Literary Elements

1. Literary Elements Character Development

2. Character • People created by the writer • Protagonist • Antagonist • Foil • Static character • Dynamic character • Explicit Judgment • Implied Judgment

3. Protagonist Major character at the center of the story

4. Antagonist A character or force that opposes the protagonist

5. Foil A character who provides a contrast to the protagonist

6. Static Character A character who remains the same throughout the story

7. Dynamic Character • A character who changes in some important way

8. Characterization • How writers reveal the personalities of the characters • Bless my soulHerc was on a rollPerson of the week in every Greek opinion pollWhat a proHerc could stop a showPoint him at a monster and you're talking SROHe was a no oneA zero, zeroNow he's a honchoHe's a heroHere was a kid with his act down patFrom zero to hero in no time flatZero to hero just like thatWhen he smiledThe girls went wild withoohs and aahsAnd they slapped his faceOn ev'ry vase(on ev'ry "vase")From appearance fees and royaltiesOur Herc had cash to burnNow nouveau riche and famousHe could tell youWhat the Greeks should earn.Say amenThere he goes againSweet and undefeatedAnd an awesome 10 for 10Folks lined upJust to watch him flexAnd this perfect packagepacked a pair of pretty pecsHercie, he comesHe sees, he conquersHoney, the crowds wereGoing bonkersHe showed the moxie brains, and spunkFrom zero to hero a major hunkZero to hero and who'dathunkWho put the glad in gladiator?Hercules!Whose daring deeds are great theater?HerculesIsn't he bold?No one braverIsn't he sweetOur favorite flavorHercules, Hercules,Hercules, HerculesHercules, HerculesBless my soulHerc was on a rollUndefeatedRiding highAnd the nicest guynot conceitedHe was a nothin'A zero, zeroNow he's a honchoHe's a heroHe hit the heights at breakneck speedFrom zero to heroHerc is a heroNow he's a heroYes indeed!

9. Homework • Pick a Movie • Identify the character types in the movie and explain why • Protagonist • Antagonist • Foil • Static Character • Dynamic Character

10. Slim: Characterization • A tall man stood in the doorway. He held a crushed Stetson hat under his arm while he combed his long, black, damp hair straight back. Like the others he wore blue jeans and a short denim jacket. When he had finished combing his hair he moved into the room, and he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty and master craftsmen. He was a jerk-line skinner, the prince of the ranch, capable of driving ten, sixteen, even twenty mules with a single line to the leaders. He was capable of killing a fly on the wheeler’s butt with a bull ship without touching the mule. There was a gravity in his manner and a quiet so profound that all talk stopped when he spoke. His authority was so great that his word was taken on any subject, be it politics or love. This was Slim, the jerk-line skinner. His hatchet face was ageless. He might have been thirty-five or fifty. His ear heard more than was said to him, and his slow speech had overtones not of thought, but of understanding beyond thought. His hands, large and lean, were as delicate in their action as those of a temple dancer.

11. Crooks: Characterization • Crooks possessed several pairs of shoes, a pair of rubber boots, a big alarm clock and a single-barreled shotgun. And he had books, too; a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California civil code for 1905. There were battered magazines and a few dirty books on a special shelf over his bunk. A pair of large gold-rimmed spectacles hung from a nail on the wall above his bed. This room was swept and fairly neat, for Crooks was a proud, aloof man. He kept his distance and demanded that other people keep theirs. His body was bent over to the left by his crooked spine, and his eyes lay deep in his head, and because of their depth seemed to glitter with intensity. His lean face was lined with deep black wrinkles, and he had thing, pain-tightened lips which were lighter than his face.

12. Characterization: Campbell Method • By action of the character • By speech of the character • By effect of the character upon other characters • By the character’s own reactions to persons, things, and surrounding circumstances • By reporting what other characters say about the character • By explaining the traits and motives of the character • By describing the character (five senses) • By analyzing the psychological processes of the character

13. Campbell Method • Action: • Pete slunk out of the battle. • Speech: • “Hiya, pardner!” • Effect on others • Her beauty was breath-taking. • Character’s own reactions • John adored her, especially in blue. • What other characters say • Said Tom, “Of course Sam is a genius!” • Traits and motives • He loved good food. • Describing (5 senses) • He had blue eyes, spoke with a Southern accent, smelled of the smoke-house, and his muscles were hard as nails. • Psychological processes • He was unable to overcome his shyness, which was the result of his being the son of a famous and terribly egotistical father.

14. #1 Describe in terms of action

15. #2 Describe in Speech

16. #3 Describe effect on others

17. #4 Characters own reactions

18. #5 what other characters say about them

19. #6 traits and motives

20. #7 Describe in the 5 senses

21. #8 Describe in Psychological processes

22. Group Work • Get in groups of eight • Each person has a number from 1-8 • Each group only uses one piece of paper • A picture will be on the board, Each person describes the character according to their prescribed number. • For example: If you are #3 you will write a sentence describing the character in terms of his affect on others. • Write your sentence and then pass the paper to the next number.