SOME ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE
To talk about fiction, we need a common vocabulary. These terms are used by students,
scholars, and critics to describe common elements of novels, plays, short stories, and films.
Character
Characters are the people (or, occasionally, animals) in stories. The term character refers to
people’s outward appearance and behavior, and also to their inner emotional, intellectual, and
moral qualities. Fiction writers usually suggest character indirectly by showing what a person
does, says, and thinks; by how other characters in the story react to that person; and by what
other people say and think about that person. Character is also revealed by the choices the
person makes and the changes the person undergoes.
The characters in a work of fiction drive the story. Their personalities and conflicts set up what
happens. Our identification with a major character keeps us interested in what happens to them.
As you read, consider the consistency of a character’s words or actions, the motivations that
drive them, and the choices that they make.
Setting
Setting refers to the time, place, social environment, and physical environment of the story. The
physical environment in which a story takes place often reflects some other key aspect of the
story (a character’s personality or important theme, for example). The way the narrator describes
the setting is often a clue to the theme of the story, and the setting is often a symbol of something
intangible. A character’s interactions with their environment help us understand that character
better.
Plot
Plot is a series of events and thoughts, arranged to reveal their dramatic and emotional
significance. Plot is not just a sequence of events: it implies a meaningful relationship among
the events. The way the plot is revealed to us (through jumps in time, flashbacks, etc.) gives
clues to the writer’s purpose in telling the story. As you read, ask yourself “why is this
happening now?” “How does this event relate to what’s gone before?” “What expectations are
being set up for what will happen next?” Plot revolves around some kind of conflict (within a
character or between characters), so notice the way the conflict develops and resolves.
Speech
Characters’ speech can reveal the personality, intellect, emotional state, philosophical beliefs,
and other information about a character. Speech includes dialogue, or speech between
characters; monologue, when one character speaks with no interruptions from others; or the
thoughts of a character. Speech gives clues about the characters, and about the society they live
in. The choice of words, the type of information exchanged, and the things the characters do
NOT talk about can all reveal important aspects of the story.
Tone
Tone refers to the author’s emotional attitude to the action, characters, objects, and even readers
of a story. Tone is not explicitly stated, but shows in the language the author chooses. The
author may use a humorous, tragic, or frightening tone, to make the reader laugh, cry, or feel
afraid. The author may be sympathetic, hostile, admiring, or critical toward the characters in the
story, or toward the subject of the story. Tone can be paradoxical – a sad story can be told in a
humorous way, or a difficult story can unfold with a light touch.
Imagery
Imagery refers to the way the author uses words to create mental pictures in the reader’s mind.
Using imagery, writers evoke specific visual scenes, sounds, smells, and sensations. These
images move the story forward, help us envision settings and characters, and convey particular
emotions and states of mind to the reader.
Symbolism
A symbol is an image that represents something else. In literature, a symbol is an image of an
event or physical object that is used to represent something invisible or abstract such as an idea, a
value, or an emotion. One symbol may suggest more than one meaning. Often the setting is a
major source of symbols.
Not all images in stories are symbols. Some are just what they appear to be and have no
additional meaning. Considering which images are symbols is part of the fun of reading
literature!
Theme
A theme is a truth that a story reveals. Through creation of a fictional world, authors reveal what
they believe to be true about the real world.
A theme is rarely directly stated by the author. Instead, the reader discovers themes, inferring
meaning from the details in the story. Usually themes deal with general areas of human
experience, for example: the nature of humanity or society, the relationship of people to the
environment, or a question of ethical responsibility. While the theme grows out of the specific
story, it has universal implications. By focusing on one example of a human dilemma or
struggle, the writer arrives at a deeper understanding of how human beings deal with this issue.
A theme is not:
 A subject. A subject is what the story is about; a theme reveals what the story says about
the subject.
 A topic. A topic is what an essay is about; a theme reveals a truth about the topic.
 A moral. A moral is a statement or lesson that teaches right and wrong behavior; a theme
reveals how some people behave, without telling people how to behave. A theme does
not directly preach a lesson, but looks at characters to understand why people are the way
they are.