1. What parts make up a story?
STORY ELEMENTS
What parts make up a story?

2. Story ELEMENTS
Setting
Characters
Point of View
Plot
Conflict
Theme

3. Setting Time and place where the action occurs Details that describe:
Furniture
Scenery
Customs
Transportation
Clothing
Dialects
Weather
Time of day
Time of year

4. Elements of a Setting

5. The Functions of a Setting
We left the home place behind, mile by slow mile, heading for the mountains, across the prairie where the wind blew forever.
At first there were four of us with one horse wagon and its skimpy load. Pa and I walked, because I was a big boy of eleven. My two little sisters romped and trotted until they got tired and had to be boosted up to the wagon bed.
That was no covered Conestoga, like Pa’s folks came West in, but just an old farm wagon, drawn by one weary horse, creaking and rumbling westward to the mountains, toward the little woods town where Pa thought he had an old uncle who owned a little two-bit sawmill.
To create a mood or atmosphere
To show a reader a different way of life
To make action seem more real
To be the source of conflict or struggle
To symbolize an idea
Taken from “The Day the Sun Came Out” by D. Johnson

6. Types of Characters People or animals Major characters
Minor characters
Protagonist
Antagonist
Round characters
Flat characters
Static characters
Dynamic characters

7. TYPES OF CHARACTERS
Protagonist – the main character in a literary work. Usually the hero/heroine, but could be a villain.
Antagonist – the principal character in opposition to the protagonist or hero/heroine in a literary work (foil).

8. TYPES OF CHARACTERS
Round characters – well developed; change over time (dynamic); we get to know a lot about them – usually major characters
Flat characters – appear in the story, but we only know the basics of who they are (name, job, etc); do not change (static)

9. Characterization
A writer reveals what a character is like and how the character changes throughout the story.
Two primary methods of characterization:
Direct- writer tells what the character is like
Indirect- writer shows what a character is like by describing what the character looks like, by telling what the character says and does, and by what other characters say about and do in response to the character.

10. Direct Characterization
…And I don’t play the dozens or believe in standing around with somebody in my face doing a lot of talking. I much rather just knock you down and take my chances even if I’m a little girl with skinny arms and a squeaky voice, which is how I got the name Squeaky.
From “Raymond’s Run” by T. Bambara

11. Indirect Characterization
The old man bowed to all of us in the room. Then he removed his hat and gloves, slowly and carefully. Chaplin once did that in a picture, in a bank--he was the janitor.
From “Gentleman of Rio en Medio” by J. Sedillo

12. Elements of Character

13. Factors in Analyzing Characters
Physical appearance of character
Personality
Background/personal history
Motivation
Relationships
Conflict
Does character change?

14. “JUNE” STORY ELEMENTS SETTING MAIN CHARACTER MINOR CHARACTERS
POINT OF VIEW
INTERNAL CONFLICT/SOLUTION
EXTERNAL CONFLICT/SOLUTION
THEME
MOOD
TONE
PLOT – ON A PLOT MAP

15. Plot
The series of events in a story is called the story’s plot. A plot usually centers around a conflict – a problem faced by the main character. In a typical plot, the action that the characters take to solve the problems builds, or rises, toward a climax, an important decision that becomes the turning point of the story. At that point, or shortly afterward, the action falls. The problem may be solved or changed and the story ends.

17. Parts of a Plot
Exposition – Characters and setting are introduced – (protagonist/antagonist )– an opening situation that gives rise to conflict
Rising Action - events that occur as the conflict is introduced – interest and suspense builds
Climax- highest point of interest or suspense of story – the main character comes face to face with the conflict and changes in some way (turning point)
Falling Action - all of the action which follows the climax – loose ends are tied – the conflict/climax are taken care of
Solution/Resolution/Denouement- the story comes to a reasonable conclusion

18. Diagram of Plot Climax Falling Action Exposition
Highest action – Main character face to face with conflict
Falling Action
Loose ends tied – conflict/climax taken care of
Rising Action Conflicts develop- Interest and suspense builds
Resolution/Solution/
Denouement
The story comes to a reasonable ending
Exposition
Characters and Setting are introduced - Inciting incident/ Opening situation (protagonist/antagonist)

19. Special Techniques of Plot
Suspense- excitement or tension
Foreshadowing- hint or clue about what will happen in story
Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of events to tell about something that happened in the past
Surprise Ending - conclusion that reader does not expect

20. Conflict Conflict is a struggle between opposing forces
Every plot must contain some kind of conflict
Stories can have more than one conflict
Conflicts can be external or internal
External conflict- outside force may be person, group, animal, nature, or a nonhuman obstacle
Internal conflict- takes place in a character’s mind

21. EXTERNAL CONFLICT A struggle with an outside force:
1) Man versus Man – a physical/verbal conflict with a person or group.
2) Man versus Nature - a conflict with an animal, weather, plant, or physical feature.
3) Man versus Society – a conflict with a social institution such as the government/police.

22. INTERNAL CONFLICT
This conflict that takes place in a character’s mind. A decision that a character has to make or a problem that they have to solve.

23. Theme
A central message about life or human nature that is conveyed by a work of literature.
Can be expressed by one or two sentence statements about human beings or about life.
May be stated directly or implied (you must figure it out).

24. DERIVING THEME Title - may give a clue to the theme.
Character – review the actions, thoughts, and concerns of the main characters. Ask what the main character has learned or how the character has changed.
Setting – Notice how setting affects the characters, plot, and mood.
Plot – How are the conflicts resolved?

25. DERIVING THEME
TITLE / CHARACTER/ SETTING/ PLOT

26. POINT OF VIEW
Point of view refers to how a writer chooses to narrate a story. Every story is told from a particular point of view or perspective. Usually, a story is told from either the first person or the third-person point of view.
TYPES:
First Person – The narrator is a character in the story who can reveal only personal thoughts and feelings and what he or she sees and is told by other characters. He/she can’t tell us thoughts of other characters. Pronouns such as I, me, and we are used.

27. Third Person: A story is told from the third-person point of view has a narrator who is outside the story and uses pronouns such as he, she, and they. There are two types of third person point of view. Third Person Omniscient (all-knowing)- The narrator is an all-knowing outsider who can enter the minds of more than one of the characters to relate their thoughts and feelings. Third Person Limited - The narrator is an outsider who sees into the mind of one of the characters to reveal what that character thinks, feels, and observes.

28. Second Person: This point of view appears in directions such as the taking of medications, cooking, or putting something together. An example would be: Take two tablets every four hours. Do not exceed eight tablets in twenty-four hours.

29. MOOD AND TONE MOOD (YOU)
A mood is a feeling that a literary work conveys to readers. Writers carefully chose words and phrases to create moods. A mood is an emotion such as sadness, excitement or anger. (Mood is the emotion(s) that you, the reader feel(s) as you read a text.)
TONE (AUTHOR)
The tone of a work conveys the writer’s attitude toward his or her subject. A work may have one tone throughout, such as humorous, serious, or impatient. Sometimes, however, the tone may change several times in the course of a work. (Tone is how the writer feels.)

30. CHANGING TONE
ORIGINAL Lepton, the yellow Labrador, lay napping in the sun room. Visions of cats filled his dreams as he slept soundly. CONFRONTATIONAL Lepton awoke from his sleep with a start – the hair on his back as stiff as a brush. He stared intently out the window of the sun room, barking loudly at any moving object. The angry canine pressed his nose against the windowpane, growling and snapping at all living creatures.

31. MYSTERIOUS
As Lepton, the yellow Labrador, lay napping in the sun room, a shadowy presence lurched into the doorway. Piercing green eyes glared at the sleeping canine as a bony hand flipped the light switch off… SARCASTIC Lepton, the ferocious guard dog, lay in his usual position – on his back. Instead of vigilantly surveying the yard for intruders, he snored loudly. “Wow!” exclaimed Dennis, “I’ve never seen such an active dog. Boy I sure feel protected with this wild beast around.”

32. POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, OR NEUTRAL
Directions: Write a (+) next to words with a positive feeling; write a (-) next to words with a negative feeling; write an “N” next to words that are neutral. Feeling Words happy excited frustrated confused angry sad surprised anxious scared unhappy nervous relieved relaxed reassured passionate embarrassed irritated disappointed uncertain skeptical optimistic restless threatened offended heartbroken mournful bored guilty

33. Tone Scene 1. humorous 2. suspicious 3. angry 4. compassionate
5. sarcastic
6. supportive 7. energetic 8. guilty 9. nervous 10. disappointed

34. “June” Story Elements Setting Main Character Minor Characters
Point of View
Internal Conflict/Solution
External Conflict/Solution
Theme
Mood
Tone
Plot in a Plot Map