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ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE. PART TWO: PLOT & SETTING English I Honors Mr. Popovich. Preview Activity. As you prepare to take lecture notes, think about what is required in order to tell a good story. On the card provided, write the world’s shortest short story– in 140 characters !
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ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE PART TWO: PLOT & SETTING English I Honors Mr. Popovich
Preview Activity As you prepare to take lecture notes, think about what is required in order to tell a good story. On the card provided, write the world’s shortest short story– in 140 characters! Tip: Use your phone to write a draft. Twitter Story Rules • txt rulz 4U– use “text language” • make it as interesting as possible • remember: spaces are a character
What Is Plot? Plotis the sequence of events that compose a story. In essence, the plot is what happens. One way to analyze plot is to divide it into thirds. Consider this three-word plot summary of the Gallic War by Julius Caesar in Latin: Beginning Middle End Veni, I came, Vidi, I saw, Vici. I won.
Elements of Plot However, we will divide plot into four elements. Climax most suspenseful moment Complications new problems arise Resolution problems solved Expositionbasic situation
Plot: Exposition The exposition of the plot establishes the basic situation in which the writer introduces: • a main character who wants something and • encounters a conflict while trying to get it The conflict is the “engine” that “drives” the plot– it is why the action happens!!!!
Types of Conflict The conflict is a struggle between opposing characters, groups, forces, or emotions. • The conflict can be external: • character vs. character • character vs. society • character vs. nature • The conflict can be internal: • character vs. self
Plot: Complications Next is a series of complications—events that make the character’s situation more difficult and so heighten the suspense of the story. “. . . and as she trembled the medal for obedience clinked against the medals for good conduct and punctuality. The wolf was just moving away when he heard the sound of the medals clinking and stopped to listen. . . .” from “The Storyteller” by Saki
Order of Events The events that serve to complicate the plot can be told in several different ways. • Chronological order– thewriter tells the events in the order in which they happened. • Flashback– the writer interrupts the present action with a scene or scenes from the past. • Flash-forward– the writer gives a glimpse into the character’s future. • Foreshadowing– the writer hints at something that will happen later in the plot.
Plot: Climax Eventually the plot reaches a climax, which • is the highest point of emotional intensity and • generally decides the resolution of the conflict “He dashed into the bush, his pale grey eyes gleaming with ferocity and triumph. . . .” from “The Storyteller” by Saki In a typical short story, the climax occurs near the end. Consequently, there is little or no falling action.
Plot: Resolution The last element of plot is the resolution of the conflict, also known as the denouement. • The problems are resolved in some way. • The story ends— whether happily or not. “All that was left of her were her shoes, bits of clothing, and the three medals for goodness.” from “The Storyteller” by Saki Reading Tip The resolution of the conflict is almost always a clue to the overall theme of the work!
What is Setting? Setting is part of the basic situation in the exposition. It draws us into the world of a story. The details of setting usually tell us: • the place: where these events are happening • the time: when these events are happening • the atmosphere or mood: how the situation feels
Setting: Place The details about the place where the story happens are an essential part of the story. • The details of place almost always describe the story’s specific geographical location • The details of place may also include a people’s customs– how they live, the clothes they wear, the food they eat, etc.
Setting: Time The setting also reveals the time of the action. an historical era a season of the year a time of the day
Setting: Atmosphere The setting can also add to a story’s emotional effect on the reader—its atmosphereor mood. relaxed, carefree foreboding, mysterious lonely, sad
Mood vs. Tone The details of setting can create a mood in the reader, but they can also express a tone— the writer’s attitude toward a subject or character. Consider this brief passage by Mark Twain. What is the mood created? What details reveal the tone? The furniture of the hut was neither gorgeous nor much in the way.The rocking-chairs and sofas were not present, and never had been, but they were represented by two three-legged stools, a pine-board bench four feet long, and two empty candle-boxes. The table was a greasy board on stilts, and the table-cloth and napkins had not come—and they were not looking for them, either. from Roughing It by Mark Twain
Review Questions 1. What are the four elements of a plot? Exposition, Complications, Climax, Resolution 2. What is the engine that drives the plot? The Conflict explains why the plot happens. 3. List three examples of external conflicts. Character vs. Character, Society, Nature 4. What are the three elements of the setting? Time, Place, Atmosphere (or Mood) 5. What is the difference between mood and tone? Mood is an effect created in the reader; Tone is the general attitude of the writer.
