Transcript Story Literary Elements
Elements of a Story
Elements of a Story:
Setting – The time and place a story takes place.
Characters – the people, animals or creatures in a story.
Plot – the series of events that make up a story.
Conflict – a problem or struggle between two people, things or ideas.
+ Point of View – the perspective the story is told from THEME
Setting
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Setting
• • • The setting describes where an when the story takes place.
It helps build background and create images in the mind.
It helps set the tone or mood of the story.
Details can describe: Time of day Time of year Time in History Scenery Weather Location
Using the Five Senses
• • A good setting helps the reader visualize the places in the story.
A good author includes descriptions of the setting using the five senses… • • • • • SIGHT SMELL TASTE FEEL SOUND
Take a Look…Which is better?
The castle was beside the water.
OR… The waves crashed loudly against the shoreline. The fog lifted lightly and the medieval castle came into view. It was a beautiful site! The fog brushed my face and I could smell the smoke from the fire in the distance and taste the sea salt on my lips.
Your Turn…
• • On the next slides, there is a picture of a setting. In your own words, write a detailed description of the setting in your picture. Include many adjectives and don’t forget to include descriptions for each of the five senses: see, hear, feel, smell, taste
Characters
Every story needs Characters…
People Animals Or Creatures
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The protagonist guy” is the “good
The antagonist is the “bad guy” or force
Characterization
Characterization is the way in which an author shows the personality of a character Characterization is a technique writers use to make characters “come to life.”
Think about your favorite book, movie or TV character…
• • • • How can you describe his/her appearance?
What kind of personality does he/she have?
What kinds of things does he/she like?
Make a list of character traits for this character.
Characterization
Characters are people or animals in a story.
A writer can tell you directly about a character… (Freddy was very competitive)
Or
A writer can tell you indirectly about a character… (Two days before the game, Freddy gathered his teammates and laid out his plan. Then he looked at them and said, “We are going to win this one. No excuses.”)
Direct Characterization
• • Direct Characterization tells the reader the personality of the character.
Direct Characterization is obvious to the reader and “spells” it right out.
• “The patient boy and the quiet girl were both well behaved and did not disobey their mother.
Indirect Characterization
• • • • • • Indirect Characterization shows things that reveal the personality of the character.
S
peech
T
hought
E
ffect on Others
A
ctions
L
ooks The boy sat next to his sister as she poked him and teased him. He did not react. He carefully picked up her doll from the floor and placed it on her lap saying gently, “Here you go, why don’t you play with your doll?”
Indirect Characterization…
☻ What does the character say? How does the character speak?
☻ What is revealed through the character’s private thoughts and feelings?
☻ What is the character’s effect on others? How do other characters feel or behave in reaction to the character?
☻ What does the character do? How does he/she behave?
☻ What does the character look like? Dress like?
Dynamic Characters
Dynamic characters are those that have many sides to their personalities and go through physical or mental changes through the course of the story
Static Characters
Static characters are the opposite.
Static characters are not very developed and have only one or two personality traits
Character Traits
Character Traits are descriptive adjectives that tell us specific qualities of a character •Honest •Light-hearted •Leader •Expert •Brave •Conceited •Mischievous •Demanding •Thoughtful •Keen •Happy •Disagreeable •Simple •Fancy •Plain •Excited •Studious •Inventive •Creative •Thrilling •Independent •Intelligent •Compassionate •Gentle •Proud •Wild •Messy •Neat •Joyful •Strong •Bright •Courageous •Serious •Funny •Humorous •Sad •Poor •Rich •Tall •Dark •Light •Handsome •Pretty •Ugly •Selfish •Unselfish •Self-confident •Respectful •Considerate •Imaginative •Busy •Patriotic •Fun-loving •Popular •Successful •Responsible •Lazy •Dreamer •Helpful •Simple minded •Humble •Friendly •Short •Adventurous •Hard-working •Timid •Shy •Bold •Daring •Dainty •Pitiful •Cooperative •Lovable •Prim •Proper •Ambitious •Able •Quiet •Curious •Reserved •Pleasing •Bossy •Witty •Fighter •Tireless •Energetic •Cheerful •Smart •Impulsive •Loyal
1.
Aladdin 6.
Characters Pop Quiz
Identify the following ten fictional characters as either
round
or
flat
; and as either a
protagonist
or an
antagonist
2.
3. Frodo 4.
Bart Simpson James Bond 5. Ariel Luke Skywalker 7. Cinderella’s Step-mother 8. Dr. Evil 9. Timon & Pumbaa 10. Percy Jackson
Factors in Analyzing Characters
Physical appearance/what they look like Personality & Character Traits Background/personal history Motivation/why do they act?
Relationships Conflict or struggles Does the character change?
What do they think and feel?
How do others feel about them?
• • • •
Character Motivation
Character Motivation is the driving force behind why the character does what he/she does. (Reasons for character’s actions) What does the main character want more than anything else (main goal)?
What do secondary characters want more than anything else (main goal)?
What potential conflicts or struggles might exist between the characters?
• • • •
Snow White: Character Motivation
Character Motivation. Why does the queen’s heart turn against Snow White?
Character Motivation. Why do the dwarfs allow Snow White to stay with them?
Character Motivation. Why does the queen disguise herself as an old peddler woman?
Character Motivation. Why does the queen give Snow White the poison apple?
• • • •
Ebenezer Scrooge: Character Motivation
Character Motivation. Why does Scrooge not allow Bob Cratchit have Christmas Day off?
Character Motivation. Why do the ghosts of Christmas visit Scrooge?
Character Motivation. Why does Scrooge to change mind about Christmas?
Character Motivation. How does Scrooge show his new found love of Christmas?
Your Turn…Think of a character from a book, a movie or TV…
• • • • • • • Who is the character? From what story?
What does he/she want?
What does he/she need to get what they want?
What is his/her motivation to get what they want?
What does he/she do to get what they need?
What is preventing him/her from getting what they want?
How does the character change during the movie, book or TV show?
Character Poem Example of poem
First name ________________________ Four traits ________________________ Related to:________________________ Cares deeply for _____________________ Who feels ________________________ Who needs ________________________ Who gives _________________________ Who would like to see __________________ Resident of ________________________ Snow White, Beautiful, giving, loving, unhappy The Queen, her wicked stepmother The seven dwarfs Safe in the forest The love of a Prince Love to the seven dwarfs Goodness throughout the kingdom The forest.
Plot
Plot
Plot – the order of events in a story. Every story needs a plot! The plot has different “parts…”
Plot Components
Climax:
the turning point, the most intense moment —the highest point of conflict (makes you ask “WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN NEXT!”
Rising Action:
the series of challenges and
conflicts
in the story that lead to the climax
Inciting Incident:
the event that begins the main conflict
Falling Action:
all of the action which follows the climax, where the main character changes or grows
Exposition:
the start of the story, tells us the when and where of the story
Resolution:
the conclusion, the tying together of all of the threads and the main character moves forward
The climax is the most exciting part!!
Special Techniques of Plot…
Suspense- excitement or tension Flashback- interrupts the normal sequence of events to tell about something that happened in the past Surprise Ending- conclusion that reader does not expect And…Foreshadowing…
A hint about what will happen next is called foreshadowing
For example, if you hear this: Then you know someone’s about to get eaten!
Conflict
• Conflict is the “battle” between two forces.
Conflict
•
Conflict isn’t always bad..sometimes it helps to create change.
Conflict
Conflict can occur from the outside environemnt (external), or from within the protaganist (internal)
Types of Conflict
Character vs Character Character vs Nature Character vs Society Character vs Self
Types Of Conflict…a
deeper look 1.Character vs. Character
(problem with another character) 2. Character vs. Nature (problem with force of nature) 3. Character vs. Society (problem with the laws or beliefs of a group) (character vs. community, society or culture) 4. Character vs. Self (problem with deciding what to do or think; “inner conflict”)
Your turn… What’s a well
-
known movie that has…
Character vs. Character Conflict Character vs. Nature Conflict Character vs. Society Character vs. Self
Point of View
Point of View
The point of view is the perspective the story is told from.
There are two main perspectives, or points of view you can use when writing a story.
OR First Person Third Person
First Person Point of View
The story is told from the main character’s point of view, and the reader experiences the world through their eyes.
Third Person Point of View
The story is told using a narrator or "outsider” who does not interact with the characters within the story.
Writing Activity!!
Many people are still confused about what happened in Sleepy Hollow on the night of October 31, 1795. Being the amazing and creative students you are, your job is to write a 1 st person account of what REALLY happened that night. You may write as Ichabod, Brom Bones, or The Headless Horseman
Theme
What is a Theme?
Theme is the life lesson, the meaning, the moral, or the message about life that the author is trying to teach.
Theme is the main idea of the story
What is a Theme?
A theme is not a word, it is a sentence.
You don’t have to agree with the theme to identify it Examples Crime doesn’t pay An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take Don’t judge a book by its cover
Identifying Themes
Themes are
bigger
than the story!!
Small World of the Story Big World of the Theme Applies to the “Real” World
Your Turn: What is the Theme?
Carrie loved her phone and her tablet. She was always looking at one or the other. Her parents would try to talk to her about her life, but she would just ignore them or give them one-word answers until they left her alone. When she was at school, she'd sneak peeks at her phone under her desk whenever she could get away with it. When she was at parties, she spent more time interacting with the devices in front of her than with the people around her. Even at concerts and sporting events, Carrie rarely removed her eyes from these tiny screens. One day Carrie was walking home from a friend's house and watching a funny video of people slipping on ice. She began crossing the street just after the light changed. She was so into the video that she did not notice the oncoming traffic. She walked directly into the traffic while laughing at the falling people on her tiny screen and was hit by a car. Carrie sustained mild injuries, but both of her devices were destroyed. As far as she was concerned, her life was over.
Identifying Themes
Themes are about the
big picture
!!
Not “Carrie should get off her phone” Not “Phones can be dangerous” Think BIGGER! Find “real world” advice Small World of the Story Big World of the Theme Applies to the “Real” World
Your Turn: What is the Theme?
Too much of a good thing can lead to negative consequences Practice moderation with all things Safety first Explanation: Carrie loves to use her phone, but she needs to balance that desire with the more important concerns of safety and well-being
Time for Practice!!
1. Read each story 2. Write what you think the theme is 3. Write another sentence explaining what happens in the story that leads you to the theme you have identified
How does the small world of the story connect the big world theme?
Kelly had a job at the movie theater, but it didn't pay very much and she was sick of working there. Nonetheless, the work was steady and she needed all of the money that she could get. To her delight, Kelly got an interview at a big office downtown for a job that paid much more. The interview went very well and the bosses all but offered her a position. They said that she would fit the role well and they promised that they would call her back within two weeks. Kelly couldn't wait to quit her job at the movie theater. As soon as she got back she put in her two week notice. She spent the next two weeks bragging to her coworkers about her new high-paying job in the big city. Yet, two weeks passed and she received no phone call. When Kelly decided to follow up on her interview, she learned that the bosses had chosen a different candidate. Kelly was crushed.
While most of his peers enjoyed high school, David did not. "I can't wait to get to college and really start my life," he'd often tell himself. When David got to college, he found out that it wasn’t much different from high school. "I can't wait to graduate and get a job so that I can really get started on my life," David would tell himself. When he graduated from college and found a job, David realized that he did not really like working that much. "I hate slaving away at work. I can't wait until my retirement. That's when my life is really going to begin," David told himself. He worked away his days and nights, enjoying them very little and always thinking about how things would be better when he retired. When he finally retired, he found that he was in too much pain to do the things that he had planned on doing earlier in life. Having nothing else to look forward to in life, David spent his final days on a bench in the sun, thinking about how much happier he would be in heaven.
When she wasn't going to school or doing homework, Sharon spent most of her time drawing. She drew elaborate manga inspired scenes of heroic warriors and beautiful princesses. She drew detailed landscapes dotted with colorful monsters and menacing villains, but she never shared her work with anyone. Time passed and Sharon continued to develop as an artist. She had mastered the skills of shadowing and texturing her artwork and she graduated from high school. Too afraid to share her work with others, Sharon pursued a college degree in business rather than art, but she continued to passionately work on her artistry when she was alone. More time passed and now Sharon was managing a department at a large corporation. She didn't really like her job, but she was comfortable doing it. By now, Sharon had pretty much given up on creating her own art, but she still appreciated the art of others.