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Literary Elements

Terms in this set (25)

setting
The time and place in which the action of a story occurs.
character
A person or an animal in a story, a play, or another literary work.
plot
A series of related events in a story, each connected to the next.
theme
A lesson/message/main idea about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader.
conflict
A problem or struggle that the character(s) face(s).
internal conflict
A conflict that takes place within a character's own self, usually concerning a moral dilemma in which the character must make a decision.
external conflict
A character struggles against an outside force such as another person, society, or nature.
rising action
A set of conflicts and crises that constitute the part of a play's or story's plot leading up to the climax.
climax
Most exciting moment of the story; turning point
resolution
Conflict is resolved/simplified.
falling action
Events that occur after the climax that lead up to resolution and conclusion of the story.
protagonist
Main character in a story
antagonist
A character or force that is in conflict with the main character. Often the "bad guy."
title
A word or phrase that often describes the main idea of the story.
author's purpose in literature
The author's intent is to entertain the audience.
literary text
a fictional text (make-believe) created with a purpose of being read for pleasure rather than strictly for information.
types of literary texts
different forms of literature: stories, plays, poems, and novels.
fiction
A story that is not true or is made up
point of view
the perspective from which a story is told.
first person narrative
"I" and "Me" standpoint. Personal perspective. Focus on the narrator's use of "I", and ignore the dialogue of characters.
third person narrative
The narrator is not a character, uses "He" and "She" standpoint. Characters' feelings and motivations have to be inferred and understood through their behavior and dialogue.
character's identity
Actions, dialogue, and narrative description that reveal a sense of a character's personality to the reader.
genres of literature
historical fiction, realistic fiction, legends, fable, folktales, fairy tales, fantasy, horror, humor, mystery, science fiction, etc.
tone
A writer's attitude toward his or her story revealed through word choice.
mood
Feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for the reader.
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