1. Exploring Stories through Literary Elements An Introduction

2. Getting Inside A Story Literary Elements: the pieces of a story Analysis: exploring how the pieces influence the whole

3. The Pieces of a Story

4. Analyzing the Story Follow a literary element through the story and identify how it influences the whole story and the other literary elements.

5. Conflict INTERNAL The conflict is between the character and himself. Characters can struggle with decisions or emotions. EXTERNAL The conflict is between a character and an opposing force. This can be another character, society, nature, technology, the supernatural, etc.

6. How does conflict work? Conflict drives plot MAJOR CONFLICT - story continues until conflict is solved MINOR CONFLICT - complicates the current conflict, helps reveal theme based on what happens and why, helps reader learn about characters based on how they react

7. Winnie the Pooh MAJOR CONFLICT: The weather - destroys Owl’s house. Story ends when Eeyore finds new one. MINOR CONFLICTS: Piglet blows away. Tigger scares Pooh. Rain floods woods and houses.

8. Resolving the Conflict

9. And Every Now and Then… Luck, Characters Change, Divine Interventions Occur

10. What Conflict Shows Us Character traits - how do the characters react to the conflict, what does this tell us about them Theme - what happens, why does it happen, how is it solved, WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST ABOUT PEOPLE and LIFE?

11. Conflict and Character

12. Conflict and Theme

13. Setting PARTS OF SETTING Time/Historical Period Geographic Location Physical Features Social Setting

14. The Influence of Setting Setting can influence: Our understanding of characters (culture, customs) The conflict How we picture the action

15. Character Characters influence PLOT and CONFLICT Characterization Character Motivations Role of Minor Characters Characters influence THEME Cause and Effect Dynamic and Static Characters

16. The Character Connection

17. The Role of Minor Characters Create complications Help solve the conflict Develop theme Help develop main characters

18. Point of View First-person Third-person Limited Third-person Omniscient FOR ANALYSIS: Why this choice and not that choice?

19. The Reliable Narrator Age Experience Education Bias Culture Gender Beliefs Setting Lifestyle Upbringing Occupation Interests Why did the author want this character to tell the story and not an objective narrator?

20. The Third-Person LIMITED… One or two main characters More common Allows author to develop a few round characters OMNISCIENT… All characters Different perspectives Episodic

21. Can Stories Talk? Does the story present life as positive or negative? Does the story present people as good, evil or both? What does the story suggest about how people should live their lives? According to the story, do people have control of their own lives? What kind of society does the story depict? What influences the condition of this society? Does the story address any values: loyalty, tolerance, hard work, etc.? Does the story focus on any universal experiences such as growing up, falling n love, etc.? THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS POINT TO THE THEME OF THE STORY.

22. Common Topics in Literature Theme: Identify the major topics in the story. What does the story suggest about these topics?

23. Any questions?