Upload
calvin-weaver
View
225
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Literary ElementsLiterary Elements
The Structure of a Story
Element Number Element Number One ~PlotOne ~Plot• Plot is the literary element that
describes the structure of a story. It shows the causal arrangement of events and actions within a story.
• Plot details the process of resolving the conflicts in a story.
5 Parts of Plot5 Parts of Plot
• Exposition
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Resolution
ExpositionExposition• Beginning of the story
• Characters and setting are introduced
• Shows the way things are before the action starts and before the conflict is introduced.
Rising ActionRising Action• Major conflict and/or crisis is introduced.
• Stories can (and usually do) have more than one conflict.
ClimaxClimax• Height of the action.
• Turning point of the story—the point at which there is “no going back”.
• The most intense moment of the story (can be physical or mental)
Falling ActionFalling Action• Events following the climax that end in
the resolution.
ResolutionResolution• The conclusion of the story.
• The conflict is resolved.
• Sometimes this is left to the reader’s imagination—the author may not directly state the resolution.• Can be implied
Think of it like Think of it like this…this…
Element Number Two~ Element Number Two~ Characterization:Characterization:• The process of revealing the personality
of a character.
• This is done two ways• Direct Characterization• Indirect Characterization
Direct Characterization:Direct Characterization:
• The narrator directly tells the audience things about the character. • “The boy was evil and tried to kick and bite
everyone in his preschool class.”• “Martha felt sad.”
Indirect CharacterizationIndirect Characterization• Author/narrator shows the audience things
that reveal the character’s personality.
• What do they say? How do they act? What do others say about the character? How does the character dress or look?• “Mommy, I hate that kid!” cried Bethany. “He
calls me names and bites me every single day!”
• Martha plopped hopelessly down onto her bed and sunk her face, streaked with tears, into her pillow.
ProtagonistProtagonist
• Main character
• Answers the question, “Whose story is this?”
• The protagonist always has a goal.
AntagonistAntagonist
• The character that attempts to BLOCK the protagonist from achieving his/her goal.
• This goal seeking/goal blocking is what creates the CONFLICT in a piece of literature.
Dynamic CharacterDynamic Character• One who undergoes at least one permanent,
important change (for better or worse) in some aspect of their personality, nature, or attitude.
• Dynamic characters change INTERNALLY…getting a new haircut or losing 20 lbs does not make one a dynamic character!
• This change is sometimes a RESULT of plot events, and at other times it is the CAUSE of plot events
Static CharacterStatic Character
• A character who does not change in personality, nature, or attitude; he/she is the same sort of person from the beginning of the story until the very end.
Round CharacterRound Character
• A well-developed, multi-sided, and complex character.
• Fully-rounded personality.
Flat CharacterFlat Character
• Usually a minor character.
• 2-dimensional
• Flat characters can be summed up in one or two sentences.• For example, “She was the girl that always
chewed gum when she talked.”
Stock /Archetypal CharactersStock /Archetypal Characters
• Draws upon some stereotype• For example:
• Jock• Cheerleader/Dumb Blonde• Farmer/Redneck• Bully• Nerd• Damsel in distress
FoilsFoils
• Foils are characters that directly contrast with another character.• Think “Rush Hour” : Jackie Chan is the foil
to Chris Tucker—Chan is very serious and Tucker is very goofy and silly.
Element Number Three~ConflictElement Number Three~Conflict
• Without conflict there is NO story!!
• A conflict is a struggle between two opposing forces or ideas.
• Two Categories : Internal and External
Two Categories of ConflictTwo Categories of Conflict• INTERNAL CONFLICT:
*A struggle that takes place in a character's mind.
For example, when a character is trying to make an important decision between two things, s/he is experiencing
Internal Conflict Also occurs when character is trying to
decide how s/he feels about an issue—trying to define her/himself.
Internal Conflict Cont…Internal Conflict Cont…
Internal Conflict is described as:
Human vs. Self
Lord of The Rings: Frodo—should he keep the ring?
Meet the Parents: Focker—should he be himself or act how he thinks her parents want him to act?
Matrix: Neo—is he really the “ONE”?
External ConflictExternal Conflict• External Conflict occurs when a
character is struggling against an outside force.
• External Conflict is described as• Human v. Human• Human v. Nature• Human v. Society• Human v. Machine• Human v. Supernatural
Examples of Human v. HumanExamples of Human v. Human
• Dodgeball: The conflict between Peter La Fleur and White Goodman…who will have the most successful dodgeball team?
• Step brothers: The two step-brothers fight the group of kids on the playground.
• Any fight scene involving Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee or Chuck Norris
Human v. NatureHuman v. Nature
This type of conflict occurs when a human is struggling against Mother Nature…storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, etc…
Examples of Human v. NatureExamples of Human v. Nature
• Forrest Gump: Lt. Dan and the hurricane
• Twister: Scientists almost die in the tornado
• Titanic: Boat hits iceberg, sinks, people drown in ocean/freeze to death (this movie actually has all 3 kinds of conflict!!)
Human vs. SocietyHuman vs. Society
• Occurs when a character is not accepted by the society in which they live.
• They are an outcast.
• Name an instance of Human vs. Society in something we have read.
Human v. Machine/TechnologyHuman v. Machine/Technology
• Humans create a “machine” and then have to fight against their own creation.
Human vs. SupernaturalHuman vs. Supernatural
• Ghosts, goblins, ghouls, vampires, etc…
Element Number Four ~ SettingElement Number Four ~ Setting• Historical time and place and the social
circumstances that create the world in which characters act and make choices.
• Setting is revealed through:• Geographic location• Cultural backdrop/social context/time
period• Artificial environment (rooms, buildings,
cities)• Props (clothing, furniture, tools)
• Setting creates the mood and atmosphere for a story. Setting is linked to conflict!!!
Element Number Five~Element Number Five~Point of ViewPoint of View• There are three kinds…
• OMNISCIENT: the narrator knows all feelings, thoughts and emotions of all characters.
• FIRST PERSON: one of the characters is the narrator and the story is told from his/her perspective (uses words like I, me,my, mine, our, we, us).
• THIRD PERSON LIMITED: narrator is NOT a character, but zooms in on one characters thoughts and feelings.
Element Number Six~ ThemeElement Number Six~ Theme
• Theme is the central, underlying and controlling idea of a literary work.
• It is a generalization about human behavior.
• Must be expressed in a FULL sentence.• Theme is almost always implicit—author
does not come right out and state theme.
Element Number Seven~ ToneElement Number Seven~ Tone
• Tone is the speaker or author’s attitude toward the subject, which is revealed by the words he or she chooses (diction).
• To misinterpret tone is to misinterpret the meaning!!!
Element Number Eight~ MoodElement Number Eight~ Mood
• Whereas tone is how the author feels about a subject, mood is how the AUDIENCE feels after reading a work of literature.
SymbolismSymbolism
• A person, place or object which has a meaning in itself but suggests other meanings as well.
• Things, characters and actions can be symbols.
• Anything that suggests a meaning beyond the obvious.
IronyIrony• Irony is the contrast between what is expected or what
appears to be and what actually is. • Verbal Irony
The contrast between what is said and what is actually meant.
• Situational IronyThis refers to a happening that is the opposite of what is expected or intended.
• Dramatic IronyThis occurs when the audience or reader knows more than the characters know.
AllusionAllusion
• Allusion is a brief reference to a person, event, or place, real or fictitious, or to a work of art. Casual reference to a famous historical or literary figure or event.
• An allusion may be drawn from history, geography, literature, art or religion.