AuthorAuthor’’s Craft, s Craft, Character Analysis, Character Analysis,

and Mystery Analysisand Mystery Analysis

What is the What is the ““authorauthor’’s crafts craft””??

Language and techniques the author Language and techniques the author purposelypurposely uses to uses to craftcraft (or create) (or create) and and enhanceenhance a story a story

Includes LITERARY DEVICES, STYLE, Includes LITERARY DEVICES, STYLE, and NARRATIVE ELEMENTSand NARRATIVE ELEMENTS

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

Figures of speech Figures of speech Writing techniquesWriting techniques

– Help the reader visualizeHelp the reader visualize

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

SimileSimile Metaphor Metaphor Personification Personification HyperboleHyperbole ImageryImagery

Literary Term Literary Term AllusionAllusion

– the writer or speaker refers either the writer or speaker refers either directly or indirectly to a person, event, directly or indirectly to a person, event, or thing in history or to a work of art or or thing in history or to a work of art or literatureliterature

"Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no "Christy didn't like to spend money. She was no Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything Scrooge, but she seldom purchased anything except the bare necessities". except the bare necessities". Who/what is being Who/what is being alluded to?alluded to?

Literary Devices Literary Devices

Irony – when the outcome is the Irony – when the outcome is the opposite of what is expectedopposite of what is expected– One would expect a billboard on a One would expect a billboard on a

crowded road to be seen by many crowded road to be seen by many people. When Calvin Schwa rents one in people. When Calvin Schwa rents one in an attempt to finally be noticed, the an attempt to finally be noticed, the road upon which it is located is, road upon which it is located is, ironically, closed for construction so no ironically, closed for construction so no one sees it and he remains one sees it and he remains ““unseen.unseen.””

Narrative ElementsNarrative Elements

Aspects of storytellingAspects of storytelling Follow story arc or story structureFollow story arc or story structure Common and identifiableCommon and identifiable

Narrative Elements Narrative Elements

Flashback – the interruption of Flashback – the interruption of present-tense action to reveal a present-tense action to reveal a scene that took place at an earlier scene that took place at an earlier timetime

Narrative ElementsNarrative Elements

Foreshadowing – hints that suggest Foreshadowing – hints that suggest future events in a storyfuture events in a story– Example: a weapon found in a drawer Example: a weapon found in a drawer

early in a story might foreshadow a early in a story might foreshadow a future crime in the storyfuture crime in the story

Narrative ElementsNarrative Elements

Theme – the message about life and Theme – the message about life and human nature that can be inferred human nature that can be inferred from the events and outcomes of a from the events and outcomes of a storystory

Narrative ElementsNarrative Elements

Conflict – Conflict – a major or important problem in a a major or important problem in a story. Can be internal (within a character) or story. Can be internal (within a character) or external (between characters). Character vs. external (between characters). Character vs. character, character vs. nature, character vs. character, character vs. nature, character vs. uncontrollable force, character vs. selfuncontrollable force, character vs. self

Point of View - Point of View - the way in which the author the way in which the author chooses to tell the storychooses to tell the story– First person, third person limited, third person First person, third person limited, third person

omniscient omniscient

Methods of CharacterizationMethods of Characterization

Characterization – the way in which Characterization – the way in which an author reveals charactersan author reveals characters’’ personalities throughpersonalities through– their wordstheir words– their thoughtstheir thoughts– their actionstheir actions– their physical descriptiontheir physical description

Methods of CharacterizationMethods of Characterization

1.1. Direct Direct

2.2. Indirect Indirect

Methods of CharacterizationMethods of Characterization

1.1. Direct: “he was an old man..” (Direct: “he was an old man..” (TheThe Old Man and the Sea)Old Man and the Sea)

• Information provided to the reader Information provided to the reader from the authorfrom the author

• Details stated as factsDetails stated as facts

Indirect CharacterizationIndirect Characterization

Physical appearancePhysical appearance– Usually Hamadi was wearing a white shirt, shiny black tie, and a jacket that Usually Hamadi was wearing a white shirt, shiny black tie, and a jacket that

reminded Susan of the earth’s surface just above the treeline on a mountainreminded Susan of the earth’s surface just above the treeline on a mountain—thin, somehow purified.—thin, somehow purified.

ActionsActions– Disregarding the song of the birds, the waving green trees, and the smell of Disregarding the song of the birds, the waving green trees, and the smell of

the flowers, Jimmy headed straight for a restaurant.the flowers, Jimmy headed straight for a restaurant.

Own Words Own Words ““I cannot help these people yet,” he calmly told me. “But when the time I cannot help these people yet,” he calmly told me. “But when the time

comes, I will help them all that I can.”comes, I will help them all that I can.”

Thoughts and feelings Thoughts and feelings Although she warned that she hadn’t tried her hand at baking sweets for some time, I Although she warned that she hadn’t tried her hand at baking sweets for some time, I

was certain that like everything else about her the cookies would be perfect.was certain that like everything else about her the cookies would be perfect.

Annotation Annotation Students will annotate focusing on Students will annotate focusing on

the elements of Authorthe elements of Author’’s Crafts Craft The purpose of this annotation will be The purpose of this annotation will be

to:to:– Build awareness of the purposeful Build awareness of the purposeful

choices authors makechoices authors make– Use this awareness to accurately Use this awareness to accurately

identify and understand mood, identify and understand mood, characterization, and theme of a piece characterization, and theme of a piece of literature.of literature.