 Location and time period
 Location
 Can be specific (Lock Haven, Pa) or broad
(United States)
 May be given clues (dress,
language, landmarks)
 time period
 may be broad (1800s or distant past) or
specific (the Renaissance or 1983)
 may be given hints (the year after Abraham
Lincoln was shot or the 10 year anniversary of
9/11)
 who is the narrator (who is telling the story)
 1st person- narrator is any character in the story
(hints: “I”, “we”, “us”)
 3rd person- narrator is unknown and all knowing
 Can the narrator be trusted?
 struggles or obstacles that characters face
 Types of Conflicts
 person vs person
 person vs self
 person vs nature
 person vs technology
 person vs fate
 person vs society
 the message that the author is trying to give the
audience
 may or may not be stated in the story
 theme is not one word (Nemo ≠ family)
 thematic statements are full sentences
 Nemo = Loving parents will do just about anything
for their child.
 an object that stands for something besides itself
 the difference between what is expected to happen
and what actually happens
 President Reagan assassination attempt
 when the audience knows something the characters
do not
 Titanic
 The Patriot
 clues or hints to what could happen later in story
 “This ship is unsinkable.”