The document discusses various literary elements used in stories, including point of view, narrator, setting, conflict, plot structure, characters, themes, and devices such as irony and imagery. It provides definitions and examples of first, second, and third person points of view; reliable and unreliable narrators; types of settings; internal and external conflicts; elements of plot like exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution; different character types; direct and indirect characterization; themes; and examples of situational, verbal, and dramatic irony.

1. What’s the story?

2. Point of View
• 1st person point of view: a character WITHIN the
story tells the story.
• 2nd person point of view: It’s all about YOU.
• 3rd person omniscient point of view: a character
NOT IN the story tells the story, and the reader sees
the thoughts of MORE THAN ONE character.
• 3rd person limited point of view: a character NOT IN
the story tells the story, and the reader sees the
thoughts of ONE character.

3. Narrator
• Character who tells
the story to the
audience
• He or she can be a
character in the
story
• Not all narrators are
reliable.

4. Unreliable Narrator
• a narrator who is difficult
to trust or believe
• usually a narrator who is
discovered to lie, is
delusional, or is mentally
ill.
• He provides the reader
with inaccurate or
incomplete information
• "It is impossible to say how first the idea
entered my brain; but once conceived, it
haunted me day and night. . . I think it was
his eye! yes, it was this! One of his eyes
resembled that of a vulture--a pale blue
eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell
upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by
degrees--very gradually--I made up my
mind to take the life of the old man, and
thus rid myself of the eye for ever."
• -Edgar Allan Poe, "The Tell-Tale Heart"

5. Setting
Time: past, present, future, year, season, hour
Place: social, economic, cultural environment
as well as specific location
mood: the feeling or atmosphere the author creates
in a story.

6. Conflict
 Internal Conflict: A conflict that occurs
within a character’s mind. (man vs.
himself)
 External Conflict: A conflict that
occurs outside of a character.
Man vs. man
Man vs. nature
Man vs. society

7. Plot
Climax
Rising action
Falling action
Exposition Resolution

8. Characters
• protagonist: the central character in a literary
work around whom the main conflict revolves.
• antagonist: a person or force in society or
nature that opposes the protagonist in a
literary work.

9. Direct vs. Indirect Characterization
• Direct Characterization: When the narrator or
another character tells us what a person is
like.
• Ex: Jason was a tall, broad-shouldered football
player who always had a smile on his face.

10. Indirect Characterization
• Indirect Characterization: Requires the reader to
look for clues that reveal a character’s traits and
motivation.
When looking for indirect characterization, think
about all the following:
• What a character does (actions)
• What a character thinks
• What a character says (dialogue)
• What other characters say and how they react
• Ex: Jody ran up the stairs to her room, tears
streaming down her face, and slammed her door
loudly, hoping her mother would hear.

11. Characters
• Round Character: a character who reveals various, and sometimes
contradictory, personality traits.
• Flat Character: a character who reveals only one character trait, usually
stereotypical.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
• Dynamic Character: a character whose personality goes through a
transformation in a story.
• Static Character: a character whose personality remains unchanged
throughout a story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Quick Memory Trick
• Round=Many Characteristics
• Flat=Few Characteristics
• Static=Same and Dynamic=Different

12. Theme
• The central message of insight into life.
• A stated theme is expressed directly by the
author.
• An implied theme is suggested indirectly
through the characters or through the events
and the setting of the work.
• Are themes concrete or abstract nouns????

13. Theme Statement Shortcut
(Copy this word for word…Learn it…Love it…You will have
numerous opportunities to utilize this information.)
The _______________________ __________________ by
(genre) (title)
__________________________ is about
(author)
_________________________ and teaches that
(topic/abstract concept)
_______________________________________________.
(opinion statement about topic)
Next, provide supporting details from the text that prove your theme is
valid. What evidence from the text supports your position?

14. Theme is NOT plot summary.
• What does this mean?
• What are some examples of themes you’ve
uncovered in previous readings or viewings?

15. Irony
• Situational Irony: When there is a
contrast between what a reader or
character expects and what actually
exists or happens.

16. Situational Irony

17. Situational Irony

18. Situational Irony

19. Situational Irony Example
• When John Hinckley attempted to assassinate
President Ronald Reagan, all of his shots
initially missed the President; however a
bullet ricocheted off the bullet-proof windows
of the Presidential limousine and struck
Reagan in the chest. Thus, the windows made
to protect the President from gunfire were
partially responsible for his being shot.

20. Situational Irony Example
• Jim Fixx, who did much to popularize jogging
as a form of healthy exercise in his 1977 book
The Complete Book of Running, died at the
age of 52 of a heart attack (a death associated
with sedentary, unhealthy lifestyles) while out
jogging.

21. Irony
• Verbal Irony: Saying one thing, but meaning
something else. . . knowingly exaggerating.
(sarcasm)
• Example: Teacher: “I can see from the ‘F’ on
your paper that you put a lot of effort into
your assignment.”

22. Verbal Irony Example

23. Verbal Irony Example

24. Irony
• Dramatic Irony: The audience or reader
knows something another character does
not know.
• Dramatic Irony Example: We, the audience,
know that there is a surprise party for
Carlos; however, Carlos does not know and
is surprised to find a room full of friends
when he arrives home.

25. Dramatic Irony Example
Although we, the audience, know Bob is in
danger of being shot by Steve, poor Bob does
not know Steve is around the corner.
BOB
STEVE

26. Dramatic Irony Example

27. Imagery
• Mental pictures or images created by the
author for the reader to show rather than tell
the events of the story
• Figurative language is often used
• Imagery relies on the five senses:
– Smell
– Taste
– Touch
– Hear
– See

28. Foreshadowing
• The use of hints or clues to indicate
events and situations that will occur
later in the plot.
– Spooky music
– Thunder and lightening
– A new suspicious character introduced (purpose
unknown at the time)

29. Flashback
• interrupting the
sequence of events
to include
information about
an event that
happened in the past

30. Mood
• Mood describes the emotions felt while
reading. The general atmosphere created by
the author’s words and imagery. Mood
generally covers an entire work.
• Examples of mood: scary, romantic,
violent, hopeful, mysterious, joyful. . .

31. Tone
• Tone - the manner in which written
words might be said. For example:
sarcastic, hateful, witty, angry
• Tone is different from mood in that a
story typically has one mood;
whereas, tone can change a lot
throughout a story.

32. Words That Describe Tone
• Amused
• Humorous
• Pessimistic
• Angry
• Informal
• Playful
• Cheerful
• Ironic
• Witty
• Horrifying
• Light
• Sad
• Matter-of-fact
• Serious
• Formal
• Suspicious
• Gloomy
• Optimistic

33. Examples of Tone
• Sincere: She rose from her chair when I came in
and exclaimed with a smile: "Wow! Nice outfit!"
• Sarcastic: She gave me one look and said, with a
short laugh, "Yeah, right! Nice outfit!“
• Envious: She glanced at me quickly and muttered
reluctantly, "Um, yeah . . . nice outfit."
• Insulting: She looked at me incredulously and
said, "Eww! Nice outfit!"

34. Name: _______________________________ Block: ______ Date: ______ Title of Work: ______________________________
Character(s)
Protagonist:
Antagonist:
Others:
Setting
Location:
Season:
Time Span: to
Details:
Point of View
 1st person
char. ____________
 3rd person limited
char. ____________
 3rd person
omniscient
Literary Devices
(imagery, figurative lang., symbolism, etc.)
Theme(s)
Exposition Rising Action Climax Resolution
Type of Conflict: Specific Conflict:
• person vs. person
• person vs. society ________________ vs.
• person vs. fate
• person vs. self ________________
Falling
Action

36. Elements of Short Stories
pp. 198-199
• Plot diagram
(Fairy Tale
Example)
External conflict
vs.
Internal conflict