2. CONCEPT 1 - BACKGROUND

3. LEQ 1 what do I need to know about the context of the literature to comprehend it?
You need to know about…
Literary genre
The Historical Context
The Cultural Context
The Unique Verbiage used

4. Literary Genre
A type of literature that is determined by common themes
For instance:
Romance Novels: Danielle Steel
Horror Novels: Stephen King
Love Stories: Twilight

5. Historical Context
This tell us what was happening in the world (or area) at the time the book was written.
For instance,
Government corruption during writing of Wizard of Oz

6. Cultural Context
This tells us how to interpret what we read based on the novel’s cultural aspects
For instance:
We need to know that farsi is one of the languages spoken by Afghans

7. Unique Verbiage
These are words that are used by the author that give us a sense of the significance of the literature. Often, the author’s vocabulary is different from our own.
For instance
“Newspeak” – 1984
“Obi” – Things Fall Apart “

8. LEQ 2 what do I need to know about the author to comprehend the literature?
You need to know about…
The author’s background
The author’s style

9. Author’s Background
This helps us to determine why the author may have written about specific themes and events – is it connected with their own personal experiences?

10. Author’s Style
We need to become as familiar as possible with the author’s style so that we can more easily comprehend what we read.
For instance
Knowing that Khaled Hosseini has a tendency to use flashbacks is important for us to know so that we can anticipate that when we are reading.

11. CONCEPT 2 – EXPOSITION

12. LEQ 1 what are the components and characteristics of exposition?
The components are characteristics are…
Setting
Tone
Mood
Foreshadowing
Flashback
Point of View
Narrator/Speaker
Imagery

13. Setting Where and when the story takes place For instance:
“Shooting an Elephant” takes place in Lower Burma, 1939.

14. Tone The writer’s attitude toward the subject he/she is writing about
For instance:
The author’s tone toward the white colonizers in Things Fall Apart might be considered malevolent

15. Mood
Unlike tone, mood is the feeling the reader gets from reading the piece.
For instance:
Although the narrator has a malevolent tone toward the white colonizers, the reader may be getting an impression of novelty by their presence.

16. Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is a hint or reference to something that is going to happen later in the story (by the author). An author who foreshadows events, etc is helping the reader to predict events and outcomes of the literature.
Although allusions are also “hints” and “references,” they DO NOT help the reader predict!

17. Flashback
This is where the author moves the narration back in time to explain how a character or situation became as it is. Flashbacks can be almost the entire piece or just a small piece of it.
For instance:
Amir’s childhood story is a flashback

18. Point of View
This explains from whose point of view the reader is seeing. Points of view can shift in stories, so it is not always from the narrator’s POV
For instance
In The Kite Runner, although the narrator is 3rd person, we are seeing everything from the limited point of view of Amir
We know this because the narrator does not tell us some events, thoughts, emotions of other characters

19. Narrator/Speaker
This is who is telling the story. There are two types:
1st person – “I,” “me,” “my,” “our”
Personal anecdote/story
Can be omniscient (all knowing) or limited
3rd person – “his,” “her,” “their”
From the outside looking in

20. Imagery
Where the writer paints a picture with words so the reader can better imagine what is happening
Important to exposition because imagery is often used to explain the setting, tone, mood, etc.

21. LEQ 2 How is the exposition unique?
It introduces us to context and situation of the literature
Characters
Setting
Sets the tone, mood
Foreshadows the conflict
Engages the reader

22. CONCEPT 3 – CHARACTER and CONFLICT

23. LEQ 1 How does the characters’ conflicts set the tone for a piece of lit?
You will need to know what these words mean:
Characterization (direct and indirect)
Archetype
Dynamic/static characters
Round/flat characters
Motivation
Protagonist
Antagonist
Foil
Internal Conflict
External Conflict

24. Direct Characterization
Where the author directly tells the reader information about the character – often physical or historical attributes

25. Indirect Characterization
Character is described indirectly through:
His or her actions
What he/she says
What he/she thinks, feels, or remembers
What other characters say about him/her

26. Archetype
An original model or type after which other similar things are patterned; a prototype
Character
The outcast
The hero
The villain
Situation/Symbol
The task
The quest

27. Dynamic/Static characters
Grows or makes progress throughout the story (usually in an emotional or mental way)
Static
Does not grow or change – stays the same. Usually is also flat

28. Round/Flat Characters
Well-described, a lot of emotional and mental depth given to the character
We know what Amir would think of ______
We know what Winston would think of _______
Flat
Not well-described. Personality is difficult to see. Usually, this indicates a simple “function” character – they are in the story to fulfill a specific function or act but are not important enough to be rounded by the author.

29. Motivation
This is what drives the character(s)

30. Protagonist/antagonist
The “hero” of the story – the guy the reader is rooting for
Antagonist
The character who is opposed to the protagonist (bad guy who tries to foil protagonist’s plot)

31. Foil
Character, object, or event that acts as the spoiler of the protagonist’s plot

32. Internal/external conflict
Conflict within oneself
Man vs. Self
External
Conflict outside of oneself
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Nature

33. LEQ 2 How is conflict a driving force for plot?

34. Conflict and Climax Every conflict must climax!
The whole point of conflict is to drive the characters to RESOLVE their conflicts and the CLIMAX is where the pimple pops!

35. CONCEPT 4: THEME AND RESOLUTION

36. LEQ 1: How do we successfully extract themes from literature?
You need to know these words:
Theme
Universal Theme
Ambiguous Theme
Motif
Repetition
Situational Irony
Dramatic Irony
Denouement
Resolution

37. Theme A topic that is explored within the literature For instance:
Brotherhood
Totalitarianism
Loyalty
Friendship
Love
American Patriotism
Pride

38. Universal Theme
A theme that can be applied to all peoples, regardless of culture, race, creed, etc.
Which of these is not universal?
Brotherhood
Totalitarianism
Loyalty
Friendship
Love
American Patriotism
Pride

39. Ambiguous Theme
This is a theme that is implied but not clearly stated.

40. Motif
are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the piece’s major themes.

41. Repetition
Repetition is when the author repeats an image, event, or language – it is meant to draw attention to it by the reader and underline its importance to the themes of the literature.

42. Situational Irony
an outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected, the difference between what is expected to happen and what actually does

43. Dramatic Irony
irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play.

44. Verbal Irony
a figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

45. Denouement
The point after the climax where the events of the story lead to a resolution (often very short before resolution)

46. Resolution
The end of the story where the conflicts are resolved (often shortly after the climax of the conflicts)