This presentation lists and defines elements of a story including plot, theme, and setting. Students will also be prompted to complete a formative assessment during the course of the slideshow.
2. INTRO
Every story has some basic elements, whether it is a short
story, novel, play, folk tale, etc.
3. PLOT
The plan, scheme, or main story of a literary or dramatic
work, as a play, novel, or short story.
Every story has a plot because if it didn’t, it wouldn’t be a
story.
Plot can also be referred to as storyline.
5. EXPOSITION
Literary device used to provide the reader with
background information about events, setting, characters,
etc.
Which of the literary elements that we have studied in the
past few days might we find in the exposition?
6. RISING ACTION
Series of events that build up to the main point of interest
in a literary work.
Example:
• In the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers as tribute, goes to
the city, trains for the Hunger Games, becomes the “Girl on
Fire.”
7. CLIMAX
The point at which tension is at its highest.
Which of the literary elements that we discussed
yesterday would also be labeled as the climax?
8. FALLING ACTION
The part of the story at which the climax has been reached
and the conflict is being.
10. YOUR TURN
With a partner, choose a literary work, movie, play, etc.
Draw a plot diagram and describe the exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
11. SETTING
The setting is when and where the story takes place.
Example:
• Batman takes place in Gotham City.
• Romeo and Julieti takes place in Verona, Italy.
Describing the setting can be as vague as the name of a
city or as detailed as this:
• On a dark and stormy night in 1869 London, a detective sat
in a cozy, but drab room by a fireplace.
12. ADD
To your plot diagram, add the setting of your chosen story.
13. CHARACTER
Characters are the people (or animals in some cases) that
the story is about.
There are major characters and minor characters.
There are dynamic, static, flat, and round characters.
14. CHARACTER TRAITS
Aspects of the character’s behavior or personality.
These are intrinsic qualities NOT physical attirbutes.
15. DYNAMIC CHARACTERS
Dynamic characters change throughout the course of the
story.
Example:
• Luke Skywalker started off as a small town boy living on
Tattooine, but he became a well-respected Jedi knight.
The central conflict of the story is usually what changes
the character.
• In Up, the old man is super nice until his wife dies, and then
he is really mean, but after going on his adventure with
Russell and getting his house to Paradise Falls, he becomes
nice again.
16. STATIC CHARACTERS
Static characters do not change over time.
The Emporer in Star Wars is evil in the beginning, and he
is evil at the end.
17. ROUND CHARACTER
Characters that have a complex personality are referred to
as round characters.
They may be conflicted or contradict themselves often.
Example:
• Harry Potter is an example of a round character.
18. FLAT CHARACTERS
This character has one trait.
• The tiny robot, Mo, in Wall-E that is always cleaning up dirt
is a flat character.
19. ADD
With your partner, choose three characters from your
chosen text/movie.
Write down the character’s name, which type of character
they are, and list some of their traits.
20. PROTAGONIST
The protagonist is a central character in the story, but not
necessarily the main character.
This is the person you’re cheering for.
The good one.
21. ANTAGONIST
This character works against the antagonist.
This character is presents an obstacle that the protagonist
needs to overcome.
22. ADD
With your partner, decide if any of the three characters
were the protagonist or antagonist of that text/movie.
Write that down.
23. THEME
An idea that is repeated in a literary work making it the
most important idea in the text.
Generally, themes are universal concepts.
• Examples: love, greed, friendship.
If it keeps popping up, it’s probably a theme.
24. ADD
Write down any themes that you think are part of that
text/movie.
What ideas kept reoccurring?
Think about how you can state that idea generally.
25. TONE
The attitude of the writer toward a subject.
This is conveyed through diction (word choice).
• Here’s an example of how you can say the same thing, but
the tone changes because of diction.
• I looked outside, and it was pouring down rain outside.
• I looked out the window, and the sky was black and it seemed
as if there was no end in sight to this storm.
26. MOOD
Literary element that evokes feelings in the reader.
Similar to tone
Creates the emotion that the reader feels while reading
the text.
27. ADD
Describe in 3-5 sentences the tone and mood of that
text/movie.
Make sure both your names are on this sheet of paper.
