1. Elements of Literature

2. Short Story A work of fiction that can be read in one sitting
Focused more tightly on a single event
10,000 words or less

3. Novel A fictional prose narrative of significant length Bildungsroman
A German term meaning “formation novel”
A novel about a child or adolescent’s development into maturity, with a special focus on the protagonist’s quest for identity

4. Drama/Play A story meant to be performed in theater before an audience
Most written dialogue
Most are divided into several acts
Many include stage directions and instructions for sets and costumes

5. Plot Diagram Plot Chain of related events that take place in a story
Climax
Falling Action
Rising Action
Resolution
Exposition

6. Elements of a Plot Diagram
Exposition
Gives the background information of a story
Rising Action
Introduces complications; builds suspense
Climax
Turning point; suspense reaches its peak
Falling Action
Actions of the characters after the climax leading to the resolution
Resolution
Conclusion for the characters; outcome of the story

7. Conflict: a struggle between opposing forces
Internal
External
Man vs. Himself
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature
Man vs. Society
Man vs. Supernatural

8. Characters
Protagonist
Antagonist
Central character of the story
Main character
Hero/Heroine
Admirable
Antihero/Antiheroine
Not admirable
Challenges our notions of what should be considered admirable
Character who causes or leads the conflict against the protagonist

9. Characters (cont.)
Dynamic
Static
Capable of contradiction and change with evidence of emotional and psychological development
A character who has no mental or emotional development
exhibits strong defining characteristics, speech habits, and the like, but still falls short of the complexity of a round character

10. Characterization
Indirect
Direct
Speech, thoughts, feelings or actions of the character
The narrator’s direct comments about a character
Physical appearance

11. Setting Environment Not only the geographical place
Historical Era
Daily Lives or Customs of the Characters
Season of the Year
May be real or imaginary
The suggestive mood that the setting may create is called the ATMOSPHERE.
For example, the open windows of the nursery in Peter Pan create an atmosphere of innocence and magic.

12. -Edgar Allan Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher”
Tone
The general atmosphere created in a story, or the narrator’s attitude towards the story or reader
What do you think is the TONE of the following excerpt?
During the whole of a dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country ; and at length found myself, as the shades of the evening drew on, within view of the melancholy House of Usher. I know not how it was - but, with the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit.
-Edgar Allan Poe, “The Fall of the House of Usher”

13. Foreshadow
An author’s hint(s) at future actions

14. Point of View Author Participant (1st person) Author Observer (3rd)
Author Omniscient (3rd)
Limited Omniscient (3rd)
Multiple Storytellers

15. Symbol
Person, place, an activity, or an object that stands for something BEYOND ITSELF

16. Theme
In literature, theme is a perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to share with the reader.
In most cases, the theme is not stated directly but must be inferred.
Themes can be revealed by
a story’s title
key phrases and statements about big ideas
the ways the characters change and the lessons they learn about life