Literary Elements

1. Literary Elements English 11

2. Characters- • Static- Does not go through any kind of change • Dynamic- Goes through some kind of change • Flat- Only one or two traits; often a secondary character, Stereotyped , shallow • Round- Complex, realistic character • Antagonist- Usually the Villain, Person who opposes or competes with the main character • Protagonist- Main character, hero or heroine

3. Direct Vs. Indirect Characterization • Indirect- Revealing a character’s personality through the character’s thoughts, words and actions, another character’s comments or the character’s physical appearance • Direct- information is revealed directly through the author’s statements. • “Sam had two brothers, Ted and Fred” • Setting – • Where and when a story takes place • Usually a story has more than one setting • Must be described in detail

4. Point of View • First person- Narrator tells the story ( I & Me) • Second Person- Narrator directly addresses reader (You) • Third Person- Narrator is not part of the story (He, she & they)

5. Theme- • Message or meaning of a story • What lesson should you learn from this story ?

6. Plot Diagram • Structure of literature Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and ResolutionExposition- Introduction- Contains Setting and CharactersRising Action- A character tries to solve a conflict with a series of eventsClimax- Tensest moment of the storyFalling Action- Characters begin to apply a solution to the conflict and tie up loose endsResolution – Resolution of the conflict Denouement- (day-new-mahn) Outcome or resolution of the plot

7. Types of Conflict • *Man versus ManConflict that pits one person against another. • *Man versus NatureA run-in with the forces of nature. On the one hand, it expresses the insignificance of a single human life in the cosmic scheme of things. On the other hand, it tests the limits of a person’s strength and will to live. • *Man versus SocietyThe values and customs by which everyone else lives are being challenged. The character may come to an untimely end as a result of his or her own convictions. The character may, on the other hand, bring others around to a sympathetic point of view, or it may be decided that society was right after all. • *Man versus SelfInternal conflict. Not all conflict involves other people. Sometimes people are their own worst enemies. An internal conflict is a good test of a character’s values. Does he give in to temptation or rise above it? Does he demand the most from himself or settle for something less? Does he even bother to struggle? The internal conflicts of a character

8. Foreshadowing- Hints during a narrative about what will happen in the future • Imagery-Creation of mental pictures by pertinent word choice • Hyperbole- Use of extreme exaggeration for effect • Foil- Character opposite or different from the protagonist, used to highlight the protagonists’ traits (incidents and settings can be foils)

9. Irony • Verbal irony: a writer or speaker says one thing but really means the opposite. Many rich examples of verbal irony exist in Julius Caesar. One is “Brutus says Caesar was ambitious, and Brutus is an honorable man.” Who speaks this quote? • Situational irony: occurs when the situation turns out to be the opposite of what we expect. Why is Brutus stabbing Caesar an example of situational irony? • Dramatic irony: occurs when the reader or audience knows something important that the character in the story does not know. Identify an example of dramatic irony from the play that involves Cassius.