Literary Elements Short Story Unit Key difference between

Literary Elements Short Story Unit

Key difference between short stories and novels: § Novels usually contain more characters (longer time and space to develop) § Novels contain several sub-plots, while short stories usually focus on one plot line.

Characterization • Process by which writer reveals the personality of a character – Telling the reader directly – Describing looks and dress – Hear character speak – Revealing character’s thoughts

Protagonist • The main character, sets plot in motion • Example: Things Fall Apart- Okonkwo Hamlet: Hamlet

Antagonist • Character or force that opposes/blocks the protagonist (main character) • Example: Things Fall Apart- Mr. Smith, The white man Hamlet: Claudius

Direct Characterization • Writer tells the reader directly what a character is like Example: Things Fall Apart “Okonkwo ruled his house with a heavy hand…Okonkwo was ruled by one passion -to hate everything… that was gentleness and idleness. ”

Indirect Characterization • Reader has to use own judgment; put clues together to figure out what a character is like. Example: Things Fall Apart Unoka: Unoka was never happy when it came to wars. And so he changed the subject and talked about music. (implying that he is weak, tender hearted)

Dynamic Characters • Changes in some way as a result of the story’s action Example: Things Fall Apart Nwoye: He was meek and mild wanted to please his father. However, he later hated his father and became a leader in the white church

Static Characters • Does not change in course of story • Example: Things Fall Apart Okonkwo: Mean, angry throughout entire story…led to his downfall.

Flat Characters • A character with only 1 or 2 personality traits • Example: Hamlet – Ophelia: submissive, respectful – Polonius: sneaky, foolish

Round Characters • Have more dimensions to their personalities-complex, solid, and multifaceted Example: Hamlet: depressed, angered, smart, loyal, remorseful…

Point of View • The vantage point from which a writer tells a story. – Three types: • Omniscient • First person • Third person

Omniscient Point of View • The person telling the story knows everything that’s going to happen. • Outside of story • Can tell us what is happening and what characters are feeling • Example: Things Fall Apart

1 st person narrator • The narrator is a character in the story. • Uses “I” to tell of his experiences • Can only hear and see what narrator sees • Example: The Great Gatsby Story is told through Nick’s eyes

3 rd person narrator • The person telling the story is not a character in the story, but can only tell the story from one character’s point of view. • Uses “he, she, they” etc, throughout the story. Example: Hamlet Told through Hamlet’s view, but Hamlet is not the one telling the story.

Rising Action • All action leading up to the climax of the story. Example: Hamlet’s father dieing, Hamlet seeking to avenge, killing Polonius, changing the directions in the letter, the duel between Laertes and Hamlet, poisoning the queen…

Climax • Point of greatest emotional intensity, or suspense in a plot when the outcome of the conflict becomes known Things Fall Apart: Okonkwo killing himself Hamlet: Hamlet dieing

Falling Action • Action following the climax Things Fall Apart: The Kotma looking for Okonkwo, cutting down Okonkwo’s body Hamlet: Fortinbras breaking into the castle to see the end of the chaos

Resolution • When all the problems, mysteries and conflicts unravel and are explained Things Fall Apart: The Commissioner explaining his plan to write a book and the little importance Okonkwo’s tragedy will have in it. Hamlet: Horatio vowing to tell the story of Hamlet’s tragedy.

Themes • Central idea or insight of a work of literature – Not the subject of the work

Themes from Things Fall Apart • The Struggle between change and tradition • Interpretation of Masculinity • Language as sign of culture difference

Themes from Hamlet • • The impossibility of certainty Loyalty Revenge can not result in peace Nation as dead/prison

Mood • Overall emotion created • • Things Fall Apart: Sad, Tragedy Hamlet: Depressed, suspense The Canterbury Tales: humor Frankenstein: suspense

Setting • Time and place of a story – Often linked to mood – Often changes throughout story Example: Things Fall Apart: Nigeria, late 1800’s Hamlet: Denmark, Elsinore, night, dark…

Irony • A contrast between: – what is said and what is meant – what is expected and what really happens – what appears to be true and what really is true

Examples of Irony • Okonkwo mocking womanly actions, but then commiting the ultmate act of weakness: killing himself. • The clan allowing the white man/culture to dominate, then not helping the one person who tried to hold on to their culture (take down Okonkwo’s body) because it violates the rules of their culture.

Diction • Writer’s/Speaker’s choice of words – Influenced by audience – Determines effect writer is trying to produce Example: The language describing a snow flake in a science article is different that would be described by a poet.

Imagery • Language that appeals to the senses: – Sight, sound, taste, smell, hearing Things Fall Apart: The drums were still beating, persistent and unchanging. Their sound was no longer a separate thing from the living village. It was like the pulsation of its heart….

Allegory • A story in which characters, settings and events stand for abstract or moral concepts

Symbolism • The use of symbols to suggest ideas, emotions, moods and meaning • Common Symbols: heart (love), dove (peace), skull and cross bones (danger)

Symbols in Things Fall Apart • • Locusts Fire Drums Yams

Dialogue • Conversation between two or more people Hamlet: Barnardo: Who’s there? Francisco: No: Answer me! Halt and identify yourself! Barnardo: Long live the king!

Allusion • A reference to a statement person, place or event known from literature, history, religion, myth, politics or another field of knowledge Example: Hamlet describing his father (A 3): the curls of the sun god Hyperion; the forehead of kingly Jove, an eye like that of Mars, a bearing like the herald Mercury.

Motif • A word, character, object, image, metaphor, or idea that recurs in a work, or several works.

Motifs from Things Fall Apart • Chi • Animal Imagery • Eguwegu

Motifs from Hamlet • Incest • Ears and hearing • Poison

Atmosphere • Mood or feeling created through details and images Things Fall Apart: The night was very quiet. Darkness held a vague terror for these people, even the bravest among them…Dangerous animals became more sinister and uncanny in the dark. A snake was never called by its name at night, because it would hear.

Atmosphere, example cont. • Hamlet: It’s midnight and…approaches him in the dark… Example: The train was hot and crowded. The exhaust from the engines filled the cars meant for lower class passengers. Smells of food and body odor mixed together, as people tried not to stick to the seats…

Hyperbole • Uses extreme exaggeration to express a strong sentiment or create comic effect. – Example: sweating to death! – I’ve told you a million times! – If I had a dollar every time you said that, I would be a billionaire.

n The End!!!