FICTION It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it. ~Oscar Wilde

LITERATURE FICTION POETRYDRAMA

Elements of Literature ThemePlot Point of view Setting Style, Tone & Language Symbol Characters

Theme  Can be broad or narrow, central or peripheral  Common themes include: a. “coming of age”—maturation b. loss of innocence c. family ties d. self-awareness  Is conveyed through: a. emphasis of certain events or images b. actions and reactions of characters

Plot  It’s the pattern of actions, events, and situations, used expressively by the writer to create suspense, sadness, humor, excitement, etc.  Can be simple or complex  Emphasizes the relationships between the characters, events, and situations.  Contains the conflict  Diagram:

Setting  This is the time and the place in the story, the details of which are important to our understanding of the entire meaning of the story.  Look at these contexts when reading: Historical context - social, political, economic, and cultural environment was surrounding the story Geographical context location may help explain the behavior of the characters. Can provide the reader with clues about the story’s theme or can act as foreshadowing. Physical context Outdoor settings may free a character from the social norms of behavior for a time.

Style  Style is the way a writer selects and arranges words, sentences, and paragraphs.  Style encompasses word choice, sentence length and structure, and the presence or prominence of imagery and figures of speech.

Tone  Tone is the attitude of the author toward the subject and can be revealed through the narrator’s attitude and actions.  The tone of the story can be playful, humorous, ironic, satirical, serious, somber, bitter, condescending, formal or informal, critical or supportive, just to list a few.

Language  The language that the characters use gives us an idea of their location and social class.  Formal language uses elaborate, complex sentences and may include figurative language.  Informal language is consistent with everyday speech. It can sometimes provide clues to the character’s

Symbol  Symbol can be a person, object, action, place, or event that, in addition to its literal meaning, suggests a more complex meaning. Some symbols are relatively obvious, others are more difficult to detect and analyze.

Character(s) A character is a fictional representation of a person. Usually, but not always, it’s a psychologically realistic depiction. Characters are “developed” in two ways: 1. The narrator who gives us info about what the characters are doing or thinking, what they look like, how they’re dressed, what values they hold. 2. The character’s personality traits and/or motivation(s) may be revealed through actions, dialogue, or thoughts.

Character(s)—Round or Flat  A “round” character is well-developed in the story and is closely involved in and is responsive to the action in the story. This is a character that the reader can clearly identify as a main character.  A “flat” character is one that is barely developed or is stereotypical. It’s harder for the reader to get involved with this character or to care what happens to him/her in the course of the story. An example might be the stereotypical “drunk” in a Wild West story. Which Character Type applies to you????

Character(s)—Dynamic or Static  Characters can be classified as either “dynamic” or “static.”  A dynamic character grows and changes in a significant way throughout the course of the story as he/she reacts to events and other characters. Dynamic characters sometimes experience epiphanies.  A static character, on the other hand, may face the exact same challenges as the dynamic character, but will remain unchanged by events or other characters. If the static character is selfish and arrogant at the beginning of the story, he/she will be the same way at the end of the story.

Point of View  Who’s telling the story? Do we have a narrator?  Questions to ask yourself about the narrator: 1.Is he/she reliable or unreliable? If the narrator is crazy, jealous, self-serving, mistaken, confused, etc., then the reader may questions the reliability of the story he/she is telling. 2.Is the narrator a participating character, or is the narrator telling the story from an omniscient point of view? 3.Is the narrator naïve? The reader can see that the narrator’s background limits his/her ability to understand a situation.  Can we see into the mind(s) of the character(s)?