Literary Terms - Story Elements
Plot – The sequence of events that make up the story and move it towards a conclusion. The two primary elements of any plot are the characters and a conflict.
1) Introduction – grabs the reader’s attention, provides the necessary background, usually introduces the main character and indicates the setting
2) Rising action with crises– major portion of the plot which includes steps or obstacles for the main character to overcome. Action is developed through description and/or dialogue
3) Major Crisis – also called the turning point. The event where the conflict turns, finally, for or against the main character
4) Climax – the highest point of reader interest, usually where the conflict is resolved. This does not always coincide with the turning point
5) Falling action and Conclusion – also called the ‘denouement’. The sequence of events where any final details are explained or ‘wrapped up’
Conflict – A struggle between opposing characters, forces, or emotions. Usually between the protagonist and someone or something else.
Protagonist – The main or central character in the story.
Antagonist – The person or force who is against the protagonist.
Types of Conflict:
1) Person versus Person (a conflict between individuals)
2) Person versus Him/Herself (an internal struggle)
3) Person versus Society (the momentum of social forces or institutions are in
opposition to an individual
4) Person versus Nature ( a person struggles against natural – from earth- forces)
5) Person versus Supernatural (a person struggles with forces outside our earth)
6) Person versus Machine (a person struggles with a force made by humankind)
Setting – The time, place and duration. Setting can be used to enhance the mood.
Where: rooms, buildings, cities, countries, planets, imaginary worlds, environments
When: hour, day or night, specific date, month, year, era, season, past, present, and future
Universal Setting – A setting in which no specific time or place is given. This is done to make a story less likely to become dated, and to focus the reader’s attention on other aspects of the story.
Mood/Atmosphere – The dominant emotional effect or appeal of a literary work, which encourages expectation in the reader regarding the coming course of events (i.e. whether happy, disastrous, or terrifying).
Tone - The writer’s attitude toward the readers and toward the subject. A writer’s tone may be formal or informal, friendly or distant, personal or pompous, etc…
Characters – A person (or sometimes an animal) who takes part in the action of a literary work. A character that plays and important role in a story is called a major character. A character that does not play an important role is called a minor character. Good characters are realistic or plausible, consistent in the way they act through the whole story, and have clear reasons for their actions.
Types of Characters:
1) Flat or Round
Flat – can be described using one or two traits
Round – have complex and multi-sided personalities
2) Static or Dynamic/Developing
Static – do not change from the beginning to the end of the story
Dynamic – experience a permanent change to their personality or attitude through the events in the story
3) Archetype – represent general, universal types or stereotypes (i.e. wise old person, hero, victim)
Characterization – The act of creating and developing a character. Characters’ traits can be specifically stated by the author, or they can be revealed indirectly (through their thoughts, words, deeds; through descriptions of their appearance; or through the statements, thoughts, or actions of other characters).
Point of View – The perspective from which a story is told
Narrator – The person or character who tells the story
Types of Points of View:
1) 1st Person –The events are seen through the eyes of a narrator, who is a character in the story. It is characterized by the use of “I”, or sometimes “we”. The reader is limited to the knowledge, location and abilities of the narrator.
2) 3rd Person – The story unfolds through the limited perceptions of one character. Characterized by the use of “he”, “she”, and “they”.
3) Omniscient – The narrator is outside of the story, observing the thoughts and actions of more than one character. Therefore, all is known including the thoughts of each character, activities both past and present, and simultaneous occurrences.
Theme – The main idea, concern, moral, purpose or underlying message of the story. In a serious piece of literature, the theme is usually expressed indirectly rather than directly and requires the reader to deduce it from the narrative details of the text. It can be discovered by asking what the reader learned about life from the story.
Foreshadowing – The clues that hint at what is going to happen later in the plot. It is used to increase the reader’s curiosity, build suspense, and help prepare the reader to accept events that occur later in the story.
Flashback – A scene from the past interrupts a narrative in the present, usually to demonstrate a change in a character or to illustrate an important point.
Symbol – Something that represents something else. For example the lion can symbolize courage.
Imagery – The descriptive language used in literature to create sensory experiences (i.e. metaphors, similes, alliteration, euphony, cacophony, etc…)
Suspense – The feeling of being uncertain about an outcome, used by authors to create tension, excitement, or anxiety.
Irony – When a contrast is created between what is expected and what is the reality or between what is said and what is truly meant. There are three main classifications used to describe irony:
1) Verbal Irony – A statement says the opposite of what it means. e.g. a character says: What a great day for a picnic” during a thunderstorm. The character speaking is aware of the irony.
2) Dramatic Irony – This occurs when the audience or readers knows something the characters do not know. Another character may share the ironic awareness with the audience, but the important distinction is that the character who ways or does something is not aware of the ironic implications.
3) Situational Irony – Events turn out the opposite of what is expected.
Endings - 1) Summary/Wrap-up ending (a conclusive outcome)
2) Open ending (inconclusive)
3) Ironic twist (the unexpected happens; a surprise)
4) Anti-climactic (a ‘lite’ ending; less than expected)