Literary Elements

Question	Answer
Plot	Plot is the series of related events that make up the story
Introduction (Exposition)	The introduction, or exposition, establishes the setting and introduces the main character or characters in the story.
Initial Incident	An initial incident presents a conflict, which tells what problem the main character or characters are facing.
Rising Action	The rising action is a series of events that builds from the conflict. Complications arise as the characters struggle with different possible solutions to the conflict. The rising action begins with the initial incident and ends with the climax.
Climax	The climax is the high point of the story for the reader. Frequently, it is the moment of the highest interest and greatest emotion. In the climax, the main character or characters come face to face with the conflict, or make a final decision that will settle the conflict.
Falling Action	The events after the climax, which begin to resolve the complications.
Resolution	The story ends with the resolution: the writer suggests what the characters feel or do, now that the conflict is over. The resolution concludes the action. Conflict resolutions may include: happy, unhappy, indeterminate or surprise endings.
Denouement	A final revelation given to the reader, usually to explain what happens in the future. (Not all stories have a denouement.)
Setting	The setting is the time and place in which story events happen. Setting can be as dynamic and lively in its own way as the characters are in a story. Setting includes time, place, climate, weather, and social conditions or lifestyle.
Mood	The mood, or atmosphere, is the general feeling in a story (fun, suspenseful, frightening, amusing, threatening). It refers to the emotion or emotions a writer makes a reader feel.
Conflict	Conflict is the core of fiction. It creates plot.
External Conflict	Conflict between a character and some outside person or force.
Internal Conflict	When the conflict is internal the character may be wrestling with him- or herself.
Character versus Self	Internal conflict. The character struggles with himself/herself; with his/her own soul, ideas of right or wrong, physical limitations, choices, etc.
Character versus Character	Conflict that pits one person or group against another person or group.
Character versus Nature	A run-in with the forces of nature (e.g. storm, animals, raging river, etc.).
Character versus Society	The character faces a large element in society, such as government or technology which they have no control over. The character’s values are being challenged, or the character is challenging the values of others in society.
Character versus Supernatural	The character struggles against supernatural forces, such as aliens, ghosts, spirits etc.
Character	A character is a person or other figure in a story. Good characters are motivated (convincing), plausible (life-like) and consistent (in behaviour).
Major Characters	Major characters are almost always round, or three-dimensional characters.
Minor Characters	Almost always flat, or two-dimensional characters. They have only one or two striking qualities.
Protagonist	The main character in the story, who faces some conflict or challenge.
Antagonist	The character or force that opposes the protagonist.
Flat character	May be characterized by one or two traits and summed up in one sentence.
Round character	Complex and many sided, as people in real life are.
Stock character	A special kind of flat character; a stereotyped figure whose nature is immediately known.
Realistic character	A character whose motivations and whose actions, speech and other mannerisms closely resemble that of real people.
Static character	The same sort of person at the end of the story as he/she was at the beginning
Dynamic character	Undergoes permanent change (growth) in character, personality or outlook during the course of the story.
Direct characterization	When the author comes right out and tells the reader what the character looks like, says, does, thinks, and feels.
Indirect characterization	When the reader learns about a character by how he or she interacts with others and by what others say about him or her.
Dialogue	The conversations characters have with one another.
Purposes of Dialogue	Dialogue can be used to: draw a reader into the story; reveal character; move the plot or action along; and create conflict.
Character Development	Character can be revealed though physical description, words, actions, thoughts and what other characters say or think about them.
Theme	The big idea or main message that a story conveys about life.
Point of View	The standpoint or angle from which a story is told
First Person	The story is told through the eyes and voice of one character.
Third-Person Limited	The story is told through the voice of one character.
Third-Person Omniscient	The narrator is all-knowing and can “enter” into the minds of all characters.
Third-Person Objective (camera view)	The story is told in the third person, but the reader is not told what any characters are thinking or feeling.
Foreshadowing	The use of hints or clues to imply what will take place further on in the story
Flashback	An interruption in the story and occurs when the author tells about an event that happened before the time of the story.
Suspense	The suspense is created by questions raised or by the unknown (e.g. Being lost in the woods). Suspense creates real emotion in the reader.
Symbolism	Symbolism is using one thing to represent another.
Irony	Irony involves a contradiction between appearance and reality.
Verbal Irony	When a character/author says one thing, but suggests or intends the opposite. Sarcasm, hyperbole, understatement are forms of verbal irony.
Situational Irony	Image: Irony_Fire_Hyrdrant (image/jpg)
Dramatic Irony	Image: irony_jaws (image/jpg)

Next up

Description

Resource summary

Similar

	Created by debbie.walsh over 10 years ago