Sabolcik
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
By the end of this PowerPoint, you should be able to
identify the following:
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 Plot
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Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
 Character
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Protagonist
Antagonist
Dynamic Character
Static Character
 Setting
 Foreshadowing
 Dialogue
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Categories we can use to help us understand
literature and its affect it has on us.
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 What is “literature?”
 Poetry, short stories, novels, journals, etc.
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Other names for literary devices
 Literary term, literary technique
Literary devices help us speak a “common
language” about literature.
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
The setting is the 1. TIME and 2. PLACE of a work of
literature.
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Things to keep in mind for TIME: season; year in
history; (past, present, or future)
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 Tells us about the context of the story.
Things to keep in mind for PLACE: social, political,
economic issues of the setting; how the environment
affects the characters
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
How would Harry Potter be different if they only
lived in the Muggle world?
 How would a story of our classroom go if we were
on a beach?
 How would your favorite MTV show be different if it
took place 50 years ago? 500 years ago?
 How would the books you read in school be
different if they were set in the future?
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See how setting impacts the story?
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
A character is basically a person or animal that takes
part in the action of a literary work.
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There are several types of characters we can study.
Protagonists, Antagonists, Static Characters,
Dynamic Characters, Flat Characters, Round
Characters
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These categories have to do with how much the characters
CHANGE over the course of the story.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
These are the qualities that make up a particular character.
We can also think of characterization as the character’s
personality, values, beliefs, and development.
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Example:
 Characterization of Batman
 Justice-minded, resourceful, intelligent, caring, passionate, steadfast, strong
 Katniss Everdeen
 Intelligent, strong, caring, selfless
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Can be DIRECT or INDIRECT
 Depends on whether or not the author tells us the characteristics of a character
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This is also called CHARACTER TRAITS
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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Kind
imaginative
violent
Quiet
pleasant
care-free
Boastful
evil
peaceful
Ambitious
reliable
intense
Courageous responsible
racist
Intelligent
skilled
compassionate
Strong
sophisticated
creative
talented
driven
dependable trustworthy
Determined
successful athletic
Energetic
nervous
Lazy
careful
materialistic
Independent
unique
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“Main Character”
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Examples:
 Superman comics
 Protagonist = Superman
 The Lion King
 Protagonist = Simba
 Twilight
 Bella Swan
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Character that is in conflict with the main character
(protagonist)
 The enemy or opposing force against the
protagonist
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Examples:
 Superman?
 Antagonist – Lex Luther
 The Lion King
 Antagonist - Scar
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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What does the word “dynamic” mean?
 Dynamic = Change
A dynamic character is one who develops and grows
during the course of a story.
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 She may learn a valuable lesson and change her ways.
 She may face difficult tasks and adopt new values.
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Example: Scrooge in A Christmas Carol
 Also, Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
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Can you think of any other examples?
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Static characters are the opposite of dynamic
characters.
 So then what does the term mean?
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 If dynamic characters change, then static characters stay the
same.
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Example: Cruella DeVille
 Why is she static?
 How is she at the beginning of the movie? How is she at the end?
 Does she change much?
 Who would be another static character you can think of?
 Harry Potter franchise? Hunger Games?
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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If something is round (like a globe), does it have much
depth to it?
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YES!
A round character is one who shows many different traits
– faults and virtues.
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For example: Harry Potter in Harry Potter; Scrooge in A
Christmas Carol; Batman in the recent films.
Any others?
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If something is flat, does it have much depth to it?
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No!
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A flat character is one who only shows one trait.
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For example: Dobby from Harry Potter (he’s only loyal);
Bruce the Shark from Finding Nemo (he only eats)
Any others?
Struggle between opposing forces
 Characters in conflict form the basis of stories,
novels, and plays
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Examples:
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Arguments,
Battles,
Fights,
Struggles
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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Man vs. Man
 Example: Batman vs. The Joker
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Man vs. Environment
 Man in conflict with something in nature or nature itself
 Example: Ulrich and Georg vs. The Harsh Cold & The Wolves
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Man vs. Self
 Internal Struggle
 Example: A student’s conflict to do homework or play in the football
game.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Describe a time where you experienced each of the
three main conflicts:
Man vs. Man
Man vs. Environment
Man vs. Self
Foreshadowing is the clues an author uses to hint at
a future event that hasn’t occurred yet.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCfWHqrYUqo
 What does this theme foreshadow?
Another example of foreshadowing:
When Mr. S.'s alarm clock woke him at six o'clock
that morning, he had no idea that today would be the
most awesome day of his life.
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 Foreshadowing today’s lesson!
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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Brainstorm some ideas as a class.
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It could be to:
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Gives attentive readers clues as to the ending.
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Builds suspense in the rising action.
 Makes climax more powerful.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Write a quick paragraph in your notes (4-5
sentences) where you use foreshadowing.
 Give your paragraph to a partner and let them circle
the part where the end is foreshadowed.
 Give it back to see if you’re right!
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Dialogue is a spoken exchange (conversation)
between characters.
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 Basically, when characters talk to each other.
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What can dialogue tell us about characters?
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We can learn what they are thinking.
We can learn how they want to appear to others.
Gives us information.
Moves the story forward.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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What it is: “Sequence of events in a literary work.”
 Aka “What happens”
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What it isn’t : “A specific scene in a story”
 When you describe only a few aspects of the literature, missing
big events.
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Characteristics:
 Has 5 parts
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Exposition,
Rising Action,
Climax,
Falling Action,
and Resolution.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
What it is: Background information. Introduces
setting, characters, basic situation.
 Here we learn the basics and establish the scene.
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Example: The Lion King
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwSKkKrUzUk
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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What it is: Events that introduce central conflict(s).
 We begin to learn more about the characters and their struggles.
What it isn’t: The big conflict itself or the background
information.
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 The rising action can last for a while as we build up to a pivotal conflict.
In The Lion King, what are some of the events of the
rising action?
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Mufasa dies,
Scar takes over,
Simba leaves his kingdom,
He meets some animal friends,
And eventually decides to return.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
What it is: The exposition and rising action build up
to the central conflict.
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 At this point, the tension or suspense is at a peak.
What it isn’t: There can be several mini-climaxes
within the rising action. However, the climax is the
ONE moment where the conflict presents itself.
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Lion King:
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Fight between Simba and Scar
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
What it is: Moments after the conflict where the
“ends become tied.”
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 Can last for a while until we see a definite resolution to the
story.
 A shift from how things were before the climax and how things
have become after.
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What it isn’t: The final scene.
 The falling action is an intermediate time between the climax
and the resolution.
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Lion King:
 Hyenas abandon Scar,
 It begins to rain, literally and figuratively cleansing the kingdom
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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What it is: Final moments or conclusion of the story.
 We get an idea about what it’s going to be like after the story
ends.
 CHANGE marks the resolution.
What it isn't’: The credits of a movie or the very last
page of a book.
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 It’s much more complicated than that.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Simba and Nala have a child/cub
-Hope for the future.
-Final CHANGE from the rule of the evil Scar.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Copy this diagram in your notes!
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
In your notes, create a rough plot diagram for a
movie or book you saw/read recently.
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Share with a partner next to you.
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Anyone want to share with the class?
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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A short story is a brief work of fiction
 Fiction means?
 Fiction is a work of literature that deals with imaginary stories or
events.
Shorter than a novel or novella (usually less than 50
pages)
 Examples: “The Interlopers,” “The Cask of
Amontillado,” and “The Necklace”
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
The speaker or character who tells a story.
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The author’s choice of narrator lets us know how
much information we are being given.
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If we are reading a story from an author’s
perspective, we have to know whether or not they
are reliable.
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 If we can trust that they’re being honest.
 So we can know if they could be biased.
 In case they haven’t witnessed an event.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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1st person
 “I”
 NARRATIVES
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2nd person
 “You”
 Instruction manuals, cookbooks
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3rd person
 3rd person Omniscient
 Omni = ALL, Scient = Seeing
 3rd person Limited
 Character telling us the story from their perspective
 We don’t know everything in the story
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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“The Interlopers”
“The Cask of Amontillado”
 Who is the narrator?
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“Green Eggs and Ham”
Mr. Sabolcik’s Dairy:
Cookbook
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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Diction: The author’s choice of words and how it
impacts what is being said.
 Vocabulary (slang vs. formal)
 Colloquialisms (y’all, y’inz)
There are two important ways we can identify and
understand an author’s use of diction.
Denotation and Connotation
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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The dictionary definition of the word.
Has the same meaning no matter the context.
For example:
 The dictionary defines “Snake” as “A long limbless reptile
(suborder Ophidia or Serpentes) that has no eyelids, and jaws
that are capable of considerable extension.”
 Therefore, the denotation of the word snake is above.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
The set of ideas associated with it in addition to
its explicit meaning (its denotation).
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The context determines what it means.
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A word has a different meaning to different
people.
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Also, the emotions attached to a word.
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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On a scrap piece of paper, write a sentence of
what the following words mean:
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SHARK
HOUSE
IMPRESSION
STALE
ATTRACTIVE
BRIGHT
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
 SHARK
 Someone who is really good at playing cards.
 HOUSE
 Whenever you put a bunch of cards on top of each other.
 IMPRESSION
 When you stick your hand in the mud and there is a print after you take
it out.
 BRAINS
 The guy or girl that organizes the theft. (The “brains” of the operation)
 ATTRACTION
 Whenever two atoms want to come together and share electrons.
 BRIGHT
 All of my students! They’re very bright and get all As.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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For each set, choose the word with the positive
connotation.
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drug addict . . . druggie, drug fiend, substance abuser
handicapped . . . crippled, disabled, differently abled
house . . . . . . home, abode, domicile, residence
thin . . . . . . thin, slender, slim, skinny, lean, beanpole
attractive . . . pretty, beautiful, handsome, fair
reporter . . . . journalist, broadcaster, newshound
unattractive . . plain, dull, ugly
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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chef vs. cook
plagiarizer vs. cheater
thrifty vs. tightwad
stay-at-home mom vs homemaker vs housewife
ambitious vs. greedy
substance abuser vs druggie
journalist vs reporter
eccentric vs weirdo
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
A recipe is denotative; an advertisement
connotative
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The connotation of words can help us figure out
the subtext of what an author or character is trying
to say.
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 “Reading between the lines.”
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Word choice is really important!
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
A reference to a well-known person, place, event,
literary work, or work of art.
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Example: I was surprised his nose was not
growing like Pinocchio’s.
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 This is an allusion to what?
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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“When she lost her job, she acted like a Scrooge,
and refused to buy anything that wasn’t
necessary.”
 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
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“He was a real Romeo with the ladies.”
 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
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“Chocolate was her Achilles’ heel.”
 The Illiad by Homer. And Greek mythology.
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“He was a Good Samaritan yesterday when he
helped the lady start her car.”
 The Biblical story of the Good Samaritan.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
“The side lines is lined with casualties
Who sip the life casually,
then gradually become worse
Don’t bite the apple, Eve” -Jay-Z
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“Tonedeff’s slays giants, as if my legal name’s David.” –
Tonedeff
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
1. Be able to identify them when we see them.
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2. Be able to connect them to whatever they
came from.
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3. Understand the function they serve.
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 Help us understand characters more.
 How educated someone is, or what culture they are from.
 Draw parallels to ideas in other works of literature.
 Many allusions to novels with death may foreshadow death in the
story we are reading.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
We have new literary devices words for our quiz on
Friday!
 Understand the definitions and be able to provide
examples of the following terms:
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 Plot
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Exposition
Rising Action
Climax
Falling Action
 Point of View
 Narrator
 Diction
 Denotation vs. Connotation
 Allusion
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
Irony (in its basic definition) is when you expect one
thing to happen, and the opposite takes place.
 Irony can also mean the difference between
appearance and reality.
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(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
(c) 2012 Mr. Sabolcik, West Forsyth H.S.
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Open up the irony powerpoint