Literary Elements Notes Flashcards
5 Stages of the Plot
- Exposition
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Resolution
Types of Character
- Protagonist
- Antagonist
- Foil
- Dynamic
- Static
- Round
- Flat
- Stock
Protagonist
main character in the work
Antagonist
the character or force who directly opposes the protagonist
Climax
This is the turning point of the story The protagonist makes a decision that cannot be reversed. usually the point of greatest suspense
types of external conflicts
- Man v. Man
- Man v. Supernatural
- Man. v. Machine
- Man v Society
- Man v. Nature
Exposition
Background information needed for understanding: creates tone gives setting introduces characters
Rising action
Complications that intensify the situation, continues through the conflict to the crisis.
Falling action
Emphasizes the activity of forces against the protagonist. it is usually shorter than the rising action the end is a result of the decision made by the protagonist during the climax
Resolution
Literally unknotting. it is the final unraveling of the plot; the solution of a mystery; the explanation or outcome
Character
An imagined person in the story
Dynamic
Changes in someway throughout the story
Static
Changes little if at all. The reader’s view of this character may change although the character itself does not
Flat
A character which is constructed a round a single idea or quality
Round
A complex and multifaceted character
Stock
Conventional character types a.k.a. stereotypes. Readers can identify these characters because they’re familiar with the path
Foil
These occur in pairs. Literally a leaf of bright mental placed under a jewel to increase its brilliance. A character, who through contrast, emphasizes the distinct characteristics of another character
Characterization
The creation of imaginary person so that they seem lifelike. There are two major types
Direct characterization
The author tells the reader directly with the character is like
Indirect characterization
The author uses one of the following methods to convey information to the reader about the character. 1. Speech
- actions 3. private thoughts 4. appearance
- responsive of other characters
Motivation
The reasons and justifications and explanations for the action of a character. Results form a combination of a character’s moral nature with the circumstances in which the character is placed. Understanding the motivation helps the reader effectively analyze the character
Conflict
The struggle between two opposing forces. There are two major types, but readers will rarely see just one
Point of view
Refers to who tells the story and how it’s told. Point of view can contribute to meeting and review the author’s attitude toward a subject
Internal conflict
Man versus himself. Struggles with his personality
Narrator
The person who’s telling the story
Third person narrator
- Omniscient
- Limited omniscient
- Objective
Omniscient narrator
- Narrator is all-knowing
- Reports the characters thoughts feelings and actions
- Can move from place to place, time to time, character to character
Editorial omniscience
Narration that gives evaluative statements about the character
Neutral omniscience
Narration that allows the characters’ actions and thoughts to speak for themselves
Limited omniscient narrator
- Often restricted to the perspective of one character maybe two
- The reader will see people events and places as the way they appear to the chosen character
- The reader will have access to the thoughts and feelings of the chosen character
Objective narrator
- Employs a narrator who does not see into the mind of any character
- Detached and impersonal perspective
- The narrator reports action and dialogue without giving any thoughts or feelings.
- Places a heavy premium and dialogue, actions, and details to reveal a character.
First- Person Narrator
- The I presents the point of view of only character’s consciousness, so the reader is restricted to the thoughts and feelings of that single character
- Can be from the perspective of a major or minor character
Unreliable Narrator
a narrator whose interpretation of the events is different from the author’s.
Naive Narrator
these narrators lack the sophistication to interpret accurately what they see. They are unreliable because the reader must go beyond their understanding to comprehend the situations described
Setting
the background against which action takes place
elements of the setting
- the geography location its topography, scenery, and such physical arrangements
- the occupation and daily manner of living of the characters
- the time period in which the action takes place, for example,epoch in history or season in the year
- the general environment of the characters, for example, religious, mental, moral, social, or emotional conditions
Irony
A device that reveals a reality different from what appears to be true
verbal irony
a person saying one thing but meaning the opposite. In literature, verbal irony is usually not openly aggressive, it is usually more subtle and restrained
sarcasm
verbal irony that is calculated to hurt someone, false praise
situational irony
exists when there is an incongruity between what is expected to happen and what does happen. The ironic situation creates a distinction between appearances and realities, leading the reader closer to the central meaning of the story (THEME)
Dramatic Irony
creates discrepancy between what a character believes or says, and what the reader understands to be true. can be effective way for an author to have a character unwittingly reveal himself/herself
symbol
a person, object, or event, that suggests more than its literal meaning
conventional symbols
symbols that are widely recognized by a society or culture
Example of an object as a symbol
christian cross, star of david, a swastiska
example of an experience as a symbol
(winter, setting sun, black)=death, (spring rising sun, green) = life
literary symbols
- can include traditional, conventional, or public meaning, but it may also be established internally for the context of the literary work.
- can be setting, character’s actions, objects, names, or anything else that maintains its literal significance while suggesting other meanings.
- are economical devices for evoking complex without explaining every nuance.
allegory
when a character, object, or incident, indicates a single, fixed meaning. the primary focus in an allegory is the abstract idea identified by the concrete object
flashback
a literary device that informs the reader about events that happened before the opening scene of a work. Various methods may be used including recollections of characters, narration by characters, dream sequences, and daydreams.
Foreshawdowing
a suggestion of what is coming. Can result from the mood or atmosphere, an event that suggests the later actions. the appearance of physical objects, facts(like clues in a detective story), or from the revelation of a specific character trait. Its purpose is to prepare the reader for action to come.
Suspense
Anticipation of the outcome of events particularly as they affect the character for whom the reader has sympathy.
Two methods of suspense
- The outcome is uncertain and the suspense resides in the question of who what or how
- The outcome is inevitable based on previous events and the suspense is in the readers anxious or frightened Anticipation of the when
Theme
The main idea or meaning of the story. It is what unifies the plot, characters, setting, point of view, symbols, and other elements of a story.
Guidelines to determining theme
- Pay attention to the title of the story
- Look for details that have potential symbolic meaning
- Decide whether the protagonist changes or develops some important insight as a result of the action
- They should be expressed in one sentence
- The theme statement should be generalized
- Don’t use clichés
- Some stories emphasized themes less than others
Basic procedure of determining theme
- List the subjects of work
- Decide what statement the story is making about one subject
- Express that is a complete sentence or two. Make sure the statement is a generalization not specific to the story
