1. Elements of Narration

2. This graphic organizer is called a Plot Pyramid – it helps us
Climax
This graphic organizer is called a Plot Pyramid – it helps us
learn the 5
parts to
plot more
easily.
Falling Action
Rising Action
Resolution or
Denouement
Exposition

3. We can enhance this plot pyramid to include subject and theme, too!
Climax
We can enhance this
plot pyramid to
include subject
and
theme,
too!
Falling Action
Rising Action
Subject
Theme
Resolution or
Denouement
Exposition

4. Plot Before discussing elements of plot, we should define the term.
Plot is a series of related events.

5. Exposition Exposition sets up the basic situation
establishes characters, setting, and plot

6. Rising Action any action between the exposition and climax
in this action, we find conflict and complications

7. Rising Action
Conflict - a struggle or problem between opposing forces

8. Conflict
Internal – the conflict takes place within the main character.
Man vs. himself
External - the conflict involves an outside force.
Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. society

9. Rising Action
Complication – any action that interferes with resolving the conflict

10. Climax
the height of suspense
the turning point
highest point of interest

11. essentially, it is any event between the climax and the denouement
Falling Action
the part of plot after the climax which contains events that contribute to the resolution
essentially, it is any event between the climax and the denouement

12. resolving the conflict
Resolution or
Denouement
The end of the story
resolving the conflict

13. The topic of the short story usually stated in a word or two.
Subject
The topic of the short story usually stated in a word or two.

14. the main idea of a story stated in a sentence or two
theme
the main idea of a story stated in a sentence or two
can be true of story and human nature a universal truth

15. The difference between subject and theme . . .
The theme is the idea that an author wants to reveal about a subject.

16. Characterization
the process of making characters come alive through the written word

17. Methods of Characterization
Direct
when an author tells what a character is like

18. Methods of Characterization (cont.)
Indirect
when an author shows us what a character is like through context clues

19. A writer has 5 different ways to indirectly characterize his/her characters . . .

20. 1. Character’s appearance (physical description)
the way a character looks
When she entered class she was wearing a long, blue print skirt and matching sweater, her brown hair framed her smiling, oval face.

21. 2. Character’s speech what a character says
After giving back the tests she joyfully said, “Wow! I am so proud of you guys for doing such a great job.”

22. the way a character behaves what a character does
3. Character’s actions
the way a character behaves
what a character does
She bounced into class with such energy it frightened some of the students. When she began the lesson on plot by dancing, she frightened the rest of them!

23. 4. Character’s inner thoughts and feelings
what a character is thinking
I wonder if anyone has figured out I can’t sing yet? That’s o.k., I can do anything – I’m the teacher.

24. Opinions and reactions of. other characters towards a
Opinions and reactions of other characters towards a particular character
Mrs. Nardelli’s not so bad once you get to know her. I actually learned a lot from her and had some fun along the way.

25. Characters may be described as being a static character or a dynamic character.

26. Static vs. Dynamic Static Character Dynamic Character
A character who doesn’t change, a character who stays the same.
Dynamic Character
A character who changes as a result of something that happens in the story.

27. Characters may be described as being a round character or a flat character.

28. Round vs. Flat Round Character Flat Character
A multi-dimensional, complex character.
Flat Character
A character with few characteristics.

29. Point of View
point of view is also referred to as the narration technique
it is who is telling the story

30. Recognition of Point of View
First Person
character is telling the story
limited to knowing only what the character knows
may slant the presentation of events
(I)

31. I took the subway to Clancy Street, found a spot in front of Park View Apartments, and started to play my sax. I was hoping to attract an audience and, if I was lucky, earn some money. The morning started out great. This girl opened her window and applauded madly. Later, I had a duet with this big howling dog – what a riot! I had to move on, however, when a guy slammed his window shut and called the police – not a music lover. He said I was disturbing the peace. Give me a break!
EOL 218

32. Recognition of Point of View (cont.)
Third Person (Limited)
narrator is not a character
limited to knowing thoughts and feelings of a select character
(He/She)

33. The man couldn’t take any more
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. And here it was again, a barking, howling dog right outside his window! And some beggar playing a horn besides. The man picked up his phone and dialed 911.
EOL 219

34. Recognition of Point of View (cont.)
(Third Person) Omniscient
narrator is not a character
we know the thoughts and feelings of all the characters
literally means “all-knowing”

35. One sunny day, a young woman looked down from her apartment window and saw a young man playing a sax. “Cool,” she thought as she swayed in time with his tune. Shortly, a large brown dog sauntered up, sat in front of the musician, and howled along with the music.
Then a man in his pajamas yelled from another window. He said that the noise woke him up and he was going to call the police. This man worked the night shift and had to sleep all day and like cats better than dogs anyway. The young saxophonist left. Soon the young woman appeared in the street and hurried off in the direction taken by the departed horn player. In a year’s time, the young woman married the talented saxophonist, he had a hit CD, and they adopted the large brown dog.
EOL 218

36. Setting it is the time and place of the story
It can include the location of the story, the weather, the time of day, and the time period (past, present, future)

37. Functions of Setting Source of conflict man vs. nature
In “The Perfect Storm” the fishermen are caught out in the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of a hurricane.

38. Reveals character
background is important to understand the entire character
Roald Dahl sets “Poison” in colonial India. Without this information, Harry Pope’s actions may not seem realistic.

39. Creates mood setting manipulates reader’s mood
If a writer wants us to be afraid, she may set a scene on a darkened street without lights in the middle of the night with a graveyard nearby. In a screenplay, scary music would be added.

40. Provides background gives readers a backdrop (frame) for the story
Imagine a morning in late November. A coming of winter morning more than twenty years ago. Consider the kitchen of a spreading old house in a country town, with a black stove, a round table, a fireplace with two rocking chairs – and in the fireplace, the season's first roaring fire.
“A Christmas Memory”

41. Irony it is a contradiction of the expected
built on the element of surprise

42. Purposes of Irony Verbal Irony
when you say one thing, but mean something else
When your favorite English teacher walks into class Monday morning after a disastrous visit to the hair salon and you say, “Lovely hairdo this morning, Ms. M.”

43. Situational Irony
when the reader expects one thing to happen, but the opposite occurs
From a famous song about the subject
“You win the lottery and die the next day”

44. Dramatic Irony
when the audience/reader knows something that the character does not
In fairytales like “Little Red Riding Hood” – we know that the “grandma” is really the wolf in disguise, but Little Red Riding Hood does not.

45. Misc. Terms Antagonist: character in conflict with the main character
Protagonist: the main character

46. Misc. Terms
Foreshadowing: the use of clues to hint at events that will occur later in the plot
Flashback: an interruption of plot to tell about something that happened at an earlier time

47. Misc. Terms
Allusion: an indirect/implied reference to another work of literature, historical event, famous quote, etc.
Image: a mental picture created with words that appeals to one or more of the senses

48. Misc. Terms
Suspense: the quality in a story that makes the reader eager to discover what happens next and how it will end (it “hooks” the reader)