Literary Elements

What makes up a story?

Video Recap

• ..\Documents\Flocabulary - Five Things (Elements of a Short Story).3gp

What do you know?

• You have 3 minutes to complete the plot diagram.

Story GrammarSettingCharactersPlot ClimaxThemeResolutionDenouement

SettingSetting

Details that describe:FurnitureSceneryCustomsTransportationClothingDialectsWeatherTime of dayTime of year

Time and place are where the action occurs

Elements of a Setting

Setting

Place

Atmosphere

Time

History

EraLife

Mood

Weather

Feelings

WordChoice

Location

Physical

Day

Use as activator to activate prior knowledge. Write the web on the board or overhead and students create one at their seats. Then as class share and fill in.

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

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.

That was no covered Conestoga, like Pa’s folks came West in, but just an old farm wagon, drawn by one weary horse, creaking and rumbling westward to the mountains, toward the little woods town where Pa thought he had an old uncle who owned a little two-bit sawmill.

Taken from “The Day the Sun Came Out” by D. Johnson

Types of Characters

Dynamic characterStatic charactersMinor charactersRound charactersFlat characters

Character

• Flat character- This type of character is not well- developed; NOT the main character

• Round Character- This type of character CHANGE through out the story

• Static Character- This character stays the same through out the story. (supporting character)

• Dynamic Character- This is the MAIN character. He/She has a lively personality and traits are well developed.

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 likeIndirect- writer shows what a character is like

by describing what the character looks like, by telling what the character says and does, and by what other characters say about and do in response to the character.

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

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.

From “Gentleman of Rio en Medio” by J. Sedillo

Elements of Character

Character

Main

Flat

Minor

Not Fully Developed

FriendsRelativesFully

Developed

Protagonist

AntagonistCo-Main

Enemy

PlotPlot is what happens and how it happens in a narrative. 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- the introduction of the storyRising Action – event that gives rise to

conflict.Climax- highest point of interest or

suspense of storyFalling action- a series of events that leads

to the resolution.Resolution- when conflict ends

Diagram of Plot

Inciting incident/Opening situation

Exposition

Dev

elop

men

t/

Ris

ing

Act

ion

Climax

Falling

Action

Resolution

Conflicts

• Man vs. Man- a struggle between to people.• Man vs. Self (internal)- a struggle with self.

It could be physically, psychological, or emotional.

• Man vs. Nature- a struggle with animals or weather

Conflict

• Man vs. Fate- a struggle that occurs when a person is trying to change destiny or an outcome.

• Man vs. Society- a struggle when a person has a problem with rules and/or government.

Special Techniques of Plot

Suspense- excitement or tensionForeshadowing- hint or clue about what

will happen in storyFlashback- interrupts the normal sequence

of events to tell about something that happened in the past

Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not expect

Conflict

Conflict is a struggle between opposing forcesEvery plot must contain some kind of conflictStories can have more than one conflictConflicts can be external or internal

External conflict- outside force may be person, group, animal, nature, or a nonhuman obstacle

Internal conflict- takes place in a character’s mind

ThemeA central message, concern, 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 impliedInterpretation uncovers the theme

Example of Theme

“Every man needs to feel allegiance to his native country, whether he always appreciates that country or not.”

From “A Man Without a Country” by Edward Hale pg. 185 in Prentice Hall Literature book