2. E LEMENTS OF A S TORY 7 th Grade Language Arts

3. E LEMENTS OF A S TORY Setting Characterization Plot (including Climax) Conflict Theme Point of view

4. V OCABULARY Setting: Tells the reader where and when the story takes place.

5. V OCABULARY Plot: A series of events through which the writer reveals what is happening, to whom, and why.

6. P LOT S TRUCTURE

8. P RACTICE Let’s diagram the plot of the Cinderella

9. P LOT : C ONFLICT Conflict is the problem in the story that needs to be resolved. Without conflict, there is no plot.

10. P LOT : T YPES OF C ONFLICT Character vs. Nature Character vs. Society Character vs. SelfCharacter vs. Character

11. P LOT : C HARACTER VS. C HARACTER C ONFLICT This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with another character, human or not human. “The new one is the most beautiful of all; he is so young and pretty.” And the old swans bowed their heads before him. Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head under his wing; for he did not know what to do, he was so happy, and yet not at all proud. He had been persecuted and despised for his ugliness, and now he heard them say he was the most beautiful of all the birds. The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

12. P LOT : C HARACTER VS. N ATURE C ONFLICT This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with the forces of nature, which serve as the antagonist. It´s a Truffula Seed. It´s the last one of all! You´re in charge of the last of the Truffula Seeds. And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs. Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care. Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air. Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack. Then the Lorax and all of his friends may come back. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

13. P LOT : C HARACTER VS. S OCIETY C ONFLICT This type of conflict has the main character in conflict with a larger group: a community, society, culture, etc. How is character vs. society shown in The Little Mermaid?

14. P LOT : C HARACTER VS. S ELF C ONFLICT In this type of conflict, the main character experiences some kind of inner conflict. Think: Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games

15. S HORT S TORY V OCABULARY Point of view: The position of the narrator of the story and what the writer sees from that vantage point.

16. F IRST - PERSON NARRATION The narrator is a character in the story. The narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one character and speaks directly to the reader, who know only information of which this character is aware. The narrator uses the first-person pronouns, I, me, and my.

17. F IRST - PERSON NARRATION EXAMPLE My name is Mrs. Hoffman and I teach 7 th grade Language Arts. I have the greatest job in the world and my classes are the best!

18. T HIRD -P ERSON The writer uses third-person pronouns like he, she, and they.

19. T HIRD - PERSON EXAMPLE The man couldn’t take any more. It was noon, but he had just fallen asleep, because he had worked the night shift. He had trouble getting to sleep because he was worried—he had just lost his job at the warehouse. And why was he fired? Because he fell asleep on the job. And why had he been so sleepy? Because a barking dog had kept him awake the day before.

20. I DENTIFY THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE FOLLOWING SELECTION : 1.The three with the medals were like hunting-hawks; and I was not a hawk, although I might seem a hawk to those who had never hunted; they, the three, knew better, and so we drifted apart.

21. I DENTIFY THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE FOLLOWING SELECTION : 2.Judith had studied hard for the test, and she though she had understood the material. Now that it was over, she just didn’t know. For some reason, her mind just went blank at the start of the test! Now she wondered about her answers- were they too short? should she have added more details? She just wasn’t sure!

22. S HORT S TORY V OCABULARY Characterization: The process by which the writer reveals the personality of a character.

23. W AYS WRITERS REVEAL A CHARACTER : By telling us directly what the character is like: humble, ambitious, impetuous, easily manipulated, and so on By describing how the character looks and dresses By letting us hear the character speak

24. W AYS WRITERS REVEAL A CHARACTER : By revealing the character’s private thoughts and feelings By revealing the character’s effect on other people—showing how other characters feel or behave toward the character By showing the character’s actions

25. S HOWING THE READER IS FAR MORE EFFECTIVE ! Original sentence: His mom was really mad. Revised writing showing character through how she looks, acts, thinks, and speaks: As her face slowly began to turn bright red, he noticed her taking a deep breath and sucking in her cheeks. Her large brown eyes narrowed into slits, and a hundred new wrinkles appeared on her forehead as her eyebrows scrunched together in a frown. His mom’s long black hair started to shake from side to side as she raised an accusing finger in his direction.

26. P RACTICE Lucy looked sad. Take a few minutes to revise this sentence.

27. S HORT S TORY V OCABULARY Climax: When the action comes to its highest point of conflict.

28. S HORT S TORY V OCABULARY Resolution: The story’s action after the climax until the end of the story. The “conclusion” of the story.

29. V OCABULARY Theme: The story’s main ideas. The “message” the writer intends to communicate by telling the story.