Literary Elements and Terms 1

LITERARY ELEMENTS AND TERMS SHORT STORY: A short story is a brief, fictional prose narrative, having one main character, a single plot, limited setting, and one main effect. Edgar Allan Poe, one of the first significant theorists and practitioners of short story writing, said that short stories: * can be read in one sitting, and derive their power from the fact that the writer has to select details for economy and emphasis; * have a single effect or purpose, and are constructed so that every sentence, from the first to the last one, supports that effect; * leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction and finality, desiring no further completion or alternate ending; * have their basis in truth or life-likeness (referred to as verisimilitude). PLOT STRUCTURE Plot: Distinctions between plot and story vary widely, but. for many critics, story is the sequence in which the events occur as parts of a happening, and plot is the sequence in which the author arranges (narrates or dramatizes) them.. The structuring of these events reveals the central conflict. Subplot: Exposition: A story that occurs simultaneously with the main story and usually has a direct relationship to the main action. The exposition consists of background information necessary for the reader to understand the initial situation and the protagonist's problems. It is difficult to engage a reader's interest if all this exposition comes at the beginning of the story. To overcome this difficulty, a writer will often introduce some details of exposition into the incidents of the story. The writer will begin the conflict as soon as possible and delay at least some of the exposition until after the readers interest has been secured

Initial Situation: The circumstances in which the protagonist finds himself or herself at the beginning of the story make up the initial situation. Incident: An incident is a piece of action occurring at a definite time in a definite place. It might ' -consist only of a character's thoughts, but the character would experience these thoughts somewhere, sometime. A writer will make the time and place of the incidents clear, unless there is a definite reason for not doing so. Trigger Incident: The trigger incident starts the main conflict of the story; it provides the exposition to set the plot in motion and begin changing the initial situation. (Also known as Complicating Incident.) Rising Action: Rising action in a story consists of the incidents that precede the climax. During this stage of the story, background information is given, characters and conflicts are introduced, and suspense is built up. Usually, the rising action is longer than the falling action in a story.

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Conflict:

This is the struggle between opposing characters, forces or concepts, i.e., the protagonist and someone or something else. Additional conflicts, which the protagonist is not involved in, may also be found in a short story. Three common types of conflicts are: * Person vs. Environment: The "environment" may be nature, society or circumstance. * Person vs. Person: There is a conflict between two characters. This struggle may be physical, emotional or psychological. * Person vs. Self: There is a conflict within a character. In mis case, the character experiences conflict(s) in emotion and/or thought. A conflict can be Internal (one quality against another quality or character trait within the same character (i.e. conscience vs. desire, generosity vs. greed), or External (person vs. person, nature, society, or fate).

Crisis: A crisis is a moment of intense conflict. The major crisis of the story is called the climax. Climax: This is the highest point of emotional intensity in a story. It is the major crisis in the story, and usually marks the turning point in the protagonist's fortunes. Denouement (or Resolution): Denouement is French for "unknotting" and refers to the "unknotting" of or resolution to the plot or conflict. The denouement follows the climax, and constitutes all or part of the Falling Action. Dilemma: A dilemma is a situation in which a character must make a choice between two disagreeable, undesirable or unfavourable alternatives. Posing a dilemma is one method an author can use to generate conflict and suspense in a story. Epiphany refers to a moment of significant realization and insight experienced by the protagonist, often at the end of a story. As a .literary term, "epiphany" originates with James Joyce, who built each short story in The Dubliners around what he called an epiphany.

Epiphany:

Flashback: A flashback is a sudden switch in the plot from the present to the past. A flashback scene will depict events that occurred earlier; the flashback is inserted into the chronological' structure of the story for a particular effect It is used to reveal important background information, to show contrast, to foreshadow, to evoke pathos etc. The flashback may take various forms: dream, memory, reverie, dialogue, monologue .... Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing is a hint or warning early on that subtly prepares the reader for some significant event that will occur later. Sometimes, the hint is so subtle that the reader is not consciously aware of it during the first reading. Events may be foreshadowed by dialogue, by setting, by imagery7, by diction etc. Foreshadowing prepares the reader for the climax, the denouement, and any changes in character. Suspense: Suspense is the feeling of anxiety and uncertainty experienced by the reader about tile outcome of events or the protagonist's destiny.

Surprise (Twist) Ending: The sudden twist in the direction of a story, producing a resolution that surprises the reader and often the characters in the story, as well, is called a surprise ending.

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LITERARY ELEMENTS AND TERMS - CHARACTERIZATION Protagonist This is the character in the struggle/conflict who is the chief focus of the author's interest. The protagonist may be virtuous, flawed, or totally corrupt. Antagonist From the Greek arm (against) and agon (contest or struggle), the antagonist is the most significant opponent that the main character must contend with. An antagonist may be nature, society, an object, another character, or the main character's own feelings. Antagonist must not be confused with villain. Character This term refers to both a fictional person in a story, and the moral, dispositional and behavioural qualities of that fictional person. The qualities of a character are. generally revealed through dialogue, action and description. Characters may be classified as: flat or round, static or dynamic, stereotyped or realistic. Classifications of Character Flat character: a limited, .usually minor character with only one apparent quality . Round character: a realistic character with several dimensions. Realistic character: a character who is multidimensional and recognizable as having complex relationships and motivations. Stereotyped character: predictable, one-dimensional and recognizable to the reader as "of a type" e.g. a "jock," a "brain" Dynamic character: Often the protagonist, this character undergoes a significant, lasting change, usually in his or her outlook on life. . Static character: a character who does not change in the course of the story. Characterization The process through which the author, reveals to the reader the qualities of a character. In short stories, the author will either reveal character directly (through author comments) and/or in directly (through the character's speech, thought or action). Hero (Heroine) This is a protagonist in a story who possesses heroic qualities, such as courage, or virtues-, such as honesty. The terms "hero" and "heroine" are not interchangeable with the more general term "protagonist" Antihero An antihero is a protagonist who has none of the qualities normally expected of a hero. The term also refers to a person who is a humorous take-off of the traditional hero. The characters played by Woodv Alien in his films are examples of antiheroes. The reader or viewer usually feels superior to such characters, likable though they may be. Foil A foil is a character whose behaviour, attitudes and/or opinions contrast with those of the protagonist The contrast of me foil helps the reader to understand the character and the motivation of the Protagonist better.

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LITERARY ELEMENTS AND TERMS - SETTING/LANGUAGE Setting Setting is the time and place of a story. These two factors shape the social, moral and intellectual conditions under which the characters live. The setting often has a powerful effect on the atmosphere of the story. In some cases, setting can be symbolic. Atmosphere/Mood The air (calm, sinister, oppressive etc.) breathed by the reader as he or she enters into the world of a literary work. The atmosphere creates an emotional response in the reader that is called mood. It should not be confused with tone. An atmosphere of childlike simplicity, for example, may be set up partly by the objects described, setting, diction, dialogue,-characterization, imagery etc; Theme The theme is the central idea of the story, usually implied rather than directly stated. Theme should not be confused with the plot. Many good stones have an underlying thought or attitude towards life that the story illustrates. This idea, or theme, may be light-hearted or sad; it may say, for instance, that vanity is a weakness that can lead to suffering and death. To derive theme, ask what the story's central purpose is. what view of life it supports or what insight into life it reveals. Style Tone This is the attitude of the author, as the reader infers it, in the work. Similar to a speaker's tone of voice, a writer's voice may indicate an attitude toward his or her subject of, for example, scam or delight or solemnity. Tone should not be confused with atmosphere, which is the world in which the characters move. The atmosphere of a work may be frightful, but the tone may be compassionate or bewildered. Often an identification of tone requires very careful attention to details of the text. Image An image is a picture that remains in the mind of the reader. Images are word pictures that the author uses to clarify an idea, to intensify a feeling, to reveal character, or to create mood. There are two basic kinds of images. The first is the sensory image, which is a description or _. representation of a concrete visual object or of a sound, taste, texture, or smell - something that can be perceived by the senses. No figurative language is required. The second is the figurative image, which is a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech. Every figure of speech is an image, but not every image is a figure of speech. Imagery refers to the pattern of images in a single piece of writing and is an important part of the meaning or essence of a .literary work. Figurative Language Figurative language, as opposed to literal, is a special approach to writing that departs from what is typically a concrete, straightforward style. It involves a vivid, imaginative comparison that goes beyond plain or ordinary statements. For instance, instead of saying that "Joan is wonderful," you could write that "Joan is like a summer's rose" (a simile); "Joan's hair is wheat, pale and soft and yellow".(a metaphor); or "Joan is my Helen of Troy" (an allusion); or any number of other comparative approaches. Note that Joan is not a rose, her hair is not wheat, nor is she some other person named Helen. Figurative language is not logical; instead, it requires an ability on the part of the writer to create an imaginative comparison in order to make an idea more striking. Symbol, Symbolism A symbol is .something that stands for or represents something else. Characters, objects, events, and settings can all be symbolic. Natural symbol: dove = peace; island = isolation Conventional symbol: flag = patriotism; expensive car = wealth and status Private symbol: a symbol whose consistency is established entirely within the limits of a particular literary work "lantern that won't burn'' = diminishing life force; pitch-dark=- unknowable eternity

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Understatement Understatement is the stating of a fact or opinion less strongly than the case win allow, for the purpose of emphasis. Irony: there are 3 types Verbal Irony: a discrepancy between the literal and the intended meanings of words (i.e. saying one thing and meaning another). Situational irony: or irony of fate, is a twist of destiny, for example, laughing at the misfortune of others, not knowing that the same thing is happening to you. It can be the author's perceptions of the absurdity of life. Dramatic irony: or tragic irony, is a term applied to a situation in a play or narrative where the audience or reader is aware of something of which the character is ignorant; therefore, the character acts in a way that is totally inappropriate to the situation, or expects the opposite of what fate holds in store, or says something that anticipates the actual outcome, but not at all in the way that he or she means it. Sarcasm This is a sneering or taunting attitude in writing. It is designed to hurt by ridiculing or criticising. Basically, sarcasm is a heavy-handed form of irony, as when someone says, "Well, you're exactly on time, aren't you" to someone who is an hour late, and says it with a sharpness in the voice, a sharpness intended to hurt. Satire This is the humorous or critical treatment of a subject in order to expose the subject's vices, follies, shortcomings etc. Satire is a better weapon than sarcasm in the hands of the writer because satire is used to correct, whereas sarcasm merely hurts. Juxtaposition Juxtaposition is a purposeful placement of two or more things side by side, even though they are not usually associated with each other. Paradox This is a statement that seems to be contradictory but actually contains an element of truth. Writers use it to call attention to their subject. Narrator The narrator is the storyteller. In the case of a story told from the first person perspective, the narrator is one of the characters; in the case of a story told from the objective, omniscient, or limited omniscient point of view, the author assumes the role of narrator. Point of view A piece of literature (i.e. a poem, short story, novel, play) is told or recorded by someone, and that someone has a particular identity. The story is rarely told by the artist speaking in his or her own personality; it is usually told through an assumed point of view, an assumed eye and mind (a persona). Points of view can be divided into first (I) and third person ( he or she).

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Archetype The common meaning ("the original pattern or-model from which ail other things of the same kind are made) is somewhat broader than its meaning in literary criticism. Carl Jung, the Swiss doctor, in Contributions to Analytical Psychology, postulates the existence of a "collective unconscious" in people's minds, an inheritance of the brain 'consisting of "countless typical experiences [such as birth, death, escape from danger, selection of a mare] of our ancestors." These experiences, such as perception of the perpetual rising and setting of the sun (birth and death, one might say), manifest themselves in dreams, myths, and literature. Because (the theory holds) both reader and writer share unconscious memories, the tale an author tells, derived from the collective unconscious, may strangely move the reader, stirring his or her collective-unconscious. In literature, the heros quest can be said to be archetypal. Stereotype Stereotype is any fixed pattern of plot or character. Stereotyped plots usually fall into the realm of escapist fiction. Stereotyped characters are familiar figures in fiction, such as the "hard-boiled" private investigator, the "absent-minded" professor, the military officer with "a stiff upper lip.'" Motif Motif is a recurring word, phrase, situation, object or idea. Most frequently, motif is applied to a situation that recurs in various literary works, for example, the "rags to riches" motif. Indeed, the notion of the motif was developed through the study of folk literature to identify patterns among otherwise apparently disparate tales (consider the motif of the labours a young man must perform at the behest of a king for the purpose of attaining some form of approval [title, riches, or a bride]. One of the delights of the movie, Shrek, is its comic reversal of a very wide range of fairy tale motifs). But a motif (sometimes called a leitmotif, from the German "leading motif) can occur within a single work; it is any repetition that helps unify a work by potently recalling its earlier occurrence and all that surround it. Connotation Connotation is the associative meaning or a word, not its dictionary meaning; for example, the word home -might connote security, love and warmth. Denotation Denotation is the specific meaning of a word; for example, home is defined as "a house, an apartment or other dwelling serving as the abode of a person, family or household." Colloquial language This is language used in conversation and in certain types of informal writing, but rarely in essays, business writing or research papers. There is nothing wrong with colloquialisms when used in conversational settings; however, they are unacceptable in essay writing, except when used sparingly for special effects. Slang Slang is a level of language that uses racy and colourful expressions associated more often with speech than with writing. Slang expressions should not be used in essay writing, except when the writer is reproducing dialogue or striving for a special effect. Cliches These axe expressions that were once fresh and vivid, but have become tired and worn from overuse. 'Tm.. so,., hungry I could eat, a horse" is a typical cliche. People use cliches in conversation, but writers should generally avoid them. Hyperbole Hyperbole is the obvious exaggeration of facts either for comic or serious effect.

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Other terms Genre Genre is a term used to classify different types or forms of literary works, for example, novels, plays, short stories, poems etc. These categories may be divided 'into more specific genres, such as Gothic, science fiction, allegorical, romance etc. Fiction Fiction is any narrative that is imagined or invented. Fiction may be based on actual happenings, which can, in turn, make fiction seem realistic. Fantasy A fantasy is a highly exaggerated or improbable story. As a rule, fantasy has fantastic events, characters, and/or settings not found in real life. Science Fiction Science fiction is writing that speculates about the effects of technology, science, and the future of human being's. While the purpose of some science fiction is purely escapist entertainment, science fiction can be written for a range of purposes.