Elements of Literature Flashcards
(36 cards)
What are the three main types of literature?
Prose, drama and poetry are the three main types of literature.
What is “Drama”?
Dialogue is presented with dramatic effective in mind.
Elements:
- Playwright
- Dialogue
- Characters
- Setting
- Themes
Devices:
- Dramatic Techniques
- Dramatic Irony
- Situational Irony
- Soliloquy
- Monologue
- Spectacle
What is “Poetry”?
Economy of Language is employedusing lines and stanzas to present
ideas.
Elements:
- Poet
- Persona/Speaker
- Lines
- Stanzas
- Themes
Devices:
- Figurative/Literary devices
- Simile
- Metaphor
- Irony
- Personification
What is “Prose”?
Extended writing using sentences and paragraphs to presentnarratives.
Elements:
- Author
- Characters
- Plot
- Setting
- Themes
Devices:
- Narrative Techniques
- Flashback
- Foreshadowing
- Irony
- Figurative Devices
What are the “Elements of Prose”?
- Characters
- Plot
- Setting
- Narrative Techniques
- Themes
What are characters?
All stories have a character or characters. The author
uses the character’s actions in the story as a driving
force for the plot – the sequence of events.
Characters in stories can be humans, animals, or
inanimate objects; anything that can be described as an
individual in the story.
The main character in a story is often called the
‘protagonist’. Most stories also include an ‘antagonist’,
who directly or indirectly sets up conflicts, obstacles or
challenges for the protagonist.
What are Major Characters?
Major Characters - These are characters that contribute
significantly to the development of the plot.
The author uses their actions to drive the events of the
story.
These characters are often (although not always) seen
or referred to frequently throughout the story. In Escape
to Last Man Peak Matron is never seen, but often
referred to, and Teacher Mack appears only briefly, but
is quite influential on the children’s journey.
What are “Minor Characters”?
Minor characters – These are characters who do NOT contribute significantly to the development of the main plot.
They are often seen in short sections of the story, rather than throughout the whole story.
These characters may not even appear in person, but might simply be mentioned by other characters.
Minor characters may be useful in changing the tone ofthe story, or diffusing tension, for example.
What is a “Protagonist”?
Who is a protagonist?
We know that a protagonist is one of the leading characters(or group of characters) of a story or novel. As such, the protagonist is often seen as the hero, main character or narrator of the story. The protagonist is a major character.
The protagonist plays an important role in the story because he/she is the character the story is based on.
EG:In Escape to Last Man Peak the children as a group could be seen as the protagonist.
What is an “Antagonist”?
The Antagonist may be the villain in the story. The job of the Antagonist is to oppose the Protagonist as such often the Antagonist is seen as the enemy of the Protagonist.
What is “Direct Characterization”?
This is when the author directly and clearly describes the traits and personality of the characters.
What is ‘Indirect Characterization”?
Here the author doesn’t tell you what the character’s traits are, but these are revealed through the character’s Speech, Thoughts, Effect on others, Actions and Looks (STEAL).
What is a “Round Character”?
A ‘round’ or ‘rounded’ character is a dynamic character who grows and changes during the course of the story.
It is easier for the author to develop a round character in a novel than in a short story because of the extendednature of the work.
In Escape to Last Man Peak the children grow and develop during the course of the story, as they encounter many new experiences.
What is a “Flat Character”?
The opposite of a round character. A flat character does not grow or develop or change throughout the story.
A flat character may be thought of as one dimensional, meaning they have no depth.
Often this type of character can be seen as being a stereotype, just representative of one type of character rather than someone capable of change and nuance.
In Escape to Last Man Peak, the policeman who visits the Orphanage in the beginning of the book could be seen as a flat character.
What is “Plot”?
The plot of the story/novel is the sequence of events that makes up the narrative.
A very common plot structure moves from the opening(exposition) through action, conflict, climax to the ending,or resolution:
Image (COPY AND PASTE ON SEARCH BAR):https://study.com/cimages/multimages/16/plot_diagram.png
What is “Exposition”?
The exposition is designed to introduce or present the story and provide information about the setting and characters.
It helps the reader to understand the context of the story.
The exposition is also helps to propel the events of the plot.
In Escape to Last Man Peak, the story opens with Nellie, the narrator, being woken up; as the story moves through the day, it introduces a lot of information about Sunrise Home and the children’s situation, and sets the
scene for the whole story.
What is “Conflict”?
The conflict in the novel helps to drive the plot. It can be
internal (within one character) or external.
INTERNAL CONFLICT
The character engages in a physical, mental or
emotional struggle with some aspect of himself/herself.
EXTERNAL CONFLICT
The character struggles with other characters.
The character struggles with some aspect of nature.
The character struggles with some aspect of society, for
example a local community or a national government or
institution.
What is “Climax”?
The climax describes the point at which the conflict and action in the story
reaches its peak.
This is highest point of action in a story or novel when the reader is sitting on the edge of their seats not sure what will happen next.
In Escape to Last Man Peak, the climax could be said to be the point at which the children pass the gang of bad boys at Windsor.
What is a “Resolution”?
The resolution of the conflict occurs at the end of the story and shows that the conflict has come to a close, at least temporarily.
The story doesn’t always tell you exactly what happens in the end, but it does come to a resolution leaving the reader with an understanding of what has happened.
In Escape to Last Man Peak, the story ends at the end of the children’s journey, with them all safe at Last Man Peak, although it leaves open the question of what happens to them later.
What is Setting?
Simply put, the setting is the environment in which the story takes place.
Sometimes the setting of a novel can change throughout a story.
This is seen in the novel, Escape to Last Man Peak in which the setting of the story changes as the children journey through the interior of the country.
What is “Time?
Time is an important element of setting because it frames for the reader the period in which the story is taking place.
This helps the reader to understand some of the events and issues presented.
This sets the scene historically, describing whether the story is set in the present day, or in the past, or even in the future.
It also affects the pace of the story, does it describe events in a short period of time, or over many years?
What is “Weather”?
The weather describes the conditions that influence the physical environment in which the narrative is taking place.
The author sometimes uses the weather to set the tone of the narrative.
In Escape to Last Man Peak, the weather is often described, because it makes a big difference to the children’s experiences and their journey.
What is “Atmosphere”?
The atmosphere is the emotional environment or mood of the story. Atmosphere can be created by the time of day, the physical state of the environment (bright/cheerful or dull/dreary/dingy), the level of tension or safety that is felt, etc. Here is an example from Escape to Last Man Peak, as the children approach a dangerous but exciting climax:
E.G:The darkness grew intense, and the silence seemed loud all around us.Not a sound came from the river nearby, and not a breath of wind moved the leaves of the trees. The hooves of the calves and the donkey had been
muffled with strips of blanket, and all of us moved silently on bare feet.
The only sounds I could hear were the soft thud-thud of hooves, my own
breathing, and now and then the small clatter of a stone.
What are ‘Narrative Techniques”?
Narrative techniques are the devices the author uses to
convey meaning.
Here are some examples:
- Point of view
- Flashback
- Foreshadowing
- Irony
- Symbols
- Motifs
