Parts of Literature

What is plot?•Chain of events in a story - sequence that creates a beginning, middle and end.

•Action in the story: What happens? To whom? How? Why?

•Plot is usually determined by a causal relationship: A causes B, which causes C, which causes D

•Exposition•Inciting incident

•Rising action and complications•Climax•Falling action•Resolution

Pieces of the plot•Characters: Who is the story about?•Motivations: What do they want?•Conflict and complications: What keeps

characters from getting what they want•Events: What is it that makes this journey

interesting? What hurts the characters? What helps them?

•Climax: What is the turning point?•Resolution: How does it all end?•Read sample passage...what is the first action

in passage, then what happens..and then?•Chart it!

The Tale of Peter Rabbit(condensed from the original by Beatrix Potter)

Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.

One morning old Mrs. Rabbit said, "I'm going to the bakery to buy brown bread and currant buns. You may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden. Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries ... but Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuce and some beans, and then he ate some radishes. On his way to find some parsley, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor!  Mr. McGregor jumped up and ran after Peter, shouting, "Stop, thief!"

Peter was very frightened. He rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back to the gate. Unfortunately Peter ran into a gooseberry net and got caught by the large brass buttons on his jacket. Peter gave himself up for lost; but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement and begged him to try to free himself. Just as Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop on top of Peter, Peter wriggled out of his jacket, leaving it behind him. He rushed into the tool shed and jumped into a watering can. It would have been a good thing to hide in, if it had not had so much water in it. Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the tool shed, perhaps hidden underneath a flowerpot. He began to turn them over, one by one.

Suddenly Peter sneezed – Kerty schoo! Mr. McGregor was after him in no time. Peter jumped out of a window. Fortunately the window was too small for Mr. McGregor. Then Peter ran away from the tool shed, all around the garden. At last, he found the garden gate. He slipped underneath and was safe once more in the woods outside. I am sorry to say that Peter did not feel very well that evening. His mother put him to bed and gave him a dose of chamomile tea.

"One tablespoon to be taken at bedtime."  But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries for supper.

•chronological order - the story is told in the order events happened

•flashback - the story is interrupted with an event from the past

•flash forward - the story is interrupted with an event (or possible event) from the future

•foreshadowing - planted clues within the story that hint at something that will happen later in the plot

•Setting is the place of the story: The where and when-Where includes things like country, planet, environment, town, room-When includes things like year date, time of day, season

•We need both the where and when to understand the setting

•Knowing the setting and why it matters helps us to understand the plot, characters, and tone

Elements of Plot•Plot Structure

•Conflict and Resolution

•Setting and Mood

•Author's Perspective and Tone

Plot structure•Plot structure is what gives shape to a story

▫ Provides backbone for the action•Basic structure of any story•Beginning

▫Exposition•Middle

▫Inciting incident▫Conflict▫Complications

•End ▫Resolution

Beginning•Exposition

▫where we get important background information about characters, time, and place

▫Start to learn characters and their motivations, or needs and desires

•Exposition occurs throughout the story, not just the beginning

Middle•Story transforms into the middle or body at the

inciting incident.▫This is the introduction of the main conflict

•Sometimes a story will begin in the middle of things. this means that we begin at, or just after, the inciting incident.

•Inciting Incident and Conflict•What is introduced into the story that affects

the character's needs and desires?•How does it keep the characters from

achieving their needs and desires?•What must the characters do to overcome this

obstacle?

Middle•Rising Action - sequence of events that

hinder or help the characters, called complications. ▫Often events in rising action help create

tension and suspense.•Cause and effect - complications in the plot

have effects▫a causes b, which causes c…

•Main body (middle) transforms into the falling action and resolution

The End•This happens at the climax - everything in the

story comes to a point, all characters, events, complications, effects and suspense reach this turning point.

•Climax leads us to the end of the story•Climax takes us into falling action which turns

into resolution•Characters have accomplished a quest or

journey, completed an adventure, answered a question.

•At the end, things aren't as they were in the beginning, characters and setting has changed

Plot and Subplot

•Plot refers to main action and conflict in the story▫Short stories, plays or poems often have a single

plot▫Usually a single conflict

•Subplot refers to additional conflicts that arise▫Longer stories, novels, epics, full-length plays

and films often have subplots in addition to the main plot

•This helps create interest, tension and complexity

Conflict and Resolution

• Defining Conflict - Struggle between opposing forces

Protagonist: The central hero of a story, out to achieve a goal

Antagonist: The Character of force that keeps the protagonist from the goal

Types of Conflict•External Conflict

▫Character vs. Character▫Character vs. Environment▫Character vs. society

•Internal Conflict▫Character vs. Self▫Character vs. Fate or Destiny

Identifying Conflict Stories often have multiple conflicts Primary Conflict - Established within the main plot of the story and directly related to the inciting incident and climax of the action Secondary Conflicts - found within the subplots of the story, and used to enhance the action and primary conflict.

Conflicts and Characters

- The conflict is directly related the characters in the story.

- Motivation - What does the protagonist want? How does the motivation shape the conflict?

- Resolution - How will the protagonist (and other characters) end up.

- How will the conflict be resolved?

Resolution

-Resolution ties up all the loose ends of the conflict

-It occurs after the climax and falling action

-In the resolution, everything returns to "normal“

- Remember that the characters have changed in some way, because of the central conflict

Setting and Mood•When and where of the action...work

together to create setting.•What else helps establish setting? •How do we understand or interpret

clues about the plot from the setting?•Mood is the emotional tone established

in the story.•Writer can set the mood in many ways,

but most often it is through the setting.

•With a clamor of bells that set the swallows soaring, the Festival of Summer came to the city Omelas, bright-towered by the sea. The rigging of the boats in harbor sparkled with flags. In the streets between houses with red roofs and painted walls, between old moss-grown gardens and under avenues of trees, past great parks and public buildings, procession moved.

•From "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," by Ursula K. Le Guin

Mood

•What effects do words have on mood of the story?

•How does the setting describe the mood and vice versa?

•How does the setting affect the plot?

Author's Perspective and Tone• Perspective refers to a particular point of view.• This isn't just first-persona or omniscient (all knowing) point of view but also writer's point of view. • What does the writer have to say? Why? What is the purpose behind writing these lines• What is Williams trying to say and why? • Author's perspective also includes author's purpose• Passages or details in the text reveal the purpose and perspective.

This Is Just To Say   by William Carlos Williams

I have eaten the plums that were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving for breakfast

Forgive me they were delicious so sweet and so cold

Perspective, Purpose and Tone

• The author's perspective and purpose can also be revealed by the tone, or the attitude the writer has about an issue, person, event, object or even the audience.

• How would you describe the tone of "This is just to say?" Why? (remorse, apologetic, curious)

• Sometimes, it is easier to understand perspective and tone in non-fiction pieces of literature (essays, articles or personal accounts).

Character•What is character?•2002 book magazine published a list of 100

greatest fictional characters since 1900.▫Jay Gatsby, Sherlock Holmes, Charlotte,

Winnie the Pooh, Harry Potter•What makes these characters great?•Who would be on your list?

Types of characters

•Protagonist vs. Antagonist

•Dynamic vs. Static

•Round vs. Flat

•Character is a matter of interpretation - you have to figure out how to read the character.

Motivation•Motivation is closely related to the

conflict of a story.

•What does the character want?

•What will this character do to get it?

•What is keeping this character from getting it?

Static and Dynamic Characters•Static characters don't change

▫Flat or stock characters▫Play supporting role▫Sometimes the heroes and sometimes very fully

developed - they just don't change•Dynamic characters go through lots of

changes▫Full, round characters, many traits▫Protagonists, heroes, the ones who pull us into a

story▫Big, bold in your face excitement▫Changes for better or worse throughout the story

Character interactions•Look carefully at how they interact with

each other.•In fiction, their interactions are often

determined by the conflict and their motivations.▫What do they want and what is keeping them

from getting it?•Interactions lead to relationships between

characters.

Relationships between characters are integral to story

•How do they know or think they know each other?

•What kinds of relationships do the characters want to have?

•When you use all of the information you have been able to discern about a character, you should start to form an opinion about him or her. This is the start of your interpretation.

•Why do you have these feelings about the character?

•How did you get to this interpretation?•So what? Why does this interpretation matter?

Character: Motivation•"What's my motivation?"•What is an actor really asking?•What is it that an actor needs to know to play his part well?

•A character's motivation is about two things:

•Needs - essentials for survival•Desires - the wants that enhance survival

Needs:•Maslow's Hierarchy needs•We can apply these ideas to characters:

When the characters have one level of the pyramid, they move to the next.

•Everyone is trying to reach the top

Desires:•Beyond basic needs, what do characters want?•A desire goes beyond basic human needs.• It is something that enhances living

•Characters act a certain way for a reason. Discovering a character's motivation helps us discover that reason.

•Motivation is often central to the conflict. It explains character actions and reactions and why a character takes the next step forward.

•If dynamic characters are the interesting ones, why are there static characters?

•Balance..can't write a story with out dynamic round characters..need both for plot actions

•Static characters support role of dynamic change (can see change)

•Prince Farquar? (Shrek)•Shrek and Fiona

Static and Dynamic Characters

Character Interactions•Interaction - etymological speaking (break apart

and look at pieces)• inter - prefix meaning "between, among, in the

midst of, mutually, reciprocally, together, during•action: process of doing, performing, carrying

out being - existing•interaction: performing or being among•Character interaction refers to the exchanges

between characters•Exchanges or interactions are crucial to

understanding the characters, plot, conflict, and resolution

How do characters interact?•Dialogue: through speech•How do people interact through speech

▫Talk, Argue, Insult, Question

•Competition: Both have the same goal.

•Non-verbal interaction.•What are these interactions? Why are

they important to the characters?•Why are they important to the characters?•How does this affect their interactions?

Relationships between characters•Interactions vs. Relationships•Interactions are defined by actions

▫doesn't need a relationship•Relationship, includes interactions,

defined by emotional bonds•Think about relationships in life. They

also appear in literature

•Identify the relationship•Who are the participants in the relationship?

•What is the conflict in the relationship?

•What is the emotional connection?

Understanding Theme•What does it mean?•What is being revealed•Theme is not

▫a plot summary ▫a topic

•The author's purpose

Understanding Theme•Finding the meaning in the action.•How does the protagonist change?•How is the action resolved?•What can the title tell you?•"Simile" N Scott Momady poem

Simile by N. Scott MomadayWhat did we say to each otherthat now we are as the deerwho walk in single filewith heads highwith ears forwardwith eyes watchfulwith hooves always placed on firm groundin whose limbs there is latent flight

•Theme is often stated in complete sentence using generalized and universal terms.

•Remember, the theme is a matter of interpretation. ▫There isn't one right answer.

•For this poem, we could say that the theme is▫One wrong word can ruin a relationship.▫Language can hurt but also help two people in a

relationship.

•and what we should learn from it

Stated vs. Implied Themes•Stated themes: Author reveals what the

theme is…he/she tells the reader

•Implied themes: the reader has to figure it out

•Stated themes are often more easy to discover and discuss than implied themes but both require active reading!

The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

•"I took the one less travel by, and that has made all the difference" (stated theme)

•One easy road, one difficult one...he took the difficult one/less popular path...encouraging us to take chances

Fire and Ice, Robert FrostSome say the world will end in fire,Some say in ice.From what I’ve tasted of desireI hold with those who favor fire.But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hateTo say that for destruction iceIs also greatAnd would suffice.

•"Fire and Ice" Frost•End of the world theories..fire or ice•Desire = burning

Hate= ice ▫both destructive

•opposites•Implied theme: extreme emotions are

destructive (we shouldn't have them)

Analyzing Theme•When we ask the meaning of a story, we are asking

about theme.•

You have just finished reading a great story and then your teacher asks, “What does it mean?”

•Why does a story have to mean anything? Can’t we just read it and enjoy it?

•What is the writer trying to reveal to us?

•What are we supposed to take away from this story?

•Analysis: breaking something down into its component parts in order to better understand it.

•classification•categorization•outline•list •cluster

Puzzle Pieces of Literature•Break the literature down into its parts•characters•images •symbols and metaphors •setting•language•conflict

Guiding your analysis:•How does the protagonist change?•How is the action resolved?•What can the title tell you•Notice images and symbols. They are

often directly connected to the theme.•State the theme•Use general terms and state the theme in

a complete sentence.

Reminders:

•The theme is not specific to the story; it is a revelation about life or humanity as a whole

•The theme is not a plot summary or the author's purpose

•It does tell us why the story is important and what we should take away from it.

As you read…•Identify the characters, setting and

conflict involved in the story•How do these things change (or not)?•Theme is about interpretation. Use your

active and careful reading skills to draw conclusions about the theme.

Universal themes•A theme is a revelation that writers

incorporate into their work. It may teach, persuade, or enlighten but it should resonate with the reader somehow.

•When we talk about the theme, we refer to a general statement rather than something specific to this particular story.

•When we call a them universal, we mean that it is an idea that goes beyond just the story.

•Universal themes extend beyond genres, cultures and historical periods to reach many readers in many places and times.

•Example: Courage•Wizard of Oz•Finding Nemo•Diary of Anne Frank

Narrator and Voice•Narrator refers to the one who tells the

story, author, a character, a bodiless speaker or a combination.

Point of view•first person •3rd person limited•3rd person omniscient•2nd person (don't deal with it much)

Types•Objective - reports the action without any

opinions•Intrusive - offers a perspective on events

and sometimes influences the reader's emotions

•Reliable -undoubtedly trustworthy•Unreliable - honesty is in question

Narrator Purpose

•Why do we need a narrator? •Why should we pay attention?•Exposition•History •Perspective•Tension and Suspense

Defining Voice•Voice refers to the persona behind the

narrator and author.•As readers, we are very aware of an

authorial presence.•Look for voice in fiction, non fiction,

prose, and poetry. •Persona - author and narrator combined •Examples

Four major elements of a writer’s voice•Tone - attitude toward the subject or

audience

•Mood - emotional atmosphere

•Diction - word and punctuation choices

•Style - use or technique of the language

since feeling is first, e.e. cumingssince feeling is firstwho pays any attentionto the syntax of thingswill never wholly kiss you;

wholly to be a foolwhile Spring is in the world

my blood approves,and kisses are a better fatethan wisdomlady i swear by all flowers. Don't cry- the best gesture of my brain is less thanyour eyelids' flutter which says

we are for each other; thenlaugh, leaning back in my armsfor life's not a paragraph

And death i think is no parenthesis

Heart, we will forget hima poem by Emily Dickinson

Heart, we will forget him,You and I, tonight!You must forget the warmth he gave,I will forget the light.

When you have done pray tell me,Then I, my thoughts, will dim.Haste! ‘lest while you’re laggingI may remember him!

Point of View•The way a story gets told by an author, including

setting, character, dialogue and actions•Author constructs a narrator to communicate

this point of view•first person(I, me, we, us, our)•3rd person (he, she, they)•Omniscient (all knowing) or Limited •Intrusive - Give opinion•Objective - Just report events•Second person (you)

•Sample sentences - consider how the point of view changes your experience as a reader

•"My mother is the surviving half of a blindfold trapeze act, not a fact I think about much even now that she is sightless, the result of encroaching and stubborn cataracts."

- first person, child•The woman was blind, delicately feeling her way

along. Years ago, she had been a trapeze artist. Now her partner was long dead and she was blind.

- 3rd person (objective, could be limited or omniscient)

•Years ago, I flew on the trapeze. I did it blindfolded. Ironic, isn’t it, that after so many years of working without my eyes, now that I'm retired, cataracts have blindfolded me again.• first person, mother

•How is each point of view different?▫emotional investment▫personal involvement▫reliability▫objectivity

To help you determine point of view, ask yourself these questions:

•Who is telling the story?•What is the narrator’s involvement in the action?•How much does the narrator know and

understand?•Can I trust the narrator?•How much information is being revealed? How

much is being concealed?

Tone•Expression of the narrators attitude

toward subject or audience. •Narrator is not necessarily the author but

a created person.Expressing Tone•a narrator creates the tone of a piece

through word choice punctuation and style

•example (text, email)

•Understanding the tone is crucial to understanding the piece as a whole.

•What is the narrator (and perhaps the writer) trying to say?

•What is the attitude?

•Look at word choice and punctuation.

Narrator and Theme•How do these things fit together?•Author - who writes the story•Narrator - who tells the story•Voice - the persona of the narrator•Tone - the attitude of the narrator•Theme - the meaning or revelation of the

story•Think of it as a chain.