ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

PLOT LINE

EXPOSITIONA brief description of the setting of

the book. This is just the initial setting (the beginning).

Do not list every single setting throughout your novel.

CHARACTERSTell the main character(s) and

give a brief description of each.

DO NOT list all characters in the novel

CHARACTERS Types of characters

Static – the character does not go through any kind of change

Dynamic – the character goes through some kind of change

Flat – the character has only 1 or 2 traits; often a secondary character

Round – the character is complex &realistic

CHARACTERS Protagonist

The “hero” or good of the story. Antagonist

The “bad” or evil force acting against the protagonist of the story.

The antagonist does not have to be a person.

CONFLICT The problem the main character is

trying to solve. Make sure you list the type of conflict

(on next slide) and the actual conflict in the story.

CONFLICT Types of conflict

Person vs. Person-(between 2 forms of like beings)

Person vs. Self - (problem w/ him/herself) Person vs. Society – (against a group, ie.

Government) Person vs. Nature – (against forces of nature)

Person vs. Unknown You can also think of this as the protagonist

vs. antagonist

RISING ACTION You must provide three examples

All of the action that takes place in the novel.

Your examples must start after the conflict and end before the climax

CLIMAXChanging or turning point of the

story.

This is also when the conflict is resolved.

Happens near the end of the story.

FALLING ACTIONMust provide 2 examples

Actions that happen immediately after the climax

RESOLUTIONHow does the book end?

Even if the book is in a series it will still have a resolution.

THEMEWhat is the entire story about?Common themes include…

Family Friendship Survival War Love

POINT OF VIEW 1ST PERSON – Narrator tells the story (I &

Me)

2nd PERSON – Narrator directly address the reader (you)

3rd PERSON – Narrator is not part of the story (he, she, they)

PLOT LINE You will use this information and format

for all Independent Reading and when asked to write out the complete plot line for Novel Tests.