Literary Elements & Terms Some of the basics that every good story must have
What are literary elements? The basic items that make up a work of literature are called literary elements.
Character Every story has characters! A character is a person, an animal, or an imaginary creature that takes part in the action of a literary work There are 4 different types of characters in literature
Characters: Main and Minor Main characters are the characters who play the largest role in the work Minor Characters are the less important characters
Characters: Static and Dynamic Static Characters Dynamic are characters who Characters are change little, if at characters who all, throughout the change significantly work throughout the work
Characterization Characterization includes all the techniques writers use to create and develop characters There are four basic methods of developing a character
Characterization: Developing Characters 1. 2. 3. 4. Presenting the character s words and actions Presenting the character s thoughts Describing the character s appearance Showing what others think about the character
Conflict Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces
Two types of conflict found in literature are External Conflict: A character struggles with another character or an outside force Internal Conflict: A character struggles with something within himself
Protagonist vs. Antagonist Protagonist The main character or hero in the story Antagonist The character or force that blocks or opposes the main character or hero
Plot A story s plot is the sequence of events that makes up a story
Parts of a Plot Exposition - introduces the characters and establishes the main conflict Climax - the point of highest interest Resolution - the point at which loose ends are tied up and the story is brought to a close
Climax In the plot of a story or a play, the climax (a.k.a. turning point) is the point of maximum interest At the climax, the conflict is resolved and the outcome of the plot becomes clear
Narrator The narrator is the teller of the story
Point of View The perspective from which the story is told
Different Points of View First-person - the narrator is a character in the story and uses first-person pronouns, such as I, me, we and us Third-person - the narrator is not a character: he or she uses third-person pronouns, such as he, she, it, they & them
Different Points of View Two different types of Third-person are: Omniscient - knows all, can tell us everything about every character Limited - gives one character's thoughts and reactions, tells very little about other characters
Wondering what happened to second person? Second-person is when the narrator speaks about the reader s experience, addressing the reader directly Uses second person pronouns such as you and yours The I or he & she becomes you
Second-Person Point of View Though the second-person point of view only rarely serves as a narrative voice in fiction, it does appear in letters, speeches, and other forms of nonfiction including many types of business writing and technical writing.
Setting The time and the place of the action
Symbol A symbol is a person, a place, an object, or an action that stands for something beyond itself
For example The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States
Theme A theme is the message about life or human nature that is conveyed by a literary work A work may have more than one of them, and the theme is always universal, which means it could be applied to other literary works
Satire A work of literature that mocks social conventions, another work of art, or anything its author thinks is ridiculous
Irony Dramatic Irony - occurs when the reader knows something that the other characters do not Verbal Irony - the difference between what is said and what is actually meant (sarcasm) Situational Irony - the difference between what is expected and what actually occurs
Figurative Language Authors use figurative language to create fresh and original description Figurative expressions, while not literally true, help readers picture ordinary things in new ways
Simile A comparison between two unlike things using like or as For example: I m as hungry as a bear!
Metaphor A comparison between two unlike things without using like or as For example: The homework tonight was a breeze.
Hyperbole An obvious exaggeration Creates a picture in the reader or listener s mind People use hyperbole in everyday situations For example: I ve asked you a million times this week to clean your room!