational Irony: there is a discrepancy between what is expected to happen and what really happens.