Plot and Literary Elements

ESL English

Protagonist - the “good guy” (usually): the main character

Antagonist - the “bad guy” (usually): opposes the protagonist

Conflict - the struggle between two forces in a story. Without conflict, there

is no plot.

All great stories have a conflict

Setting - the story’s time (or time period) and place

Mood - the emotion an author wants the readers to feel while reading.

• The mood is set by the description of the setting, dialogue, plot complications

• Examples – gloomy, happy, fanciful, romantic, tense

Theme - the message from the author to the reader about an

important lesson to learn .

Plot - the pattern or sequence of events that make up a story.

• Every plot is made up of a series of incidents that are related to one another.

Plot Diagram

Exposition - usually the beginning of a short story.

• Characters are introduced. • We also learn about the setting of the story. • We are introduced to the main conflict

(problem).

Rising Action - the part of the story when conflict begins to develop.

Climax - the turning point of the story.

• Usually the protagonist comes face to face with a conflict. He or she will change in some way.

Falling Action - the part of the story in which all loose ends of the plot are tied

up. • It is when we find out what happens after the

climax.

Resolution - the very ending.

• It should be reasonable and satisfying. • It should answer most questions a reader

might have.