Analysis of Novels, Plays,

1. Analysis ofNovels, Plays, Short Stories, or Excerpts

2. is a bit like asking the journalist 5 questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and sometimes How? The “What” is the story, the narrative, the plot and sub-plots.

3. Freytag’s Pyramid or Plot Triangle • Introduction or exposition • Complication/conflict • Rising action • Climax • Falling action • Denouement (French word meaning “unraveling the knot”),conclusion, or resolution

4. The “Who” element of the story reveals the characters. The characters are: • Static - Undergoes no substantial change or development of personality through the course of the story • Dynamic – undergoes substantial change and development of personality through the course of the novel or play • Flat – developed by the writer in such a way that all the reader sees is a person of little distinction, never develops or grows • Stock – stereotypical character such as the town drunk, the damsel in distress, the villain, the evil stepmother, or the country bumkin • Round – fully developed by the writer so that the reader sees and understands this person’s individuality (many different traits, faults, as well as virtues)

5. We describe major characters as: Protagonist • from the Greek “proto” meaning “primary or chief” • from the Greek word “agon,” meaning struggle • Therefore, the primary struggler Antagonist --“Anti” meaning against; “agon” means struggle --Therefore, the person or thing against the struggler

6. The conflict that exist between these two characters are usually cited as: • Man against man • Man against himself • Man against society • Man against nature Note: Sometimes more than one of these conflicts appear in a story, but usually one is dominant over the other.

7. The “Where” and “When” of the story is the setting: • Time of day • Time of year • Time period or year • Location - Mood is suggested here Note: The location of a story can create atmosphere and affect the way the reader feels.

8. Setting is also the atmosphere: • Positive • Negative ambiance • Calm • Chaotic Note #1: The question for the reader to answer is whether the setting is ultimately essential to the plot/theme, or whether it is incidental. Note #2: Could this story be told successfully in another time and/or place?

9. The “Why” determines in large part the theme of a work. • Theme is the underlying meaning of the story. • A topic is a word or phrase, such as: -“inhumanity” or “love” or any other abstract concept -“Man’s inhumanity to man” -“The complex nature of love” • A theme turns a word or phrase into a statement: -“Man’s inhumanity to man is barely concealed by civilization’.” -“True love will always win out in the end.”

10. Motifs • -Skilled writers often employ motifs to help unify their works. • A motif is a detail or element of the story which is repeated throughout, and which may even become symbolic.

11. The “How” relates to the author’s style and involves: • Diction (Word choice) • Syntax (Word order, sentence type and length) • Choice of narrative voice (1st person, 3rd person omniscient, 3rd person limited omniscient, or objective- only records what he/she sees)