Literary Elements…

Flashback Interruption in the present action of a plot to show events that happened at an earlier time. Usually gives background information. Example:“I looked at the long dirt road that crawled across the plains, remembering the morning that Mama died, cruel and sunny. They had come for her in a wagon and taken her away.”

Foreshadowing The use of clues or hints to suggest events that will occur later in the plot. Used to build suspense Example: For example, a gun found under a mattress in chapter two of a novel may foreshadow violence later in the story. Because the gun's presence is established, the violence later in the story is more believable.

irony A contrast between expectation and reality. Can create humor or strong emotion There are three types of irony…

Verbal irony Contrast between what is said (or written) and what is really meant. i.e. Calling a baseball player who just struck out a “slugger”

Situational irony What happens is very different than what you expect to happen. i.e. Someone strikes out who is the best player on the team and everyone depends on.

Dramatic irony When the audience or reader knows something that the characters do not know. i.e. in a scary movie when you know what is about to happen and you are yelling at the character.

symbolism A person, place, thing, or event that has a meaning in itself and stands for something beyond itself as well. The bald eagle for example is a symbol of the United states.

What is the picture on the cover of this magazine symbolic of? How is your to answer an example of irony? Think Outside the box!!!

mood The overall feeling or atmosphere of the story i.e. scary, happy, sad, eerie In the circuit the hot sun beating down on the workers helps create the mood of oppression.

Mood lethargic lonely merciless moody morose nauseated nervous nightmarish numb overwhelmed amused awed bouncy calm cheerful chipper confident contemplative content

tone The attitude the writer takes toward the subject, characters, and audience. i.e. humorous, sincere, passionate Example the following is written with a humorous tone… A campesino looked at the air and told me: With hurricanes it's not the wind or the noise or the water. I'll tell you he said: it's the mangoes, avocados, green plantains, and bananas flying into town like projectiles. How would your family feel if they had to tell the generations that you got killed by a flying banana.

Tone reverent apprehensive romantic belligerent sanguine bewildered scholarly self-assured sentimental serene silly apprehensive belligerent bewildered biting bitter blunt bossy cold

Cindy stared out the broken window at the dark, gloomy clouds as her finger traced the single raindrop making its way down the glass thinking about the argument she had with her boyfriend Mike which caused them to break-up. What examples of symbolism can you identify in the passage above? What are different meanings for the ideas identified? Why did the consideration of the different meanings help you understand the writing? What is the advantage of using symbols over just using the literal terms?

Paul Laurence Dunbar - We Wear the Mask We wear the mask that grins and lies, It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,-- This debt we pay to human guile; With torn and bleeding hearts we smile, And mouth with myriad subtleties. Why should the world be overwise, In counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while We wear the mask. We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries To thee from tortured souls arise. We sing, but oh the clay is vile Beneath our feet, and long the mile; But let the world dream otherwise, We wear the mask!