The Elements of Literature

The Elements of LiteratureA Guide to Literary Explication

The Elements of Literature1Setting: the period and place of a story There are 2 components to setting: time/when and place/where

GENRE: type of literature

There are 3 main types:Prose, Poetry, and Drama.

1. ProseUsual form of writingIncludes everything EXCEPT poetry, songs, or dramas (plays)Examples of types of prose:FICTION: untrue, or fake storiesNovels, novellas, and short storiesRealistic fiction, historical fiction, and science fiction

Realistic fiction: fiction that is plausible

Historical fiction: a blend of historical events/people with fictitious events/people

Science fiction: fiction based on futuristic science

Nonfiction: a true story (really happened)Autobiography, biography, and memoir, personal narrative, essays, articles texts, journals, diaries and lettersAutobiography: a true, life story about oneself told by oneself. The author and subject are the same person.

Biography: a true, life story about someone else life; the author and the subject are different people

2. Poetry: lines that are organized into stanzas

3. Drama: a play A story meant to be acted out on stage or filmcomposed of dialogue and stage directions

Point of View (POV)The perspective (voice) from which a story is told.The authors choice of narrator.This choice determineshow much info. the reader is given.

There are four different POVs: first person, second person, third person limited and third person omniscient. First person narrativeThe narrator is a character in the story. He/she tells the story based on what he/she thinks, hears, and experiences. Uses the pronouns I, me, and my{The story does NOT have to be nonfiction.}

Second PersonThe story is an event in which you as a reader participate.Pronoun youYou go to the mall. You see a man. What do you do?Third Person LimitedThe narrator is NOT a character in the story, but he/she presents the story from the perspective of ONE of the main characters. Readers dont know anything that the character doesnt know.

Third Person OmniscientAll-knowing narrator can see into more than one characters thoughts and feelings, so readers view the events of the story through multiple perspectives.NOT a character from the story

Static Characters remain the same emotionally throughout the course of the work

CHARACTERS

Dynamic Characters change emotionally throughout the course of the work

CharacterizationThe ways that the author reveals or portrays a fictional character. These ways include the following:physical appearancepersonality traitsspeechactionsinner thoughtsthrough the reactions and attitudes others have towards the characterProtagonistThe main characterThe story revolves around this person or animal.

Antagonistthe person or thing that is bothering or antagonizing the protagonist

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The villainThe bad guyThe negative force or influence (such as weather or technology)

CONFLICT(s)

The problem(s) in the story.

There are 6 types.

Types of Conflict1: Character vs. Character

Two or more characters have a physical fight or verbal argument

2. Character vs. Self

Character vs. Self or Internal conflict

This is an emotional conflict when a character struggles internally (inside) with an emotional problem such as worrying about something, being afraid, feeling insecure, feeling jealous, etc3: Character vs. Nature

Character vs. nature is when a character battles against a force of nature, such as rain, tornadoes, earthquakes, extreme wind, or lack of food. 4. Character vs. Technology

Character vs. technology is when a character is struggling against a man-made object or thing, such as a computer, a robot, etc5: Character vs. Supernatural

Character vs. Supernatural is when a character is struggling against ghosts, aliens, or other magical or fantastical beings or phenomena 6: Character Vs. Society

Character vs. Society is when a character is struggling against the rules or beliefs of society. Society is a large group of people who hold the same beliefs.Examples: women in the military; peoples struggles with body image

7: Character Vs. Unknown???????????????????????????????Character vs. Unknown is when a character is confronted with an unfamiliar situation that causes a problemThe character doesnt know what he or she is up against. THEMEThe underlying meaning of a literary work.The message, moral or lesson the author is trying to reveal about life.

PLOT the sequence of events in a story; follows the story volcano

FALLING ACTIONDENOUEMENTRESOLUTIONRISING ACTIONCONFLICTSEXPOSITION/INTRODUCTIONStory VolcanoCLIMAX STORY VOLCANOExposition: setting and beginning atmosphere of the story; characters introducedRising Action problem is revealedClimax turning point; tensest moment; plot hangs in the balanceFalling Action how the conflict is resolved Resolution/Denouement the final solution to the problem or outcome of the story

Literary TechniqueA device used in literature to make the story more descriptive. Examples: alliteration, allusion, anthropomorphism,flashback,foreshadowing, idiom, irony, metaphor, onomatopoeia, personification, simile, symbolism etc.Alliterationwhen two or more words within a line of poetry or a sentence begin with the same consonant soundExample: I traveled wearily weak and winded.

Allusionwhen a story references a famous work such as using a quote from an historical document, a well-known play like Shakespeare, a line from a famous song, etc Anthropomorphismanimals can talk, act, and REASON like people; they are basically morphed into humans; this happens in fantasy literature

FLASHBACKA scene in a story that interrupts the current events to reveal events that occurred in the past.FORESHADOWINGWhen an author gives hints or clues about upcoming eventsIDIOMAn expression that has a meaning other than what the words suggest. Idioms are called figures of speech.Each culture has its own idioms.

Example: Break a leg is an idiom that means good luck although the words do not indicate that meaning. Another example: piece of cakeIronyThe opposite of what should happen in life to what actually happens in life. It includes literary techniques that involve surprising, interesting, or amusing contradictions.Examples: model has ugly baby, dancer has a klutzy kid

Verbal Irony- words are used to suggest the opposite of their usual meanings as in sarcasm; words are said jokingly but they are actually trueExample: He is SO cute. - said when referring to someone you think is ugly. If I said, Ill believe that when pigs fly, and then looked outside and saw pigs flying. - my words seemed impossible but came true

Dramatic IronyThe reader knows information that the character does not know. (similar to suspense.) Example: A character thinks that the detective is on his side, but the reader knows the detective is working with the enemy.

Irony of Situationwhen something completely unexpected happensAn unexpected twist

Onomatopoeiawhen a word imitates a natural soundExamples: chirp, buzz, plop

PersonificationWhen a nonhuman or inanimate object is given human characteristics.

The wind whistled. The flower felt the sun on its petals.

MetaphorWhen two unlike things are compared directly.

Ex: During the football game, he was a ferocious lion, attacking anything in his path.

SimileWhen two unlike things are compared using the words like or as

Ex: The Olympic athlete ran like the wind.

SYMBOLISM

A literary technique where one thing stands for, or represents, a larger idea or concept. Ex: Dove = peace

Ex: Flag = freedom, liberty, etc

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