Literary Elements

Literary Elements What parts make up a a story? 8.5 c, 6.5 c CHARACTERIZATION SETTING THEME PLOT CONFLICT

Setting: the time, place, and duration of the story. Details that describe: • Furniture • Scenery • Customs • Transportation • Clothing • Dialects • Weather • Time of day • Time of year

The Functions of a Setting • To create a mood or atmosphere • To show a reader a different way of life • To make action seem more real • To be the source of conflict or struggle • To symbolize an idea Taken from “The Day the Sun Came Out” by D. Johnson

What does setting look like on the SOL? • The author uses the setting of the story to— • How does the author describe the setting? • Why does the author describe the setting as____?

Let’s practice setting! We left the home place behind, mile by slow mile, heading for the mountains, across the prairie where the wind blew forever. At first there were four of us with one horse wagon and its skimpy load. Pa and I walked, because I was a big boy of eleven. My two little sisters romped and trotted until they got tired and had to be boosted up to the wagon bed. How does the author describe the setting? • In a modern city full of skyscrapers • During the civil war on a plantation in the South • During the frontier time, moving west • A school yard at recess

Types of Characters • People or animals • Major characters • Minor characters • Round characters • Flat characters

Characterization • A writer reveals what a character is like and how the character changes throughout the story. • Two primary methods of characterization: • Direct- writer tells what the character is like • Indirect- writer shows what a character is like by describing what the character looks like (appearance), by telling what the character says (speech), thinks about (thoughts), behaves (actions), and by what other characters say about and do in response to the character (reactions) ASTAR

What does characterization look like on the SOL? • How does the character feel in the beginning of the story? • By the end of the story, it becomes obvious that ____ feels— • The main character____ appears to be— • Which of the following traits does NOT describe the character___? • What do statements/actions/choices/descriptions reflect about a character? • What can the reader conclude about the main character?

Let’s practice! Direct Characterization • …And I don’t play the dozens or believe in standing around with somebody in my face doing a lot of talking. I much rather just knock you down and take my chances even if I’m a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is how I got the name Squeaky. • From “Raymond’s Run” by T. Bambara • What is the character thinking when she says the above quote? • She hopes people believe her • She is tired of being picked on and wants to stand up for herself • She is scared and wants to runaway • D) I may be tiny, but I’m tough and I’ll prove it.

Let’s practice! Indirect Characterization • The old man bowed to all of us in the room. Then he removed his hat and gloves, slowly and carefully. Chaplin once did that in a picture, in a bank--he was the janitor. • The character is best characterized as • A butler • Well-mannered • Disturbing • Friendly

Factors in Analyzing Characters • Physical appearance of character • Personality • Background/personal history • Motivation • Relationships • Conflict • Does character change?

Plot: Plot is what happens in a story from beginning to end. A narrative is any work that tells a story, such as a short story, a novel, a drama, or a narrative poem.

Parts of a Plot • Exposition or Introduction—the beginning of a story • Initiating event – event that gives rise to conflict (opening situation) • Rising Actions- events that occur as result of central conflict (rising action) • Climax- highest point of interest or suspense of story • Falling Action- when conflict ends • Denouement or Resolution- when characters go back to their life before the conflict

Diagram of Plot Climax Falling Action Development/Rising Action Introduction Denouement Inciting incident/Opening situation

Special Techniques of Plot • Suspense- excitement or tension • Foreshadowing- hint or clue about what will happen in story • Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of events to tell about something that happened in the past • Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not expect

What does plot look like on the SOL??? • The initiating event in the story occurs when— • Which event from the story is out of order in the outline? • The climax of the story occurs when— • What is the main source of external conflict in the story? • Put these events from the plot in order based on the story.

Conflict Definition: Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces • Every plot must contain some kind of conflict • Stories can have more than one conflict • Conflicts can be external or internal • Internal conflict- takes place in a character’s mind • External conflict- occurs between character and something or someone else. Person vs. person, person vs. society, person vs. technology, person vs. supernatural, person vs. nature,

What does conflict look like on the SOL? • What event contributes to the conflict? • What type of conflict occurs between ___ and ____ ? • What is the main source of external conflict in the story? • What causes the internal conflict for?

Theme Theme is defined as: the central message, lesson, or insight into life expressed through a literary work • Can be expressed by one or two sentence statement about human beings or about life • May be stated directly or implied • Does not contain characters, plot, setting information

What does theme look like on the SOL? • Which statement best describes the theme suggested in this selection? • The author expresses the theme that— • The passage represents all of the following themes EXCEPT--- • The poem contains two contrasting verses that appear to reflect the theme— • The theme of the poem is best captured through the use of--

Let’s practice! Theme • “Joe spent all of his free time reading books and felt that he was very intelligent. One day a nice student from his class asked him if he wanted to go sledding and Joe responded, “I’ve read about sledding in books, and it sounds miserable. No, thank you.” On another day, a different friendly student asked Joe if he wanted to go out for hotdogs after school. Joe responded, “I’ve read that hotdogs are filled with rat parts and pig bellies. No, thank you.” Nobody asked Joe to hang out again, but he did read about friends in his books. • Which statement best describes the theme suggested in this passage? • All that glitters is not gold • Slow and steady wins the race • The best things in life are free • Learning from books is no substitute for real life experiences

Literary Elements