Literary Elements

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Literary Elements
Mrs. Bannen Sixth Grade Reading
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Text Structure

• The particular order or pattern a writer uses to
  present ideas. The way a piece of writing is
  organized.
• One type of text structure is Compare and
  Contrast. This is when an author tells the ways
  that people, things, or ideas are alike and
  different.
• Another type of text structure is
  Problem-and-Solution. This is when the author
  states a problem and suggests a solution.

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Authors Purpose

• What the author tries to do by writing a
  particular work.
• There are four main purposes authors use when
  writing entertain, inform, persuade, and express
  emotions.
• Knowing the authors purpose helps you understand
  why you are reading.

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Authors Perspective

• The combination of experiences, values, and ideas
  that shape the way the author looks at the world.
  
• - Being aware of the authors perspective helps
  you understand why the author has chosen to tell
  a story in a certain way.

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Character

• 1. The person, animal or creature in a work of
  fiction
• or
• 2. The characteristics of a person or creature.

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Character Continued

• The protagonist is the good guy.

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Character Continued

• The person, creature, or force who opposes the
  main character is the antagonist.

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Character Continued

• Minor Characters are ones who take part in the
  action, but who is not the focus of attention.
• Main Characters are the characters who are
  central to a story and typically fully developed.
• Flat Characters are one sided or stereotypical.
• Round Characters are fully developed and exhibit
  many traits often both faults and virtues.
• Dynamic Characters change or grow during the
  course of a work.
• Static Characters do not change through the
  course of a work.

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Character Continued

• A character in a folktale that is usually smaller
  and weaker than the opponent but has the
  advantage of cleverness is called a trickster.

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Characterization

• Characterization is the way a writer develops a
  characters personality.
• There are two types of characterization
• Direct Characterization the storys narrator
  makes direct statements about a characters
  personality.
• Indirect Characterization the writer reveals a
  characters personality through the characters
  words and actions and through what others
  characters think and say about them.

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The Setting

• Setting-The time and location where the story
  takes place.
• a)  place - geographical location.  Where is the
  action of the story taking place?
• b)  time - When is the story taking place?
  (historical period, time of day, year, etc)
• c)  weather conditions - Is it rainy, sunny,
  stormy, etc?

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The Setting

• d)  social conditions - What is the daily life of
  the character like? Does the story contain local
  color (writing that focuses on the speech, dress,
  mannerisms, customs, traditions, etc. of a
  particular place)?
• e)  mood or atmosphere - What feeling is created
  at the beginning of the story?  Is it bright and
  cheerful or dark and frightening?
• f) In most stories the setting serves as the
  backdrop a context in which the characters
  interact.

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Setting Continued

• Sensory details information that appeals to the
  readers five senses and brings the story to
  life. (ex the open-air theatres rocked with
  laughing crowds)
• Concrete details information that is specific.
  (ex life in Ohio)

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The Plot-Its a sequence

• Plot- How the author arranges events to develop
  his/her idea or the sequence of events in a
  literary work.
• a)  Exposition - The beginning of the story where
  the characters and the setting are revealed.
• b)  Rising Action - This is where the events in
  the story become complicated and the conflict in
  the story is revealed (events between the
  introduction and climax).
• c) Narrative Hook The part of the story that
  gets the reader interested in the story. Its
  what makes you want to read more.

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The Plot-Its a sequence

• d)  Climax - This is the highest point of
  interest and the turning point of the story.  The
  reader wonders what will happen next will the
  conflict be resolved or not?
• e)  Falling action - The events and complications
  begin to resolve themselves.  The reader knows
  what has happened next and if the conflict was
  resolved or not (events between climax and
  denouement).
• f)  Resolution - This is the final outcome or
  untangling of events in the story.

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Plot Continued
Plot diagram
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Conflict

• Conflict- A struggle between opposing forces.

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Conflict Continued

• There are two categories of conflict 1) 
  External - A struggle with an outside force
  outside.
• 2)  Internal - A struggle within one's self a
  person must make some decision, overcome pain,
  quiet their temper, resist an urge, etc.

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Conflict Continued

• More specific types of conflict
• 1)  Character vs. Character (physical) - The
  leading character struggles with his physical
  strength against other characters, forces of
  nature, or animals.
• 2)  Character vs. Society (social) - The leading
  character struggles against ideas, practices, or
  customs of other people.

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Conflict Continued

• More specific types of conflict
• 3)  Character vs. Self (psychological) -  The
  leading character struggles with himself/herself
  with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong,
  physical limitations, choices, etc.
• 4) Character vs. Nature The leading character
  struggles with some force of nature trying to
  climb an extremely tall mountain in the rain,
  fighting a snowstorm to save a friend who is hurt

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Point of View

• Point of View- the perspective, or vantage point,
  from which the story is told.
• Three commonly used points of view are
• First - Person
• Omniscient Third - Person
• Limited Third - Person

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Point of View Cont

• In First-Person point of view, the narrator is a
  character in the story and refers to himself or
  herself with the pronoun I.

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Point of View Cont

• In stories from the Omniscient Third-Person point
  of view, the narrator knows and understands what
  each character thinks and feels. We are told
  everything about the story (all characters).
• In stories from the Limited Third-Person point of
  view, the narrator shares the inner thoughts of
  feelings of one character, and everything is
  viewed from this characters perspective.

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Foreshadowing

• Foreshadowing- A hint about what is going to
  happen next.
• For example, If you hear this (Jaws Theme)you
  know someone is going to be eaten.

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Flashback

• Flashback an interruption in the normal time
  order of a story to show an event that happened
  earlier.
• - it may help explain, clarify, or add emphasis
  to the main events of the story.

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Theme

• Theme- The authors underlying main idea,
  purpose, or feeling they are trying to convey.
  The message about life the author wants to share.
  
• Some simple examples of common themes from
  literature, TV, and film are
• - Things are not always as they appear to be
• - Love is blind
• - Believe in yourself
• - People are afraid of change

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Theme

• A theme may be stated directly by the writer
  however, most themes are not directly stated but
  are hidden.

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Theme Continued

• When folktales from different cultures have
  similar themes they are called universal themes
• What could the universal theme of these three
  stories be?

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