Focus on Literary Focus on Literary ElementsElements

Survival Tools for ReadingSurvival Tools for Reading

What if….What if….The three little pigs had been giraffes?The three little pigs had been giraffes?The three bears had gone to the house The three bears had gone to the house

of Goldilocks?of Goldilocks?Sleeping Beauty had not been able to Sleeping Beauty had not been able to

fall asleep?fall asleep?Cinderella’s stepsisters had been nice?Cinderella’s stepsisters had been nice?Hansel and Gretel had found a house Hansel and Gretel had found a house

made of spinach?made of spinach?

SettingSettingDefinition: Time and place in which a story occurs.

“On the third day, chilled and hungry, they came upon a little house that was build out of bread. Its roof was made of pancakes and its windows of sugar cane.”

**It is important to remember a story may contain a single setting, or the setting may change from scene to scene.**

CharacterizationCharacterizationCharacter is revealed through his/her thoughts, feelings, speech, actions, and/or appearance.

Protagonist: The good guy and central character in a story. The story revolves on the protagonist.

Antagonist: The force against the protagonist which causes conflict with the protagonist; does NOT have to be a human.

**How a character changes throughout the story is known as character development.**

Conflict in LiteratureConflict in LiteratureInternal Conflict: A struggle within one’s self over their own feelings, needs, desires, or values; Man vs. Self

External Conflict: A struggle with some kind of outside force; Man vs. Man, Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Society

Examples of ConflictExamples of Conflict Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death CampsSurviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren by Andrea Warren

EXTERNALEXTERNALMan vs. ManMan vs. Man – “Outside, in the dim first rays of light, soldiers were ordering – “Outside, in the dim first rays of light, soldiers were ordering

people to begin walking to the village square…dazed and unable to rise, people to begin walking to the village square…dazed and unable to rise, the man was dragged away by the guard, who continued to beat him.”the man was dragged away by the guard, who continued to beat him.”

Man vs. SocietyMan vs. Society –– Aaron sighed. "The food will not get better. This is all they Aaron sighed. "The food will not get better. This is all they give you." give you." He made sure no one was watchingHe made sure no one was watching, then slipped Jack a , then slipped Jack a thick biscuit. "One of the officers liked his haircut today.”thick biscuit. "One of the officers liked his haircut today.”

Man vs. NatureMan vs. Nature – “The worst was the time I had to stand in a ditch filled with – “The worst was the time I had to stand in a ditch filled with icy water to my waist….We stood there in that freezing mess, with no icy water to my waist….We stood there in that freezing mess, with no socks, coats, or gloves, sleet falling on us.”socks, coats, or gloves, sleet falling on us.”

Examples of Conflict Examples of Conflict continued…continued…

Surviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death CampsSurviving Hitler: A Boy in the Nazi Death Camps by Andrea Warren by Andrea Warren

INTERNALINTERNALMan vs. Self Man vs. Self – “Though Jack tried not to think about his family, – “Though Jack tried not to think about his family,

thoughts of them sometimes sneaked up on him.”thoughts of them sometimes sneaked up on him.”

MoodMoodThe mood is the feeling or atmosphere of a piece. The mood is the feeling or atmosphere of a piece.

Examples: love, peace, doom, fear, pride, chaosExamples: love, peace, doom, fear, pride, chaos

It was a cold and cheerless evening. The fog seemed to hover over the It was a cold and cheerless evening. The fog seemed to hover over the street, clutching the building, the streetlamps-the entire city-in a street, clutching the building, the streetlamps-the entire city-in a damp, icy grip. If one were to stand still, passers-by would emerge damp, icy grip. If one were to stand still, passers-by would emerge briefly from the gloom, only to disappear from view after taking just a briefly from the gloom, only to disappear from view after taking just a few steps. These ghostly apparitions tormented James as he few steps. These ghostly apparitions tormented James as he impatiently waited for his valet to return with his carriage.impatiently waited for his valet to return with his carriage.

Dad said that we needed some gas, so Matt said, “I have gas!” and Dad said that we needed some gas, so Matt said, “I have gas!” and blew on his arm to make farty noises. He’s trying to et me to laugh but blew on his arm to make farty noises. He’s trying to et me to laugh but I won’t. Dad said to Matt, “Keep it down in the rear!” But Matt, of I won’t. Dad said to Matt, “Keep it down in the rear!” But Matt, of course, said, “The REAR!!??” and started cackling and snorting with course, said, “The REAR!!??” and started cackling and snorting with laughter even more.laughter even more.

““They found the Burke girl this morning down in the creek.”They found the Burke girl this morning down in the creek.”

““No,” he said, finding his voice. “Leslie wouldn’t drown. She could No,” he said, finding his voice. “Leslie wouldn’t drown. She could swimswimreal good.”real good.”

““That old rope you kids been swinging on broke.” His father went That old rope you kids been swinging on broke.” His father went quietly and relentlessly on. “They think she musta hit her head on quietly and relentlessly on. “They think she musta hit her head on something when she fell.”something when she fell.”

PlotPlotA series of events that make up a story. These events include:A series of events that make up a story. These events include:

ExpositionExposition – The beginning part – The beginning part of a story that establishes of a story that establishes background and important background and important information needed for the information needed for the story.story.

Rising ActionRising Action – Events that build – Events that build up the struggles and conflicts in up the struggles and conflicts in a story.a story.

ClimaxClimax – The most exciting part – The most exciting part of a story in which the character of a story in which the character confronts and faces the major confronts and faces the major conflict; an emotional highpoint conflict; an emotional highpoint in the story.in the story.

Falling ActionFalling Action – The events – The events that occur directly following that occur directly following the climax of the story. This the climax of the story. This is the “slowing back down” of is the “slowing back down” of the story.the story.

Resolution or denouementResolution or denouement – – How everything ends in the How everything ends in the story; the tying up of all loose story; the tying up of all loose ends to finalize the ending of ends to finalize the ending of the story.the story.

Plot DiagramPlot Diagram

Exposition

Rising Action

Climax

Falling Action

Resolution (denouement)

The beginning. The author provides essential background information.

An intensification of the conflict in a story.

The emotional highpoint of the characters.

The action following the climax

The author ties up loose ends.

Story Elements PracticeStory Elements PracticeDirections: Directions: Read each statement and determine which story element is being Read each statement and determine which story element is being

portrayed.portrayed. His face looked like a dark thundercloud.His face looked like a dark thundercloud. The knife found lying on the ground was two feet away The knife found lying on the ground was two feet away

from the body. from the body. It had started out as a simple camping trip into the It had started out as a simple camping trip into the

Mississippi River Bottoms a few miles from his house. Mississippi River Bottoms a few miles from his house. After they finished cooking and eating, they settled down to After they finished cooking and eating, they settled down to

telling ghost stories around the campfire. telling ghost stories around the campfire. As the story goes, Old Man Witt was looking for the panther As the story goes, Old Man Witt was looking for the panther

that chewed off his leg and consequently, would shoot that chewed off his leg and consequently, would shoot anything that moved. anything that moved.

As the “thing” came steadily closer, Kay thought she would As the “thing” came steadily closer, Kay thought she would come out of her skin from the fear she felt.come out of her skin from the fear she felt.

They knew he would remember the scary stories, and now They knew he would remember the scary stories, and now they were out there in the darkness waiting for him to start they were out there in the darkness waiting for him to start screaming or try to come home.screaming or try to come home.

The boat meandered lazily down the shimmering water, its The boat meandered lazily down the shimmering water, its occupants unaware that a barge had broken loose and was occupants unaware that a barge had broken loose and was heading straight toward them.heading straight toward them.

ForeshadowClues to things that have yet to occur in

the story. This is used to create

suspense and build reader’s

expectations.A scene that is interjected to take the reader back in time to recount events that

happened prior to the story’s main events; may

be crucial to fill in key details for a story.

Flashback

Mental pictures or images created while

reading.

Imagery

SymbolA person, place or

thing that stands for something other than

itself.

ThemeThe message about

life or human nature the author wants you to learn

from the story.

ExamplesExamplesImagery: We pulled on our clothes, crackling underbrush, the sharp briars pulling at our damp jeans, until we reached the watermelon patch. As we began to cut open the nearest melon, we could smell the pungent skin mingling with the dusty odor of the dry earth. Suddenly, the melon gave way with a crack, revealing the deep, pink sweetness inside.

Symbols: A watch that a character wears and constantly plays with can figuratively represent that character's obsession with time; stormy weather traditionally symbolizes discord or disagreement, and the seasons are often used to represent the stages of a person's life

Foreshadowing: Sam wished he could rid himself of the sick feeling in his gut that told him something terrible was going to happen, and happen soon.

Flashback: But he didn't leave. He stood in the doorway and had watched as she had swallowed the pills, three at a time, until they were gone.Even now, Danny felt responsible for her death. He looked at his father and swallowed hard . . .

Theme: The theme of the children’s book, Green Eggs and Ham, is to keep an open mind about things.

Point of ViewPoint of ViewThe angle from which a story is told (narrated). Can be in:The angle from which a story is told (narrated). Can be in:

11stst Person - Person - A narrator who is directly involved with the story but only knows his/her own thoughts and feelings.

33rdrd Person Limited – A narrator who tells the story through Person Limited – A narrator who tells the story through the thoughts and feelings of only one character and is not the thoughts and feelings of only one character and is not involved in the action.involved in the action.

33rdrd Person Omniscient – A narrator who knows the thoughts Person Omniscient – A narrator who knows the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story.and feelings of all the characters in the story.

Figurative LanguageFigurative LanguageSimile – Uses connective words such as like, as, than or resembles to make a comparison between two unlike things.Example: After running, he smelled like an old, dirty sock.

Metaphor – Makes a direct comparison between two unlike things without using a connective word; key words - was, isExample: She was a dripping water faucet after her boyfriend broke up with her unexpectedly.

Personification – Giving human qualities to nonhuman things.Example: The tree reached for the sky.

IronyIronyA contrast between what you expect to happen in a story, and what really A contrast between what you expect to happen in a story, and what really

does happen.does happen.Three Types of Irony:1. Verbal Irony – When an author says one thing but means

something else; sarcasm.Example: A mom comes into her kid’s room and catches him watching TV instead of doing homework. She says, “Don’t let me keep you from your duties honey, but when you are finished with your serious studies there, maybe we could take some time out for a little R & R and do some math homework.”

2. Dramatic Irony – When the reader knows something the character(s) does(do) not know.**This type of irony creates suspense for the reader. It is when we want to tell the character(s), “Don’t go into that basement!”**

3. Situational Irony – A difference between what is expected to happen and what actually happens.Example: You break a date with your girlfriend so you can go to the ballgame with the guys. When you go to the concession stand, you run into your girlfriend, who is with another guy.