Elements of Literature

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Elements of Literature

• Student Notes

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Plot Diagram
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Plot (definition)

• Plot is the organized 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.

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1. Exposition

• This usually occurs at the beginning of a short
  story. Here the characters are introduced. We
  also learn about the setting of the story. Most
  importantly, we are introduced to the main
  conflict (main problem).

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2. Rising Action

• This part of the story begins to develop the
  conflict(s). A building of interest or suspense
  occurs.

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3. Climax

• This is the turning point of the story. Usually
  the main character comes face to face with a
  conflict. The main character will change in some
  way.

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4. Falling Action

• All loose ends of the plot are tied up. The
  conflict(s) and climax are taken care of.

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5. Resolution

• The story comes to a reasonable ending.

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Putting It All Together
1. Exposition 2. Rising Action 3. Climax 4.
Falling Action 5. Resolution
Beginning of Story
Middle of Story
End of Story
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Symbol

• A symbol is a person, a place, an activity, or an
  object that stands for something beyond itself.

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Conflict

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

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Types of Conflict
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Character vs. Character Conflict

• This type of conflict finds the main character in
  conflict with another character, human or not
  human.
• The new one is the most beautiful of all he is
  so young and pretty. And the old swans bowed
  their heads before him.
• Then he felt quite ashamed, and hid his head
  under his wing for he did not know what to do,
  he was so happy, and yet not at all proud. He had
  been persecuted and despised for his ugliness,
  and now he heard them say he was the most
  beautiful of all the birds.
• The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson

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Character vs. Nature Conflict

• This type of conflict finds the main character in
  conflict with the forces of nature, which serve
  as the antagonist
• Its a Truffula Seed.
• Its the last one of all!
• Youre in charge of the last of the Truffula
  Seeds.
• And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs.
• Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care.
• Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.
• Grow a forest. Protect it from axes that hack.
• Then the Lorax
• and all of his friends
• may come back.
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

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Character vs. Society Conflict

• This type of conflict has the main character in
  conflict with a larger group a community,
  society, culture, etc.
• Im tired of living in a hole, said Jenny.
• Lets fight for freedom! cried Bouncer. Well
  be soldiers! Rough-riding Rowdies! Ill be the
  general and commander-in-chief!
• The Island of the Skog by Steven Kellogg

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Character vs. Self Conflict

• In this type of conflict, the main character
  experiences some kind of inner conflict.
• Finally, Sams father said, Go to bed now. But
  before you go to sleep, Sam, tell yourself the
  difference between REAL and MOONSHINE.
• Sam, Bangs Moonshine by Evaline Ness

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Types of Characters

• Main (Major) or Minor
• Protagonist The main character of a story who
  pushes the story forward
• Antagonist The character who frustrates,
  deceives, or works against the main character.

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Types of Characters

• Round Character A character
• with many qualities and personality traits
• Flat Character A character with only a couple
  characteristics is often the stereotypical
  character of the story

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Methods of CharacterizationCreating Believable
Characters

• Indirect
• speech, thoughts, feelings, or actions of the
  main character or of other characters

• Direct
• the narrators direct comments about a character
• physical appearance

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Setting

• Time and place
• Puts the reader in the story by giving the reader
  the feeling of being in the situation.
• Creates atmosphere by the positive or negative
  feelings associated with the place.

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Mood

• The feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates
  for the reader through word choice and imagery.
• Types of mood scary, romantic, violent, hopeful,
  etc.

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Tone

• The manner in which written words might be said
• Example sarcastic, mild, witty, angry

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Theme

• Moral
• A perception about life or human nature that the
  writer wants to share with the reader.
• In most cases, the theme is not stated directly
  but must be inferred.
• Themes can be revealed by
• a storys title
• key phrases and statements about big ideas
• the ways the characters change and the lessons
  they learn about life.

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Point of View

• Point of View or . . .
• (Whos telling this story anyway?)
• -the vantage point from which the story is told.
• -determines how much we, the readers, know about
  the characters.

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1st Person

• Narrator is a character in the story.
• Narrator uses first-person pronouns, I, me, my,
  we, us, our to refer to himself or herself.
• Narrator knows the thoughts and feelings of one
  character and speaks directly to reader.

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2nd Person

• The narrator brings you, the reader, into the
  story

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3rd Person Limited

• Narrator does not participate in action of story.
• Narrator does not refer to himself or herself.
• Narrator knows the thoughts
• and feelings of one character, but
• readers are able to maintain some
• emotional distance from the
• character.

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3rd Person Omniscient

• The narrator sees into the minds of more than one
  character when telling the story- uses he,
  she, they, etc.
• This narrator KNOWS ALL

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Dialogue

• One character speaking to another
• One character speaking to themselves (internal
  dialogue, personal thought)

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Dialogue

• Dialogue tag- says who is speaking
• Can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of
  dialogue
• Tag in the Beginning
• He said, I dont want to go to the movies.
• Notice the use of the comma, quotation marks, and
  the period INSIDE of the quotation marks

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Dialogue

• Tag in the Middle
• I dont want to go the movies, he said, but I
  will go to the park.
• Notice the quotation marks around the first part
  of his dialogue, followed by a comma INSIDE the
  quotations marks
• Next is a comma after said
• Followed by quotation marks around the last part
  of his dialogue with a period INSIDE

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Dialogue

• Tag in the End
• I dont want to go to the movies, he said.
• Notice the quotations marks, a COMMA at the end
  of the dialogue and a period after said.

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Dialogue

• Internal dialogue
• You can write this two ways
• 1. Like regular dialogue with quotation marks
• 2. Italicize thoughts
• I dont want to go the movies, he thought.
• He thought, I dont want to go to the movies
• I dont want to go to the movies, he thought, but
  Ill go to the park.

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Dialogue

• Skip a line every time a new person speaks
• As Steve came into Julies room, he said, I
  dont want to go to the movies.
• Would you like to go to the park? Julie asked.
  
• He replied, That sounds good! Steve and Julie
  walked outside and headed to the park. As soon as
  they got there, Julie spotted the swings.
• Lets go on those first! she said.

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Irony

• Verbal Irony  This is the contrast between what
  is said and what is meant. In other words,
  sarcasm.
• Dramatic Irony  This is the contrast between
  what the character thinks to be true and what we
  (the reader) know to be true.  Sometimes as we
  read we are placed in the position of knowing
  more than what one character knows.  Because we
  know something the character does not, we read to
  discover how the character will react when he or
  she learns the truth of the situation.  Think 
  soap operas!

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Irony

• Situational Irony  This is the most common in
  literature.  It is the contrast between what
  happens and what was expected (or what would seem
  appropriate).  Because it emerges from the events
  and circumstances of a story it is often more
  subtle and effective than verbal or dramatic
  irony.