Elements of Literature

WHAT Exercise WE MEAN BY THE PHRASE 'ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE?

elements of literature | writing prompts for students 6 | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

The phrase 'elements of literature' refers to the elective parts of a piece of work of literature in any form it takes: poetry, prose, or drama.

Why are they important?

It's important students sympathise these common elements if they are to competently read or write a slice of literature.

Agreement the diverse elements is particularly useful when studying longer works. It enables students to examine specific aspects of the work in isolation, before piecing these split aspects back together to display an understanding of the work as a whole.

Having a house grasp on how the different elements work can besides be very useful when comparing and contrasting two or more texts.

Non but does understanding the various elements of literature helps us to answer literature analysis questions in examination situations, but it too helps u.s. develop a deeper appreciation of literature in general.

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE?

In this article, nosotros will examine the following elements: plot, setting, character, point-of-view, theme, tone.

Each of these broad elements has many possible subcategories and there is, of course, some crossover between some of the elements – this isn't Math after all!

In that location are hundreds of terms associated with literature as a whole and I would recommend viewing this glossary for a complete breakdown of these.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE Betwixt AN ELEMENT OF LITERATURE AND A LITERARY DEVICE?

 Elements of literature are nowadays in every literary text. They are the essential ingredients required to create any slice of literature, including poems, plays, novels, brusque stories, feature articles, nonfiction books, etc.

 Literary devices, on the other hand, are tools and techniques that are used to create specific effects within a work. Retrieve metaphor, simile, hyperbole, foreshadowing, etc. We examine literary devices in detail in other articles on this site.

 While the elements of literature will appear in every literary text, non every literary device will.

 Now, let'south take a look at each of these oh-so-crucial elements of literature.

A Consummate UNIT ON STORY ELEMENTS

☀️This HUGE resources provides you with all the TOOLS, RESOURCES, and CONTENT to teach students all about characters.

75+ PAGES of INTERACTIVE READING, WRITING and COMPREHENSION content and NO Training REQUIRED.

  • Lesson Plans
  • Teaching Materials
  • Visual Writing Prompts
  • Assessment Rubrics
  • Graphic Organizers
  • Inquiry Tools
  • Plus Much More

one: PLOT

elements of literature | plot literary element definition | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

Plot refers to all of the related things that happen in sequence in a story. The shape of the plot comes from the order of these events and consists of several distinct aspects that nosotros'll wait at in turn.

The plot is made upwards of a serial of cause and effect events that lead the reader from the beginning of the story, through the centre, to the story's ending (though sometimes the chronological order is played with for dramatic effect).

Exposition: This is the introduction of the story and usually it will exist where the reader acquires the necessary background information they'll need to follow the diverse threads of the plot through to the end. This is also where the setting of the story is established, the main characters are introduced to the reader, and the key disharmonize begins to sally.

Conflict: The conflict of the story serves as the focus and driving strength of about of the story's action. Essentially, conflict consists of a primal (and sometimes secondary) problem. Without a problem or disharmonize, there is no story. Conflict unremarkably takes the course of two opposing forces. These can be external forces or, sometimes, these opposing forces can accept the grade of an internal struggle within the protagonist or master character.

Ascension Activity: The rising action of the narrative begins at the end of the exposition. It commonly forms most of the plot and begins with an inciting incident that kick-starts a series of cause and effect events. The ascension activity builds on tension and culminates in the climax.

Climax: After the introduction of the problem or central conflict of the story, the action rises as the drama of the story unfolds in a series of causes and effects. These events culminate in the story's dramatic high point, known as the climax. This is when the tension finally reaches its breaking indicate

Falling Action: This part of the narrative is made upwardly of the events that happen after the climax. Things begin to slow down and work their way towards the story's end, tying upwardly loose ends on the fashion. We tin remember of the falling activity as a de-escalation of the story'south drama.

Resolution: This is the final part of the plot arc and represents the closing of the disharmonize and the render of normality – or a new normality – in the wake of the story's events. Oftentimes, this takes the course of a pregnant change within the main character. A resolution restores residuum and order to the earth or it brings about a new balance and order.

PRACTICE Activity: PLOT

Hash out a well-known story in class. Fairytales are an excellent resource for this activity. Students must name a scene from each story that corresponds to each of the sections of the plot equally listed in a higher place: exposition, conflict, rising activity, climax, falling action, and resolution.

ii: SETTING

elements of literature | setting literary element defintion | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

Setting consists of two key elements: space and time. Space refers to the where of the story; most ofttimes the geographical location where the action of the story takes place. Time refers to the when of the story. This could be a historical menstruum, the nowadays, or in the future.

The setting has some other aspects for the reader or writer to consider too. For example, drilling down from the broader time and place, elements such as the weather, cultural context, and concrete surroundings, etc can be of import.

The setting is a crucial part of a story's exposition and is often used to establish the mood of the story. A carefully crafted setting can exist used to skillfully hint at the story'southward theme and to reveal some aspects of the various characters.

PRACTICE ACTIVITY: SETTING

Gather upwards a diversity of fiction and nonfiction texts. Students should go through the selected texts and write ii sentences about each that identify the settings of each. The sentences should make clear where and when the stories take place.

three. CHARACTER

elements of literature | character literary element defintion | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

A story's characters are the doers of the actions. Characters most oftentimes accept human being grade but, on occasion, a story can utilize animals, fantastical creatures, and even inanimate objects as characters.

Some characters are dynamic and change over the course of a story, while others are static and practice not grow or change equally a result of the activeness of the story.

There are many different types of characters to be found in works of literature and each serves a different function.

Now, permit's have a look at some of the virtually of import of these.

Protagonist

The protagonist is the story's main character. The story's plot centers around this character and they are usually sympathetic and likable for the reader, that is, they are almost oftentimes the 'hero' of the story.

Antagonist

The antagonist is the bad guy or girl of the piece. Near of the action of the plot is borne of the conflict between the protagonist and the adversary.

Flat Character

Flat characters are ane-dimensional characters that are purely functional in the story. They are more than a sketch than a detailed portrait and they assistance motility the activity along by serving a simple purpose. We aren't afforded much of an insight into the interior lives of such characters.

Rounded Graphic symbol

Dissimilar flat characters, rounded characters are more circuitous and fatigued in more item by the author. Too as being described in comprehensive physical detail, we will gain an insight into the character's interior life, their hopes, fears, dreams, and desires, etc.

PRACTICE Activeness: SETTING

Choose a play that has been studied in class. Students should look at the character listing so categorize each of the characters co-ordinate to the types listed above: protagonist, adversary, flat character, or rounded graphic symbol. As an extension, can the students identify whether each graphic symbol is dynamic or static by the end of the tale?

elements of literature | GENRE WALL WORDS 2 | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

iv: POINT OF VIEW

elements of literature | point of view literary element definition | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

Point of view in literature refers to the perspective through which yous feel the events of the story.

In that location are various advantages and disadvantages to the unlike points of view available for the writer to cull from, merely they can all exist usefully categorized according to whether they're first person, second person, or third-person points of view.

At present, let'southward take a look at some of the about mutual points of view in each of these categories.

Showtime Person

The key to recognizing this point of view lies in the employ of pronouns such as I, me, my, we, us, our, etc. There are several different variations of the first-person narrative, but they all have a unmarried person narrating the events of the story either as it unfolds, or in the by tense.

When considering a get-go-person narrative, the get-go question to ask is who is the person telling the story. Let's take a look at two main types of the first-person signal of view.

First Person Protagonist: This is when the main character of the story relates the action offset mitt equally he or she experiences or experienced it. As the narrator is also the main character, the reader is placed correct at the heart of the action and sees events unfold through the main character's ain eyes.

First Person Periphery: In this case, nosotros see the story unfold, non the primary graphic symbol's POV, simply from the perspective of a secondary character who has limited participation in the story itself.

2d Person: This perspective is uncommon. Though it is hard to pull off without sounding corny, you volition find information technology in some books such as those Choose Your Own Adventure type books. You can recognize this perspective through the use of the 2nd person pronoun 'you'.

Third Person Express: From this perspective, we see events unfold from the signal of view of 1 person in the story. As the proper noun suggests, we are express to seeing things from the perspective of the tertiary person narrator and do not gain insight into the internal life of the other characters, other than through their deportment as described by the 3rd-person narrator (he, she, they, etc).

Third Person Omniscient: The great centre in the sky! The third person omniscient narrator, as the name suggests, knows everything about everyone. From this point of view, nothing is off-limits. This allows the reader to peek behind every drape and into every corner of what is going on every bit the narrator moves freely through time and infinite, jumping in and out of the characters' heads along the way.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Equally nosotros've mentioned there are specific advantages and disadvantages to each of the different points of view. While the third person omniscient bespeak of view allows the reader full access to each character, the third-person limited point of view is great for edifice tension in a story every bit the writer tin control what the reader knows and when they know it.

The principal reward of the start-person perspective is that it puts the reader into the head of the narrator. This brings a sense of intimacy and personal item to the story.

Do Activeness: Point OF VIEW

Take a scene from a story or a moving picture that the student is very familiar with (again, fairytales can serve well here). Students must rewrite the scene from each of the different POV listed to a higher place: first-person protagonist, first-person periphery, second-person, third-person limited, and third-person omniscient. Finally, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of writing the scene from each POV. Which works all-time and why?

THE STORY TELLERS BUNDLE OF TEACHING Resources

elements of literature | CREATIVE WRITERS BUNDLE | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

A MASSIVE COLLECTION of resources for narratives and story writing in the classroom roofing all elements of crafting astonishing stories. WEEKS WORTH OF WRITING LESSONS AND RESOURCES including:

  • Narrative Fundamentals
  • Complete Story Writing Units
  • Elements of Story Writing Introductory Unit
  • Creating great Characters & Setting
  • Advanced Story Writing Unit of measurement
  • Story Elements Unit Avant-garde

5: THEME

elements of literature | theme literary element defintion | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

If the plot refers to what happens in a story, then the theme is to exercise with what these events mean.

The theme is the big ideas that are explored in a work of literature. These are most often universal ideas that transcend the limits of culture, ethnicity, or language. The theme is the deeper significant behind the events of the story.

Chiefly, the theme of a piece of writing is non to be confused with its subject. While the subject of a text is what it is about, the theme is more to do with how the author feels nearly that subject as conveyed in the writing.

It is likewise important to note that while all works of literature have a theme, they never state that theme explicitly. Although many works of literature deal with more than than ane theme, it'southward usually possible to detect a principal theme among the pocket-size ones.

The almost commonly asked question nearly themes from students is 'How do nosotros piece of work out what the theme is?'

The truth is, how piece of cake or how difficult information technology will be to notice a work's theme will vary greatly between different texts. The ease of identification volition depend largely on how straightforward or how circuitous the work is.

To identify the theme, students should look out for symbols and motifs within the text. Peculiarly symbols and motifs that repeat.

Students further demand to empathise that symbols are when 1 thing is used to stand for another. While non all symbols are related to the theme of the text, when symbols are used repeatedly or establish in a cluster, they usually relate to a motif. This motif will in turn relate to the theme of the work.

Of course, this leads to the question: What exactly is a motif?

A motif is a recurring thought or an chemical element that has symbolic significance. Uncovering this significance will reveal the theme to a careful reader.

We tin farther understand the themes every bit concepts and statements. Concepts are the broad categories or issues of the work, while statements are the position the author takes on those problems equally expressed in the text.

Here are some examples of thematic concepts commonly establish in literature:

  • Love
  • Revenge
  • Justice
  • Betrayal
  • Jealousy
  • Forgiveness

When discussing the theme of a work in any detail, identifying the thematic concept volition not exist enough. Students will demand to explore what the thematic statements are in the text. That is, they need to identify the opinions the author expresses on the thematic concepts in the text.

For example, we might identify that a story is about forgiveness, that is, that forgiveness is the principal thematic concept. When we identify what the piece of work says about forgiveness, such equally forgiveness is necessary for a person to move on with their life, we are identifying a thematic statement.

Practice Activeness: THEME

Again, choose familiar stories to work with. For each story identify and write down both the thematic concept and the thematic statement. For more than complex stories, there may exist multiple themes that need to be identified.

AN First-class VIDEO TUTORIAL ON STORY ELEMENTS

vi: TONE

elements of literature | tone literary element defintion | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

Tone refers to how the theme is treated in a work. Two works may have the same theme, but each may adopt a different tone in dealing with that theme. For example, the tone of a text can be serious, comical, formal, informal, gloomy, joyful, sarcastic, or sentimental, to name but eight.

The tone that the author adopts influences how the reader reads that text. It informs how the reader will feel nigh the characters and events described.

Tone helps to create the mood of the slice and gives life to the story as a whole.

PRACTICE ACTIVITY: TONE

Notice examples of texts that convey each of the 8 tones listed to a higher place: serious, comical, formal, informal, gloomy, joyful, sarcastic, and sentimental. Give 3 examples from each text that convey that specific tone. The examples can be drawn from straight quotations of the narrative or dialogue, or from a commentary on the structure of the text.

Decision:

Though the essential elements of literature are few in number, they tin have a lifetime to master. The more than experience a student gains in creating and analyzing texts with reference to these elements, the more adept they will become in their use.

Time invested in this area volition reap rich rewards in terms of the skill with which a pupil can craft a text and also in the level of enjoyment and meaning they tin derive from their reading.

Time well spent, for sure.

elements of literature | free writing tasks | Elements of Literature | literacyideas.com

OTHER Cracking ARTICLES RELATED TO ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE

elements of literature | Writing great characters and setting 1 | 7 ways to write great Characters and Settings | Story Elements | literacyideas.com

7 ways to write great Characters and Settings | Story Elements

STORY ELEMENTS: How to Write Great Characters and Settings You can't have a proficient story without the characters to do things and places for them to do those things in. In this article, we're talking well-nigh corking characters and settings and how to write them. Characters and setting are 2 key ingredients that form the…

elements of literature | UNDerstanding story elements is an esential reading skill for students of all ages | Teaching The 5 Story Elements: A Complete Guide for Teachers & Students | literacyideas.com

Teaching The five Story Elements: A Complete Guide for Teachers & Students

What Are Story Elements?  Developing a solid understanding of the elements of a story is essential for our students to follow and fully comprehend the stories they read. All the same, before students tin can sympathize how these elements contribute to the overall meaning and effect of a story, they must first be able to place the component…

elements of literature | 0001 How to Write | Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

Short Story Writing for Students and Teachers

What Is a Curt Story? The clue is in the title! Brusk stories are like novels only…well…shorter! They contain all the crucial elements of fully developed stories except on a smaller calibration. In short story writing, you'll find the central story elements such as label, plot development, themes explored, etc, but all inside a word…


Content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A quondam main of an international school and university English lecturer with 15 years of didactics and administration experience. Shane's latest Volume the Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing tin can be found here.  Editing and support for this commodity accept been provided by the literacyideas team.