Literature notes
What are literature notes ?
• Notes to help you better understand
the stories you read !
• They have to do with different parts of
the story.
• Very important for reading
comprehensions and novel tests !!!!
Literary genres
Literary genres are the types/categories of a
story. In grade 9, there are 2 types of literary
genres that we will study :
1) Fiction : Not a true story
(can seem real but is not)
2) Non-fiction : True story (ex : biography)
Point of View
It is the position from which the story is told (narrator)
2 types :
1)
1st person point of view:
the person telling the story is in the story. The reader can only
know what the narrator sees, hears, and thinks.
(ex : “When I left the store, I walked ten blocks to go back to my home.
I was so tired that I decided to go straight to bed.”)
2)
3rd person point of view :
the person telling the story (narrator) is not in the story. The
reader can know the thoughts and feelings of all the characters.
(ex : When Shane left the store, he walked ten blocks to go back to his
home. He was so tired that he decided to go straight to bed”.
Setting
The setting is both the time and the place
of the story.
Time : when the story is happening
(year, month, day,
season, etc.)
Place : where the story
is happening (city, country,
school, home, etc.)
Conflict
A conflict is a struggle (problem) between two opposing forces
or beliefs in a story.
In a story, there is usually a protagonist and an antagonist.
Protagonist : Usually the main character
(« good guy »)
Antagonist : Usually the character that creates a
problem (« bad guy »)
The conflict is often resolved when one force succeeds or fails in
overcoming the opposing force.
Types of Conflict
Person vs. person
Person vs. nature
Person vs. time
Person vs. technology
Types of Conflict
Person vs. self (internal conflict)
Person vs. fate/God
Person vs. society
Person vs. supernatural
Person vs. ? :
person, nature, self, society, time,
supernatural, fate\God, technology
1) When a person is confronted by ghosts, witches, werewolves, etc.
2) When a person is stuck in an avalanche.
3) When a person struggles with his own fears.
4) When a person gets into a violent fight with another person.
5) When a person challenges traditions or values by which everyone
lives.
6) When a person is confronted by a bear in the woods.
7) When a person is attacked by robotic forces or machines.
8) When a person struggles to find out who they are.
9) When a person fights against something which he or she has no
control (ex : death).
10) When a person tries to beat his own record in a race.
11) When a person is in competition with other contestants.
Plot diagram
The plot of the story is the sequence (plan) of
events that make up the action in a story.
There are 6 parts in the plot :
1) Preliminary action
2) Complicating incident
4
3) Rising action (suspense)
4) Climax
3
5) Falling action
6
6) Outcome/conclusion
1
5
2
Cliff Diving
One hot August day in Cap-Pelé, my friends and I decided it
would be fun to go cliff diving in order to cool off. We soon
realized that the wind was picking up and the waves were
becoming big and dangerous. When my friend Tony jumped in
the water, a gigantic wave crashed into him and swept him into
the current. Panicking, my friend Josh and I began screaming
for help. Tony had not yet come up for air and we were
afraid that he had drowned. Suddenly, a lifeguard appeared
beside us and dove into the water. He surfaced moments
later, pulled Tony to shore, and started performing CPR.
After a few moments, Tony regained consciousness. We were
so relieved! An ambulance was called and brought us to the
hospital. Tony was shaken, but not seriously injured. Tony
thanked the lifeguard for having saved his life and from that
moment on we were more careful when cliff diving on windy
days.
1) What is the point of view ?
2) What is the setting of the story ?
3) What is the plot diagram for this story ?
One hot August day in Cap-Pelé, my friends and I decided it would be fun
to go cliff diving in order to cool off. \\
We soon realized that the wind was picking up and the waves were
becoming big and dangerous. When my friend Tony jumped in the water,
a gigantic wave crashed into him and swept him into the current.\\
Panicking, my friend Josh and I began screaming for help. Tony had not
yet come up for air and we were afraid that he had drowned. \\
Suddenly, a lifeguard appeared beside us and dove into the water. He
surfaced moments later, pulled Tony to shore, and started performing
CPR. After a few moments, Tony regained consciousness. We were so
relieved! \\
An ambulance was called and brought us to the hospital. Tony was shaken,
but not seriously injured. \\
Tony thanked the lifeguard for having saved his life and from that moment
on we were more careful when cliff diving on windy days.
1) point of view :
1st person point of view
2) Setting :
time : August day
Place : Cap-Pelé, cliffs