ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

FICTION VS. NONFICTION Fiction- Story from an author’s

imagination. May be based on real-life eventsOr totally made up

Opposite of Nonfiction- true stories

FIVE ELEMENTS OF LITERATUREThese five elements work together to tell

the story: Setting Plot Character Theme Point of View

SETTING Where and when the story takes place Be as specific as possible!

Examples:

Bloomsburg, 1975 An apartment at dinnertime.

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story Also includes the story’s conflict

(problem)

POINT OF VIEW The position of the narrator in relation to

the story The perspective from which the story is

told (1st person, 3rd person)

CHARACTERS

People, animals or other figures in the story who perform the action

THEMEThe author’s main message or the overall

meaning of the story.

Stories can (and usually do!) have more than one theme.

They are the Central Ideas that run throughout the story

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story

Five parts:ExpositionRising ActionClimax Falling Action Resolution

The beginning of the story.

Introduces the characters, setting and main conflict of the story.

The conflict is growing.

This part is full of suspense and action and the plot moves forward.

The most exciting point of the story aka- “the turning point. ”

Something changes in the story to allow the conflict to eventually be resolved.

PLOT The story’s action What happens in the story

Five parts:ExpositionRising ActionClimax Falling Action Resolution

The events are winding down.

The conflict is on its way to being solved.

All loose ends are tied up.

The conflict is completely solved and the story is ending.

CONFLICT The problem in the story Motivates the plot and moves the story

forward.

Usually appears in the exposition Reaches its highest “boiling point” at

the climax Is resolved during the resolution

CONFLICT2 types: Internal External

CONFLICT Internal:

Goes on inside a character’s headUsually involves a decisionWritten as “Man vs. Self”

CONFLICT External- outside of a character

3 types:Man vs. Man- two or more characters

opposedMan vs. Nature- character is against

forces of nature (ex: survival stories)Man vs. Society- character is against rules

of the civilization/society (ex: rags to riches story)

CHARACTERSPeople or other things who perform the

action of a story.

2 types:

Dynamic- the character changes or grows over the course of the story

Static- the character stays the same from beginning to end with little growth.

CHARACTERIZATIONhow an author informs the reader about

the character’s attitudes, beliefs, appearance and personalities

CHARACTERIZATIONMethods of Characterization:

Direct1. Direct statement- the author tells

the reader through a narrator.(Dylan was always optimistic.)

CHARACTERIZATION Indirect2. Character’s Words and Actions- the

author gives the reader clues based on what the character says and does in the story (Throughout the whole story Dylan always finds the positive in every situation.)

3. Other character’s words and actions- the author gives the reader clues in what other characters say and do and how they react to the character. (Nick found Dylan to be very annoying because he always found the positive in every situation.)

POINT OF VIEW The perspective from which the story is

told

POINT OF VIEW 1st person-

Pronouns like “I, me, my” The narrator is involved in the story as a

character

When I woke up this morning, I knew I was late. I came downstairs just in time to see the bus fly past. The only thought I had was, “Oh man! Mom is going to kill me for sure!” as I dialed her work number.

POINT OF VIEW 3rd person limited

Narrator not a character/involved in storyHas perspective of only one character, not

all

When Rachel woke up this morning, she knew immediately that she was late. She walked downstairs to see the bus speed past the house. The only thought she has as she dialed the telephone was “Oh man, Mom is going to kill me for sure!” Her mother answered and Rachel heard her yelling through the phone.

POINT OF VIEW 3rd person omniscient

Narrator is not a character/involved in storyAll knowing, thoughts and feelings of all

characters

When Rachel woke up, she knew she was late. She walked downstairs just in time to see the bus fly past the house. All she could think was “Mom will kill me for sure!”

When Mrs. Massey saw her caller ID light up at her desk, she knew her daughter had missed her bus. She answered the phone with a yell.

Jason really wanted to go to the homecoming dance with Kasey, but he was so afraid to ask. One day in Math class, Jason decided to go for it. He worked up his courage and asked Kasey if she would be his date. She smiled and replied, “Sure!” Jason was so surprised he almost fainted.

3rd person limited

Mr. Brady has hoped this day would never come. Today is the day his daughter gets a driver’s permit. Amy still seemed like his little girl, he couldn’t believe she be behind the wheel in a matter of hours.

Amy suddenly came running from her bedroom, keys in hand, smiling wide. She had never been this excited about anything before.

3rd person omniscient

For months I have been envying my friends with Xbox 360’s. Today I came to the local movie theater to apply for a job so I can save up for one myself. I can’t believe how nervous I am about my first interview. Finally, a short gentleman with dark hair rounds the corner and shakes my hand with a big smile. He starts asking me a long list of questions, but after a few, the butterflies go away. Applying for a job isn’t so bad!

1st person