Elements of a Narrative

Knowing these elements makes us better readers and analyzers of what

we read.

Elements of a Narrative

Point of View Setting Characterization Theme Conflict Plot

POINT OF VIEW

http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/pointofview/

The point of view is the perspective of the story.

“That rotten wolf tried to eat us!!!!”

“I was framed! I just wanted to borrow a cup

of sugar!”

Types of Point of View

1st Person 3rd Person

Limited Omniscient

First Person Point of View

The narrator does participate in the action of the story.

When reading stories in the first person, we need to realize that what the narrator is recounting might not be the objective truth.

Always subjective. Pronouns used: I, me, we, ours, etc.

Third Person Point of View

The narrator does not participate in the action of the story as one of the characters, but lets us know exactly how the characters feel. We learn about the characters through this outside voice.

Pronouns used: he, she, they, them, etc. Can be objective or subjective

Omniscient

The narrator only shares thoughts and feelings of one character.

Limited

The narrator shares thoughts and feelings of any and all characters. “All-knowing”

Consider What point of view does the author use in

the story we read? Is it limited or omniscient? How do you think the point of view affected

the way you feel about the story?

SETTINGSETTING

Details that describe:Details that describe: FurnitureFurniture SceneryScenery CustomsCustoms TransportationTransportation ClothingClothing DialectsDialects WeatherWeather Time of dayTime of day Time of yearTime of year

Time and place where action occursTime and place where action occurs

Setting

Elements of a SettingElements of a SettingSETTING

TIME

PLACE

MOOD

ENVIRONMENT

Functions of SettingFunctions of Setting

• To create a mood or atmosphere• To make action seem more real• To show a reader a different way of

life• To be the source of conflict or

struggle• To symbolize an idea

Time to Apply What was the setting of the story we read? What evidence can you find in the story that

shows how: the setting affects the action? the setting affects the story’s mood? the setting is related to the conflict?

CHARACTERIZATION

Types of CharactersTypes of CharactersMajor Cinderella

Minor Ugly Stepsister

Types of Characters

Protagonist - the leading character, hero, or heroine

Antagonist - the adversary of the hero or protagonist

Dynamic/Round – changes or develops, many character traits

Static/Flat – not changing, one or few personality traits

Protagonists Antagonists

CharacterizationCharacterization

A writer reveals what a character is like and how A writer reveals what a character is like and how the character changes throughout the story.the character changes throughout the story.

Two primary methods of characterization:Two primary methods of characterization:Direct writer tells what the character is like writer tells what the character is likeIndirect writer shows what a character is like by writer shows what a character is like by

describing what the character looks like, by describing what the character looks like, by telling what the character says and does, and telling what the character says and does, and by what other characters say about and do in by what other characters say about and do in response to the character.response to the character.

Example of Direct Example of Direct CharacterizationCharacterization

…And I don’t play the dozens or believe in standing around with somebody in my face doing a lot of talking. I much rather just knock you down and take my chances even if I’m a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is how I got the name Squeaky.

From “Raymond’s Run” by T. Bambara

Example of Indirect Example of Indirect CharacterizationCharacterization

The old man bowed to all of us in the room. Then he removed his hat and gloves, slowly and carefully. Chaplin once did that in a picture, in a bank--he was the janitor.

From “Gentleman of Rio en Medio” by J. Sedillo

Factors in Analyzing Factors in Analyzing CharactersCharacters

• Personality• Background/personal history• Motivation• Relationships• How he/she handles conflict• Physical appearance of character

Time to Apply Was there a protagonist in the story we

read? If so, was he/she static or dynamic ? Was the author mainly using direct or

indirect characterization? Example? What evidence from the story can you cite

to show that the author made the main characters round?

Describe a flat character in the story.

THEME

ThemeThemeA central message, concern, or insight

into life Can be expressed with a short

statement About human beings or about lifeMay be stated directly or impliedUncovered by reader through

interpretation

A universal message or truth about life

You can’t always get what you want

A Theme Is:

Dream DeferredWhat happens to a dream

deferred?Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore—and then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over—

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sagslike a heavy load Or does it just explode?

- Langston Hughes

sometimes implied through simile

A Theme Is:

Time to Apply What is the theme of the story we read? What evidence from the story can you use

to support your ideas? Is the theme stated or implied? Cite

passages.

CONFLICT

Conflict Conflict is the dramatic struggle

between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there is no plot.

Types of Conflict

Character vs Nature

Character vs Society

Character vs Self

Character vs Character

Inte

rnal

Exte

rnal

Time to Apply What conflicts are important to

understanding the point of the story we read?

Are these conflicts internal or external? How are the conflicts important to the

theme of the story?

PLOT

•describes the structure of a story.

•shows the causal arrangement of events and actions within a story.

PLOT

Plot ComponentsClimax: the turning point, the most intense moment—either mentally or in action

Exposition: the start of the story, the situation before the action starts

Falling Action: all of the action which follows the climax

Rising Action: the series of conflicts and crisis in the story that lead to the climax

Resolution

Denoument/catastrophe: the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads

Plot: Jack & the Beanstalk

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution/d’enouement

1. Jack’s mother sends him to town to trade cow for food.

2. Jack trades cow for magic beans.

3. Jack plants beans and beanstalk grows.

4. Jack climbs beanstalk and discovers giant’s castle.

Jack steals giant’s goose which lays a golden egg.

Jack and his mother live in poverty.

Jack is chased by the giant.

Jack chops down the beanstalk, causing the giant to fall to his death.

Jack and his mother live happily in comfort thanks to the golden egg.

Time to Apply What is the exposition in the story we read? How does action build-up? What is the climax of the story? Describe the falling action. What is the resolution? How is the story told: chronological,

flashback, or in media res?