Literary Elements

Some basics that every good story must have ….

The time and place of the story is the setting

Time – could be time of day, a

certain year, or even a specific historical era

Place – could be a home, a

small town, or outer space

The point of view is the perspective of the story or who is telling the story

“That rotten wolf tried to eat us!!!!”

“I was framed! I just wanted to borrow a

cup of sugar!”

It shapes the way the reader sees events

and characters in the story.

Every story needs characters

People

Animals

Or Creatures

The protagonist is often the “good guy.”

Protagonist

Main character or the one most central to the action of the story

Usually the hero Can have both good and bad qualities

The antagonist is the “bad guy” or force.

Antagonist

Person, thing or force that works against the protagonist or hero.

One of the main characters as well. An antagonist can be another character,

a family, a society, a force of nature, or a force within the main character

Identify the Protagonist/Antagonist: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3jVKD

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More on CharacterizationWe talked about indirect and direct characterization. Here

are two more ways to “label” a character in a story:

Dynamic (change) – the character often learns something about themselves, the others or the world; they “evolve” by the end of the story; think of dynamite – it “changes” things

Static (same) – a character that stays the same; used most often to help the main character move the story along

Plot The events that happen in the story

Notice where most of the story

takes place.

Five Parts of Plot1. Exposition – the author “exposes” or

introduces the characters, setting, and possibly parts of the conflict

“It was an old building with an old elevator – a very small elevator with a maximum capacity of three people. Martin, a thin twelve-year-old, felt nervous in it from the first day he and his father moved into the apartment. Of course he was always uncomfortable in elevators, afraid that they would fall, but there was something especially unpleasant about this one.” -from “The Elevator” by William Sleator

How does the author “expose” the story?

Five parts of the plot

2. Rising Action- Conflict or complications/problems the

characters face- Most of the story takes place in Rising

Action.- There can be “mini” turning points or

climaxes in this part of the story.

Five Parts of Plot

3. Climax - Turning point of the story where the conflict is decided one way or another, or the solution may have begun.

4. Falling action -Author describes how the problem is solved.

5. Resolution (ending) - Brings story to an end

Conflict

Internal conflict - character’s struggle within himself (man vs. self)

External conflict - struggle between two characters or forces (man vs. nature; man vs. man; man vs. society)

Identify the types of conflict in this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=XoaL5QmWWDA

Foreshadowing

A hint about what will happen next is called foreshadowing.

http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=nJdXA6zNgqU

Allusion

A reference to something out of the story with which the reader is likely to be familiar, such as a person, place, or event from history or literature.

Ask yourself: What doesn’t fit?

Allusion

What is the allusion in this passage, and WHY is it an allusion?

“Rafaela leans out the window and leans on her elbow and dreams her hair is like Rapunzel’s. On the corner there is music from the bar, and Rafaela wishes she could go there and dance before she gets old.” –from The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Mood and Tone

Mood – The feeling that a literary work gives to readers –

“I feel _________________.”

• Tone• The writer’s or speaker’s attitude toward the

subject and audience –

“The author feels _____________ about the character/situation.”

Flashback

FLASHBACK: story stops for a past moment to be relived in the present

Watch this clip and identify the flashback:

Toy Story 2: When Somebody Loved Me. - YouTube

Suspense

Feeling of anxious curiosity

1. Keeps readers interested

2. The real power of story lies in its ability to create suspense.

3. What literary elements contribute to/create suspense?

Foreshadowing and conflict

Whether you’re the reader, or the writer, a great story includes all

these literary elements!

conflict

setting

point of view

climaxcharacters

protagonist

antagonist

foreshadowing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I24S72Jps