1. Vocab. of instruction for your literary needs
Literary Elements
Vocab. of instruction for your literary needs

2. Symbolism: The practice of representing things by means of symbols or of attributing symbolic meanings or significance to objects, events, or relationships

3. Characterization: “character traits” - Representation of a character or characters in writing, especially by imitating or describing actions, gestures, or speeches

4. Theme: a unifying idea that is a recurrent element in literary or artistic work; "it was the usual `boy gets girl' theme

5. Point of View: Describes the relationship between who is telling the story and the story
1st Person: The narrator is a character in the story and is referred to as “I”.
3rd Person Limited: Story is told from the perspective of a narrator who is not a character in the story; knows the thoughts of only one character.
3rd Person Omniscient: Story is told from the perspective of a narrator who is outside the story and knows the thoughts of all of the characters

6. Conflict: Problem or struggle faced in story by characters
Conflict: Problem or struggle faced in story by characters. 2 types: Internal—man vs. self (emotions); external—man vs. man, man vs. nature, man vs. society

7. Character Dilemma
With Conflict comes character dilemma. The character must face situations that they have to resolve in order for the story to be complete.

8. Imagery: A set of mental pictures or images used to evoke a sensory reaction from the reader. Can describe sight, smell, taste, sound, or touch

9. Tone: the writer's attitude toward the material and/or readers
Tone: the writer's attitude toward the material and/or readers. Tone may be playful, formal, angry, serious, ironic, outraged,, tender, depressed, etc.

10. Irony: Verbal irony occurs when the intended meaning of a statement differs from the meaning that the words appear to express. Irony of situation occurs when the opposite of what is expected to happen actually happens.

11. What is ironic about this picture?

12. Or this?

13. Setting
The place and time in which the action of a narrative takes place.
. In the book, In Cold Blood, the setting takes place in Garden City, Kansas in The site of the trials of the two murderers who slaughter a family.

14. Allusion "an indirect reference to a person, event, or thing."
Example: Achilles’ Heel
Comes from Greek Mythology
*** Read background and examples!

15. Allegory
symbolic work: a work in which the characters and events are to be understood as representing other things and symbolically expressing a deeper, often spiritual, moral, or political meaning

16. Plot Events
rising action: The part of a plot in which the drama intensifies, rising toward the climax
climax: The plot's most dramatic and revealing moment, usually the turning point of the story
falling action: The part of the plot after the climax, when the drama subsides
resolution – the conflict is resolved and story ends