Literary Elements
Literature:
is the writing that is preserved and
valued by people, makes us think or
feel, gives us new ideas, makes us
see things in a different way, or
helps us to understand others.
Setting
• Where and when a story takes place.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
2
Characters
•Characters are people or animals (can
be real or imaginary) who carry the
action of the plot.
•Characters are characterized
directly and indirectly.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
3
Protagonist
The leading character, hero, or
heroine of a drama or other literary
work.
Antagonist
A character who is opposed to ,
struggles against, or competes with
another.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
4
Dynamic
When a character undergoes an
important internal change by the
end of the story. He/She has a new
understanding.
Static
When a character does not undergo
any type of change; stays the same
from the beginning to the end
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
5
Round
• Three-dimensional; reveals physical,
mental and emotional expressions.
(You know a lot about the
character)
Flat
• Two-dimensional; uncomplicated
character; usually an extra that you
do not know a lot about.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
6
Inciting Incident
It’s an event that starts the main
character to
“go into motion” and take action.
Example: the tornado sweeps Dorothy
and Toto out of Kansas
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
7
Conflict
Conflict is the struggle between two
opposing forces. It is the basis for
the plot and serves to drive the action
of the story forward.
There a two types: External and
Internal
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
8
External Conflict
• A character struggles with an out
side force
• There are 4 types
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
9
Types of External Conflict
• Person vs. Person - a character
(person or animal) that is in conflict
with another character (person or
animal)
• Example: physical fight, verbal
argument, athletic event
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
10
• Person vs. Nature – a person (or
animal) is in conflict with a force of
nature.
• Example: wild animal, flood,
hurricane, sickness, etc.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
11
• Person vs. Group – a person is in
conflict with two or more people, a
group, or society
• Example-a person rejects a culture,
person breaks a federal law, a
group fight or argument
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
12
• Group vs. Group – an entire group or
culture is in conflict with another
group or society.
• Example-team sports, gang rivalry,
Republicans vs. Democrats.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
13
Internal Conflict
• A person struggles to overcome some
internal problems.
• There is one kind:
3/24/2016
• Person vs. Self:
• It is a struggle between opposing
needs, desires, or emotions.
• Example: fear, guilt, anxiety, making a
decision.
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
14
Plot
•The plot is a sequence of events that
happen in a story.
•It is the main storyline of a literary
work.
•Exposition
•Rising Action
•Climax
•Falling Action
•Resolution
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
15
The Plot Diagram
The plot diagram contains five
main elements (see below)
Climax
Rising Action
Falling Action
Exposition
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
Resolution
16
Exposition
The exposition usually occurs at the start of a
story.
In the exposition, the readers learn about the
characters, setting, and are introduced to the
main conflict.
Exposition
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
17
Rising Action
This part of the story is usually where the
majority of the action takes place.
The reader begins to see the conflict
develop and interest and suspense are
built.
Rising Action
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
18
Climax
The climax is considered the turning point
of the story. It is usually the moment that
the rising action has built up to and is the
most intense / emotional point.
The main character will often change in
some way at this point in the plot and the
focus switches from the problem to the
solution.
Climax
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
19
Falling Action
During the falling action, loose ends of the
plot are tied up. Usually the conflict and the
climax are going through the process of
being resolved.
Falling Action
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
20
Resolution
At the resolution, the story comes to
a conclusion. This usually means that
the conflict is completely resolved or
is determined unsolvable. The
resolution is sometimes also called
the denouement.
Resolution
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
21
Types of Plots
• Linear (Chronological)
• Flashback/Flash-Forward
• In Media Res (Latin meaning "in the
midst of things” is the literary and
artistic narrative technique of relating a
story from the midpoint, rather than the
beginning
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
22
Linear Plot
• A linear plot in literature is a plot whereby the
structure of actions follow chronologically (in
time order) from beginning to end. It is
usually used in written literature because it is
the easiest to understand and demonstrate.
This type of plot follows the plot diagram
exactly. Most fairy tales follow a linear plot
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
23
Flashback/Flash-forward
• Flash-forward or flashback is a literary device in
which the plot is interrupted by going ahead or
back in time. Generally, a flashback represents a
memory, while a fast-forward represents expected
or imagined events in the future. Both are
interjected in the main plot to reveal something
important.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol uses
flashbacks and flash forwards with the visit
of each of the ghosts. He must go back in
time to see the mistakes he has made, and
in the end he sees a grim future for himself
and Tiny Tim.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
24
In Medias Res
• In medias res (Latin for “in the middle of
things”) is a narrative technique where the
story starts from the mid-point rather than
the beginning. The story usually opens
with a dramatic action rather than an
exposition.
William Golding’s classic The Lord of the
Flies about boys stuck on an island starts
in medias res. The reader is not brought
through the journey of how they arrived on
the island, but begins exactly where it gets
interesting—with the boys’ reacting to their
dilemma.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
25
Author’s Purpose
• Writers write to entertain, to inform,
to persuade, or to describe.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
26
Author’s Perspective
• The combination of ideas, values,
feelings and beliefs that influence the
way an author looks at a topic, usually
indicated by the tone.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
27
Theme
The author’s message or the lesson
from the story.
Examples-family, friendship, life & death,
love & romance, good vs. evil, etc…
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
28
Tone
• The author’s attitude toward the
characters, subject, or audience.
• Positive, negative, or neutral
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
29
Mood
• Mood is the way the reader is affected
or how he or she feels when reading
the book/story
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
30
Point of view
is the perspective the story is written
• 1st person- from the view of the
narrator, using I, me, we, etc..
• 3rd person limited- the narrator is NOT
a character but knows the thoughts
and feelings of only ONE character. 3rd
person pronouns are used-they, he, she,
• 3rd person omniscient-the narrator is
not a character in the story, but knows
the thoughts and feelings of more
than one of them. (omniscient-all
knowing)
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
31
• 3rd person objective- the narrator is
not a character in the story nor do
they know any thoughts of the
characters.
• 2nd person- using 2nd person
pronouns (you or your). Similar to
self-help, telling you what you need
to do or about you.
3/24/2016
Free template from www.brainybetty.com
32