2. Words to Know Analyze – separating a thing into parts & examining those individual parts Diction – word choice; can be formal/informal, common/technical, or abstract/concrete Style – made up of diction, tone, figurative language, grammatical structure, sentence length, and organization – it is the WAY an author writes Tone – what a writer says and feels about his/her subject, characters, or audience
3. Words to Know Imagery – word pictures Connotation – the suggested meaning of words Denotation – the dictionary meaning of words Mood – the feeling created in the reader Irony – contrast b/w what is stated and what is meant, or b/w what is expected to happen and what actually happens Theme – central message or insight into life
4. Words to Know Archetypes – patterns in literature found around the world(ex. – character types such as mysterious guides, wise old man, evil person, etc.) Inference – drawing a conclusion
5. Five Major Literary Devices (Elements) Characterization Setting Plot Point of view Theme
6. Character 2 Types of Conflict: Internal – the struggle in a character’s own mind b/w opposing needs, desires, or emotions External – a character’s struggles against an outside force 2 Types of Characters: Static/Flat – do not change much in the course of the story Dynamic/Round – changes as a result of the story’s events
7. Character 2 Methods of Characterization Direct – the writer tells us directly what a character is like or what a person’s motives are Indirect – the writer shows us a character but allows us to interpret for ourselves the kind of person we are reading about
8. 5 Methods of Indirect Characterization Speech – what does the character say Appearance – how do they look Private thoughts – How other characters in the story feel about them ACTIONS – actions always speak louder than words
9. Setting What does the writer tell you? What the writer mentions is important. Time and place Natural world – weather: sky, cloudy, misty, rainy, etc. Seasons – autumn, spring, winter, summer Creatures – soil, bugs, etc. Manufactured Places (Objects of Humans) – man-made objects, homes, cars, factories, dams
10. Setting Culture – historical period, religion, beliefs, traditions, etc. Setting creates mood (atmosphere). The setting creates the way we feel about a place, it takes us there. Setting is important to help in finding symbolism. It can also help in understanding irony.
11. Plot Conflict is what drives the story. Conflict is the tension, angst, or struggle within the story. Exposition – the background information the author gives Complications/Rising Action – are problems that don’t get resolved (bumps in the road)
12. Plot Plot describes the conflict Crisis/Climax – a decision is reached, and the tension is released in the resolution It is important to understand how the events lead to the crisis Resolution occurs after the crisis, it is the process of releasing or resolving the tension from the crisis
13. Point of View What doe the point of view tell us about what the writer has to say? Is the narrator reliable or not? First person – “I” Third person – limited, the narrator is limited to talking about one character Omniscient – narrator knows thoughts of all characters; all knowing narrator
