Story Elements, Plot, Theme, Summarization & Characterization

1. Story Elements, Plot, Theme, Summarization & Characterization

2. Setting • Definition: • The TIME and PLACE where the action occurs in a story(the place, time, day, month, year, etc.) • Purpose: • The setting is not only the background of the story. It can influence the type of characters that appear in a story as well as what events occur in the plot.

3. Conflict • Definition: • A struggle between opposing forces. Conflict is the problem in the story. • There are two main kinds of conflict in literature: external and internal.

4. Conflict • External: • A struggle between a character and an outside force. • Ex = out • Internal: • A struggle that takes place in a character's mind. • In = in (or not)

5. Types of Conflict • Man vs. Man (external): • Ex: Batman vs. the joker • Man vs. Nature (external) • Ex: Man vs. a tornado • Man vs. Society (external) • Martin Luther King Jr. vs. racism • Man vs. self (internal) • Should I go to a small private college or a big 10 school?

6. Types of Conflict Practice! • Choose one type of conflict and • create an example!

7. Plot • Definition: • the sequence of events that make up a story • All events are related to one another.

8. 1. Exposition Occurs at the beginning of a story to give the reader background information. . • Charactersare introduced. • Settingof the story is introduced. • The Conflict is introduced.

9. 2. Rising Action A series of events (in a particular order) that lead to the climax . • A building of suspenseor interest occurs.

10. 3. Climax The major turning point or the most intense moment in the story. . • Usually the main character comes face to face with the conflict. • The reader’s emotion is piqued (sparked) by placing the outcome of the characters in doubt. • Happens in the middle or toward the end of a story.

11. 4. Falling Action All loose ends of the plot are tied up. . • The conflict(s) and climax are starting to calm down.

12. 5. Resolution . The story comes to a reasonable ending (conclusion).

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

14. 0 Theme

15. THEMEssage • Theme: Life lesson, meaning, or message about life or human nature that is communicated by a literary work. 0 • Usually inferred. • A theme is usually what the author feels is a ‘universal truth’ • There may be more than one theme in a text. • The theme reveals a basic truth about our lives and human experience.

16. Friendships can grow and change over time Helping others can lead to personal fulfillment Being too ambitious can lead to unhappiness Theme Themes focus on the “big” topics in everyone’s life: 0 **Remember, a theme is not just a word. The author makes a statement about these common topics**

17. Theme Practice 0 What song would be the theme song for your life and why?

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20. 0 Summarization

21. Summarization Definition: 0 • Summarizing is taking a larger selection of text and reducing it to the main points worth remembering. • You might call it the “gist” or the “key ideas”

22. Summarization Purpose: • It helps us learn to determine essential ideas and the most important details that support them. 0 • It enables us to focus on key words and phrases of an assigned text that are worth noting and remembering. • Using the strategy of summarization can help remember the most important aspects of a story

23. How to write a summary : • Just remember SWBS: 0 • Somebody: Identify the main character and important details about them. • Wanted: Describe the character’s goal. • But: Describe the conflict that holds the character back. • So: Describe the resolution of the conflict.

24. Example 0

25. Subjective • When writers emphasize or share their own personal feelings, thoughts, judgments, and opinions, their writing is defined as subjective. 0 • Subjective=Some facts and Some opinions • It is often found in: • personal essays • autobiographies • editorial section of newspapers where journalists express their opinions about news events.

26. Objective • Objective writing presents facts and figures only. It does not include the writer’s beliefs or feelings. 0 • Objective = Only facts • The purpose of an objective piece of writing is to inform the readers. • Often found in: • Textbooks • Expository papers • Research • News • articles

27. Objective Summary • When writing an objective summary, it is important to write only facts. 0 • If you are unsure if your writing is factual, ask yourself: “Can I find support in the text backs up these facts?” • Do not include thoughts or opinions of the book. • Avoid biasedlanguage

28. 0 Characterization

29. Characterization • Definition: • all the techniques writers use to create and develop characters. • Is the way that an author presents details that give you clues about a character’s personality 0 • Purpose: • to make the characters believable.

30. Ways that an author develops a character • Presenting the character’s words (dialogue) and actions 0 • Presenting the character’s thoughts • Description of the character’s appearance • Showing what others think about the character.

31. How do we determine characterization? L: Looks 0 A: Acts S: Says T: Thinks O: Others ( What others think)

32. Practice! • Characterize yourself using LASTO!!! L: Looks 0 A: Acts S: Says T: Thinks O: Others ( What others think)

33. Types of Characters Protagonist: • The character that the story revolves around is called the protagonist 0 • The protagonist is involved in the main conflict of the plot and usually changes in some way throughout the story. • The protagonist in a story is NOT necessarily the good guy! • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXZY_XRjABs

34. Types of Characters Antagonist: • the character (or force) that creates a conflict for the protagonist. 0 • The antagonist doesn’t necessarily have to be an person. It could be death, the devil, an illness, or any other challenge. • The antagonist could be a likeable character in a literary work (“the good guy”) where the protagonist represents evil (“the bad guy”).

35. Types of Characters Static Characters: • A character that DOES NOT change throughout the story • Usually a minor character • Static=Same 0 Dynamic Characters: • A character that DOES change throughout the story • Usually a main character • Dynamic=different

36. Types of Characters • Practice! • Identify the protagonist and antagonist from your SSR book • Identify a staticcharacter and a dynamiccharacter from your SSR book 0