THE ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

English 11Adapted from www.readwritethink.org

SETTING

The setting is the place where the story takes place. It includes the following:

The geographical location The time period The socio-economic characteristics

of the location The specific building, room, etc.

SETTING

The setting can be used to: Tell readers about the characters Set the atmosphere for the story

CHARACTERS

The people (or animals, things, etc. presented as people) appearing in a literary work

Round Characters are convincing/true to life; have many different, sometimes even contradictory, personality traits.

Dynamic Characters undergo some type of change or development in story, often because of something that happens to them.

CHARACTERS Flat Characters are stereotyped,

shallow, and often symbolic; have only one or two personality traits.

Static Characters do not change in the course of the story.

Protagonist - the main character in a literary work.

Antagonist - the character who opposes the protagonist.

METHODS OF CHARACTERIZATION Direct – The author develops the

personality of a character by direct statements

Indirect – Revealing a character’s personality through

1.The character’s thoughts, words, and actions

2.The comments of other characters3.The character’s physical appearance

PLOT

Plot is the literary element that describes the structure of a story. It shows arrangements of events and actions within a story.

Beginning

Exposition

Rising

Act

ion Falling Action

Climax

Middle

End

Resolution(*

Dénouement)

PLOT Exposition (beginning) – The start of the

story; the situation before the action starts. Rising Action – The series of conflicts and

crisis in the story that lead to the climax. Climax – The turning point; the most intense

moment (either mentally or in action). Falling Action – All of the action which

follows the climax. Resolution/ Dénouement – The conclusion;

the tying together of all the threads.

CONFLICTThe dramatic struggle between two

forces in a story. Without conflict there is no plot.

Types of Conflict: Human vs Human Human vs Nature Human vs Society Human vs Self

(Interpersonal)

(Internal)

POINT OF VIEW

The perspective from which the story is told.

3rd Person Omniscient = The author is telling the story directly.

3rd Person Limited Omniscient = Told from the viewpoint of a character in the story.

1st Person = Told from the viewpoint of one of the characters in the story using the first person pronoun “I”

THEME

The central idea or message of the story. Usually the theme contains some insight into the human condition – telling something about humans and life.

The theme can be stated directly or implied by the events and actions in the story.

SYMBOLISMA symbol represents an idea,

quality, or concept larger than itself. It is more than what it is/appears to be.

For example:A journey = lifeWater = cleanliness and renewalA lion = courageA red rose= love