Plot, Setting, Narration, Theme, Motif Symbolism and Characterisation

By:

Ms. Lynne April

OUTCOMES Know how to identify the Plot in a novel.

Be able to identify the Narration.

Identify the Theme of a novel.

Describe the Tone of a novel.

Know the importance of the Setting in a novel.

Be able to describe each character in its complete context.

Know what is Symbolism

Know what is Motif

PLOT

Plot refers to what happens in the story - events and thoughts which make up the story's basic structure.

Is usually composed of an introduction, rising action, a climax, falling action and catastrophe/denoumet

FREYTAG’S PYRAMID

PYRAMID EXPLAINED

WHAT QUESTIONS ARE RELATED TO THE PLOT?

• What is the story about? What are the main events in the story?

• Events chronological or are they arranged in another way?

• Are flashbacks, summaries, stories within the story used?

• Is the plot fast-paced or slow-paced?

• How do the thoughts, behaviours, and actions of characters move the plot forward?

• Conflicts in the plot : physical, intellectual, moral or emotional?

QUESTIONS • What is the climax? When does it occur?

• Ending of the story: happy, unhappy, or indeterminate?

• Does the plot have unity? Are all the chapters relevant to the

total meaning or effect of the story?

• Do incidents grow logically out of the preceding incidents and

lead naturally to the next?

• Do occurrences initiate, complicate, or resolve the story?

• Are they resolved? How?

• Is conflict between good and evil obvious, subtle or complex?

PLOT IN CATCHER IN THE RYE High School boy that gets expelled

Flash backs – yes

Conflicts – moral, physical, emotional

Rising action?

Falling Action?

Catastrophe?

PLOT IN ROAD TO MECCA Elderly woman artist gets a surprise visit from a young

teacher friend with consequences.

WHAT IS SETTING? SETTING

Setting refers to the location of a story or novel in terms of place, time, social environment, and physical environment.

SETTING

• Place: the geographical location of the story - a country or a city/village/indoors/outdoors

• Time: the period in history, the day of the month, and/or the hour of the day in which the events of the story occur.

• Social environment: the location of characters and events in a particular society and/or a particular social class (lower, middle, or upper class).

• Physical environment: the details of the location in which the story takes place. These physical details often indicate the emotional state of the characters or the relationship between characters.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SETTING

• Where and when does the action take place?

• How does the setting affect characters in the story?

• Does their environment give them freedom, satisfaction, or make them feel trapped, dissatisfied, or unhappy? Why?

• Be able to describe the social forces and institutions that shape the characters and their lives: political, social, economic, philosophic, religious, educational, etc.

• Determine to what extent, if at all, the characters are influenced by nature.

SETTING OF CITR 1950’s

Sanatorium

Manhattan

Upper Class

Lavender Room

Radio City

SETTING OF RTM 1974

New Bethesda, Karoo

Miss Helen’s house

WHAT IS NARRATION? Through whose eyes do we see what is going on in the

text?

1st person narrative: the reader is addressed by an ‘I’ who can only relate what he sees, feels, knows and thinks. Is the narrator reliable? The narrator is not the author.

Are the characters described directly by the author or indirectly by what they say or do?

NARRATION

3rd Person narrative: the characters are referred to as he or she or they.

An omniscient point of view allows the narrator to know everything there is to know about the characters and their actions. This narrative style makes use of panoramic descriptions..

POINT OF VIEW A limited or restricted point of view leaves the

narrator with only interior insight in one character. An objective point of view only allows the narrator to relate what can be seen from the outside of the characters. It is left to the reader to find out about reasons and consequences. This narrative style is scenic

Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas

explored in a literary work.

Alienation as a Form of Self-Protection

The Painfulness of Growing Up

The Phoniness of the Adult World

Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary

devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

Loneliness

Lying Deception

Intimacy, Sexuality, Relationships

Symbolism Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colours

used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Symbols can be anything that the author uses to communicate a non-verbal message.

All symbols and their abstract meaning need to be looked at in context.

QUESTIONS ABOUT SYMBOLISM

Are there any objects which seem to have a symbolic meaning? What are their meanings?

Do any people act as symbols in the story? What do they represent?

Do aspects of the story's setting seem symbolic? In what way?

Is one symbol used throughout the story or do the symbols change?

Characterisation Characters are the people (or animals!) in a story.

Character refers to people's outward appearance, behaviour and also their inner emotional, intellectual, and moral qualities.

Main characters’(the protagonist or hero/heroine), personality traits move the plot forward and contribute to conflict.

Many stories also have at least one minor character, who is not the focus of the story but who still plays an important role. Sometimes characters provide contrasts with one another.

THANK YOU!