1. Plot and Literary Elements
ESL English

2. Protagonist - the “good guy” (usually): the main character

3. Antagonist - the “bad guy” (usually): opposes the protagonist

4. Conflict - the struggle between two forces in a story
Conflict - the struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

5. All great stories have a conflict

6. Setting - the story’s time (or time period) and place

7. Mood - the emotion an author wants the readers to feel while reading.
The mood is set by the description of the setting, dialogue, plot complications
Examples – gloomy, happy, fanciful, romantic, tense

8. Theme - the message from the author to the reader about an important lesson to learn .

9. Plot - the pattern or sequence of events that make up a story.
Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

10. Plot Diagram

11. Exposition - usually the beginning of a short story.
Characters are introduced.
We also learn about the setting of the story.
We are introduced to the main conflict (problem).

12. Rising Action - the part of the story when conflict begins to develop.

13. Climax - the turning point of the story.
Usually the protagonist comes face to face with a conflict. He or she will change in some way.

14. Falling Action - the part of the story in which all loose ends of the plot are tied up.
It is when we find out what happens after the climax.

15. Resolution - the very ending.
It should be reasonable and satisfying.
It should answer most questions a reader might have.