1. Multicultural Literature
Literary Elements

2. 15. Climax: The turning point
15. Climax: The turning point. The most intense moment (either mentally or in action.
11. Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax.
18. Falling Action: all of the action which follows the Climax.
1. Exposition: The start of the story. The way things are before the action starts.
23. Resolution: The conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads.

3. 1. Exposition
The first stage of the plot, introducing the characters and setting
Includes:
2. Setting – the time and place in which the story takes place.
3. Plot – the sequence of events in a story

4. Plot Triangle A story’s sequence of events Climax
Rising Action (Development)
Falling Action
Inciting Incident – Introduces the Central Conflict
Exposition (Basic Situation)
Resolution (Denouement)

5. 4. Characters –
are the people, animals, or imaginary creatures in a work of literature. Characters may be:
Static character- one who remains the same throughout the story
Dynamic character – one who undergoes important changes (dynamite) as the plot unfolds
Flat character– a character who is not highly developed (we don’t know much about this character)
Round character – a complex, highly-developed character

6. …..Characterization Direct Characterization - the author directly
states a character’s traits.
Indirect Characterization - the author provides clues about a character by describing what a character looks like, does, and says, as well as how other characters react to him or her. The reader must draw conclusions about the character based on this indirect information. (Shows, rather than tells.)

7. Exposition Plot Triangle Character roles:
10 a. Protagonist – the main character in a literary work
10 b. Antagonist- A character or force in conflict with a main character, or protagonist.

8. 12. Conflict (Struggle between opposing forces.)
13. Internal Conflict– A character experiences
conflict with himself ( within his mind)
Examples: making a difficult decision, guilt,
conscience. (man vs himself)
14. External Conflict– A character struggles
against an outside force.
Man vs. Man (another character)
Man vs. Nature (tornado, storm)
Man vs. Society (poverty)

9. 15. Climax The point of greatest tension in the story Includes:
16. Suspense – the excitement that readers feel
as they wait to find out how the story ends
17. Complication – events that make the
situation more difficult
CLIMAX

10. Climax may also include:
26. Mood – the feeling created in a work or passage. The mood is often suggested by descriptive details.
27. Tone – the attitude the speaker or writer takes toward the subject, a character, or the audience
28. Imagery – Descriptive or figurative language used in literature to create word pictures for the reader. (Sight, sound, taste, touch, smell, or movement.)
29. Complication – events that drive the action of the story; make the situation more difficult.

11. 18. Falling action
Events that result from the decision or action of the climax
Climax
Rising Action (Development)
Falling Action
Inciting Incident – Introduces the Central Conflict
Exposition (Basic Situation)
Resolution (Denouement)

12. Falling Action time elements
21. Flashback – The author presents information that occurred earlier than the present tense of the narrative. 22. Foreshadowing – When clues suggest events that are yet to occur. Foreshadowing creates suspense.
19. Chronological Order
The organization of events according to when they occur, often used to tell a story that advances over time
20. Sequence Order
The order in which events occur – often used to give directions or to show steps in a process

13. 23. Resolution (Denouement)
The final outcome of the story
Climax
Rising Action (Development)
Falling Action
Inciting Incident – Introduces the Central Conflict
Exposition (Basic Situation)
Resolution (Denouement)

14. 24. THEME
The underlying message about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader;
the Central Idea that the story reveals
Universal themes
good vs. evil,
life vs. death,
love vs. loss
subject matter,
character,
conflict, and
title
may all contribute to the
theme of a story.

15. 25. Author’s purpose
Is the reason that the author writes a selection. May be:
P-to persuade
I-to inform
E-to explain
S- to share thoughts or feelings

16. Point of View
First person – a character in the story recounts his or her own experiences or impressions.
speaks directly to us and uses the pronouns “I” and “we”
Lets the reader know only what the character knows
Third person limited – the narrator tells the story from the viewpoint of one character in the story
Third Person Omniscient – the narrator has unlimited knowledge and can describe every character’s thoughts and interpret their behaviors
uses the pronouns he, she, it, and they

17. Irony a contrast that occurs when what happens is just the opposite of what you expect.
28. dramatic irony – what happens is not what you expect 29. verbal irony- a character knowingly exaggerates or says one thing and means another 30. situational irony- a contrast between what the reader expects and what actually happens