1. Literary Elements

2. Setting The time period and place a story takes place. When and where
Past, present, future
Real or imaginary lands

3. Character A person, animal, or creature in a literary work.
Protagonist--the main character.
Antagonist--the character that opposes, or is against, the main character.

4. Author’s Purpose Inform/Explain Entertain Persuade/Influence
WHY the author wrote the story.
Inform/Explain
Entertain
Persuade/Influence
Express an Opinion

5. Tone
The author’s attitude toward the subject which is reflected in the story.
Feelings the writer’s words express
Ex. Positive, sad, anger

6. Mood
The atmosphere or feeling that a literary work conveys to the reader.
The feeling a writer wants readers to have while reading

7. Theme The underlying message or idea of the story. “Lesson for life”
that the story
teaches.

8. Plot The action or series of related events that make up a story.
Introduction—Setting and Characters
Rising Action--when complications develop
Climax
Falling Action--when solutions develop.
Resolution

9. Plot Diagram (Name the parts)

10. Conflict Man vs. Man– Man vs. Nature– Man vs. Self– Man vs. Society–
The struggle between characters or between two opposing forces that drive the plot.
Man vs. Man–
The main character struggles with another character either physically or emotionally.
Man vs. Nature–
The main character struggles with nature.
Man vs. Self–
The main character has an inner conflict, perhaps with his conscience.
Man vs. Society–
The main character struggles with a group of people, as in a community.

11. …more on conflict
Internal Conflict--the main character struggles with opposing ideas or feelings within his own mind, like wanting to be independent but also needing the approval of others.
External Conflict--the main character struggles with outside forces such as the weather, natural disasters or the sea.

12. Point of View
First Person—the narrator is a character and participates in the story.
Third Person—the narrator is an outside observer who tells what all of the characters are doing in the story, but doesn’t have any insight on their thoughts and feelings.

13. Literary Devices
Those devices that authors use to keep the reader’s attention.

14. Flashback
An interruption in the action to present events that took place previously or at an earlier time.
The author suddenly interrupts the flow of the story to jump back to earlier events

15. Foreshadowing
When a writer provides hints of upcoming or future events in the story.

16. Symbol
A concrete example (person, place, object or action) that represents an abstract idea.

17. Imagery
The use of descriptions, comparisons, and figures of speech that help the mind form a forceful or vivid picture.

18. Dialogue The words that characters speak aloud to each other.
They will be in quotes “ ”.

19. Motivation
The reason a character acts or thinks a certain way.

20. Trait
Something that distinguishes a character; like the way they look or act

21. Alliteration The repetition of beginning consonant sounds.
Doug does daily duties during detention.
The same sounds start a series of words or syllables.

22. Allusion
A reference made about a famous person, place, event, or work of literature.
Example: Was the ticking package wrapped with ribbon and bright paper a Trojan gift?

23. Metaphor
A figure of speech implying a comparison between two unlike things using a form of be. The comparison is not using like or as.
Forms of Be: am, is, are, was, were
Example: The road was a ribbon of moonlight.

24. Simile
A figure of speech comparing two unlike things, usually with the words like or as.
Example: The muscles on his brawny arms are strong as iron bands.

25. Personification
Gives human qualities such as emotions, intelligence, and personality to things.

26. Onomatopoeia
Use of words that mimic sounds