Elements of Literature

WHAT Practise Nosotros Mean Past THE PHRASE 'ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE?

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The phrase 'elements of literature' refers to the constituent parts of a work of literature in whatever course it takes: poetry, prose, or drama.

Why are they important?

Information technology'due south important students understand these common elements if they are to competently read or write a piece of literature.

Understanding the diverse elements is particularly useful when studying longer works. Information technology enables students to examine specific aspects of the work in isolation, earlier piecing these carve up aspects dorsum together to brandish an understanding of the work as a whole.

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

Non but does agreement the various elements of literature helps us to answer literature analysis questions in test situations, just it also helps u.s.a. develop a deeper appreciation of literature in full general.

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF LITERATURE?

In this article, we 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!

At that place are hundreds of terms associated with literature equally a whole and I would recommend viewing this glossary for a complete breakdown of these.

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

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

 Literary devices, on the other mitt, are tools and techniques that are used to create specific effects within a work. Think metaphor, simile, hyperbole, foreshadowing, etc. Nosotros examine literary devices in item in other manufactures on this site.

 While the elements of literature will appear in every literary text, not every literary device will.

 Now, allow's have a wait at each of these oh-so-crucial elements of literature.

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1: PLOT

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

The plot is fabricated up of a serial of cause and effect events that pb the reader from the get-go of the story, through the heart, to the story'southward ending (though sometimes the chronological society is played with for dramatic effect).

Exposition: This is the introduction of the story and usually it will be where the reader acquires the necessary background information they'll need to follow the various threads of the plot through to the finish. This is also where the setting of the story is established, the master characters are introduced to the reader, and the fundamental conflict begins to emerge.

Disharmonize: The conflict of the story serves as the focus and driving strength of near of the story'due south action. Substantially, conflict consists of a central (and sometimes secondary) problem. Without a trouble or conflict, there is no story. Conflict unremarkably takes the class of two opposing forces. These can be external forces or, sometimes, these opposing forces tin can take the form of an internal struggle inside the protagonist or main character.

Ascension Action: The rising activity of the narrative begins at the stop of the exposition. It commonly forms nearly of the plot and begins with an inciting incident that kicking-starts a series of cause and effect events. The ascent action builds on tension and culminates in the climax.

Climax: Later on the introduction of the problem or cardinal conflict of the story, the activity rises as the drama of the story unfolds in a series of causes and effects. These events culminate in the story'southward dramatic high signal, known as the climax. This is when the tension finally reaches its breaking betoken

Falling Action: This part of the narrative is made upwardly of the events that happen after the climax. Things brainstorm to dull downward and work their way towards the story'due south end, tying upward loose ends on the mode. We tin can think of the falling action as a de-escalation of the story's drama.

Resolution: This is the last office of the plot arc and represents the closing of the conflict and the return of normality – or a new normality – in the wake of the story'due south events. Often, this takes the course of a significant modify within the main character. A resolution restores balance and lodge to the earth or it brings near a new residuum and order.

Do ACTIVITY: PLOT

Discuss 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 as listed above: exposition, conflict, rising activity, climax, falling action, and resolution.

2: SETTING

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Setting consists of ii key elements: space and time. Space refers to the where of the story; nigh frequently 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 hereafter.

The setting has some other aspects for the reader or writer to consider too. For example, drilling down from the broader fourth dimension and place, elements such as the atmospheric condition, cultural context, and physical surroundings, etc can exist important.

The setting is a crucial office of a story'due south exposition and is oft used to establish the mood of the story. A advisedly crafted setting can be used to skillfully hint at the story'south theme and to reveal some aspects of the various characters.

Practice ACTIVITY: SETTING

Gather upward a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. Students should get through the selected texts and write two sentences about each that identify the settings of each. The sentences should make articulate where and when the stories take place.

3. Character

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A story's characters are the doers of the deportment. Characters most often accept human course but, on occasion, a story can apply animals, fantastical creatures, and even inanimate objects every bit characters.

Some characters are dynamic and alter over the form of a story, while others are static and practise non grow or change every bit a result of the action of the story.

In that location are many different types of characters to be establish in works of literature and each serves a dissimilar role.

At present, let'southward take a look at some of the nearly important of these.

Protagonist

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

Antagonist

The antagonist is the bad guy or girl of the piece. Almost of the activeness of the plot is borne of the conflict betwixt the protagonist and the antagonist.

Apartment Character

Flat characters are one-dimensional characters that are purely functional in the story. They are more a sketch than a detailed portrait and they assist move the action along past serving a simple purpose. We aren't afforded much of an insight into the interior lives of such characters.

Rounded Character

Unlike flat characters, rounded characters are more complex and drawn in more than detail past the author. Likewise as being described in comprehensive physical particular, we will gain an insight into the character'due south interior life, their hopes, fears, dreams, and desires, etc.

PRACTICE Activity: SETTING

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

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four: POINT OF VIEW

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

Indicate of view in literature refers to the perspective through which you experience the events of the story.

At that place are various advantages and disadvantages to the different points of view available for the writer to choose from, but they can all exist usefully categorized according to whether they're first person, 2d person, or third-person points of view.

Now, let'due south take a look at some of the nearly common points of view in each of these categories.

First Person

The central to recognizing this point of view lies in the use of pronouns such every bit I, me, my, we, usa, our, etc. In that location are several different variations of the first-person narrative, but they all have a single person narrating the events of the story either equally it unfolds, or in the past tense.

When because a start-person narrative, the first question to inquire is who is the person telling the story. Permit's take a await at two main types of the first-person betoken of view.

First Person Protagonist: This is when the main character of the story relates the action offset manus every bit he or she experiences or experienced information technology. As the narrator is also the main character, the reader is placed correct at the center of the action and sees events unfold through the main character's own eyes.

First Person Periphery: In this case, we see the story unfold, not the chief graphic symbol's POV, but from the perspective of a secondary character who has limited participation in the story itself.

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

Third Person Limited: From this perspective, nosotros encounter events unfold from the indicate of view of 1 person in the story. As the name suggests, we are limited to seeing things from the perspective of the third person narrator and do non gain insight into the internal life of the other characters, other than through their actions as described by the third-person narrator (he, she, they, etc).

3rd Person All-seeing: The smashing heart 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 drapery and into every corner of what is going on as the narrator moves freely through time and infinite, jumping in and out of the characters' heads along the fashion.

Advantages and Disadvantages

As we've mentioned at that place are specific advantages and disadvantages to each of the different points of view. While the third person omniscient signal of view allows the reader full access to each character, the third-person limited signal of view is great for edifice tension in a story as the writer tin can control what the reader knows and when they know it.

The main advantage of the beginning-person perspective is that it puts the reader into the head of the narrator. This brings a sense of intimacy and personal detail to the story.

Practise Activeness: POINT OF VIEW

Have a scene from a story or a flick that the educatee is very familiar with (once again, fairytales can serve well here). Students must rewrite the scene from each of the unlike POV listed above: showtime-person protagonist, first-person periphery, second-person, 3rd-person express, and 3rd-person omniscient. Finally, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of writing the scene from each POV. Which works best and why?

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five: THEME

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

If the plot refers to what happens in a story, and so the theme is to do with what these events mean.

The theme is the big ideas that are explored in a work of literature. These are well-nigh ofttimes universal ideas that transcend the limits of culture, ethnicity, or language. The theme is the deeper meaning behind the events of the story.

Importantly, the theme of a piece of writing is not to exist confused with its field of study. While the discipline of a text is what it is about, the theme is more to practise with how the writer feels about that subject as conveyed in the writing.

Information technology is likewise important to notation that while all works of literature accept a theme, they never land that theme explicitly. Although many works of literature deal with more than one theme, it's normally possible to detect a main theme amid the minor ones.

The almost commonly asked question nearly themes from students is 'How exercise we work out what the theme is?'

The truth is, how easy or how difficult information technology will be to detect a work's theme will vary greatly betwixt different texts. The ease of identification volition depend largely on how straightforward or how complex the work is.

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

Students further need to understand that symbols are when one 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 found in a cluster, they commonly relate to a motif. This motif will in turn chronicle to the theme of the work.

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

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

We can further understand the themes as concepts and statements. Concepts are the broad categories or problems of the work, while statements are the position the author takes on those issues as expressed in the text.

Hither are some examples of thematic concepts commonly found in literature:

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

When discussing the theme of a work in whatever detail, identifying the thematic concept will not be plenty. Students will need to explore what the thematic statements are in the text. That is, they need to identify the opinions the writer expresses on the thematic concepts in the text.

For example, nosotros might identify that a story is about forgiveness, that is, that forgiveness is the primary thematic concept. When we identify what the piece of work says virtually forgiveness, such as forgiveness is necessary for a person to movement on with their life, nosotros are identifying a thematic argument.

Exercise ACTIVITY: THEME

Once more, choose familiar stories to piece of work with. For each story identify and write down both the thematic concept and the thematic argument. For more complex stories, there may be multiple themes that need to be identified.

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6: TONE

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

Tone refers to how the theme is treated in a piece of work. Two works may have the same theme, but each may adopt a different tone in dealing with that theme. For instance, the tone of a text can be serious, comical, formal, informal, gloomy, joyful, sarcastic, or sentimental, to name only 8.

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

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

Practice Action: TONE

Find examples of texts that convey each of the eight tones listed above: serious, comical, formal, informal, gloomy, blithesome, sarcastic, and sentimental. Give iii examples from each text that convey that specific tone. The examples can be drawn from direct quotations of the narrative or dialogue, or from a commentary on the construction of the text.

Conclusion:

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

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

Time well spent, for sure.

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Content for this folio has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh.  A former principal of an international school and university English language lecturer with 15 years of pedagogy and assistants experience. Shane'southward latest Volume the Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing can be found hither.  Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.