A comprehensive review of the
literary elements.
 Genre: A type of literature.
-science fiction
-mystery
-historical fiction -fantasy
-horror/suspense
-realistic fiction
-biography
-autobiography
Setting –
Where and when the story takes place.
 Writers describe the world through…
Sights
Colors Time Sounds Textures Place
 What does setting tell us?
-It reflects character
-Provides a link to the values, ideals, and attitudes of
that place
Characterization:
 Characters are the people or
creatures that the story is about.
 Character traits are qualities in a
character that cannot be seen
such as jealousy, generosity, or
courage.
Conflict
 External Conflict: conflict that
occurs outside the character
-Examples can be other
characters,
nature, or society.
 Internal Conflict: Conflict that
occurs within a character (self)
Plot
1.
2.
3.
Introduction (Basic Situation): Beginning
that sets up the story. It introduces the
characters and the setting.
Problem: Conflict-The challenge the
protagonist has to overcome.
Rising action- events that develop the
problem and lead to climax.
.
Plot (continued)
Climax: The height of the action, also called the
turning point.
5. Falling action- events that resolve the problem
and lead to resolution.
6. Resolution- how the conflict was solved.
4
Theme
Theme- The idea about life revealed in a work of
literature. Also called the lesson or moral of the
story.
Theme (continued)
Good Examples of Theme:
1. Love conquers all.
2. Time heals all wounds.
3. Don’t give up when times are rough.
Poor Examples of Theme:
1. This is a story about a boy who gets trapped
in a cave. (Don’t give a summary)
2. The theme is love. (Not specific enough)
3. I liked this story because it had a happy
ending. (Don’t give an opinion)
Point-of-View:

Point-of-View is the view
from whose eyes the story is
being told (where you place
the camera). There are three
major types of point-ofview.
Point-of-View (continued)
1. First person- the story is told
from the viewpoint of one
character who narrates the story.
Pronouns “I”, “me”, and “my” are
mostly used.
 Key element: Narrator is a
character in the story. Narrator
not reliable.
Point-of-View (continued)
Third person
limited uses an outside narrator who
is not involved in the story.
Pronouns mostly used are “he”, “she”,
and “they”.
 Key element: Narrator does not
know what is in other character’s
minds. Narrator can only tell what
is observable about other characters.
2. Third Person Limited-
Point-of-View
(continued)
3. Third Person Unlimited
(Omniscient)- Third person unlimited
narrator is not a character in the story.
Pronouns mostly used are also “he”,
“she”, and “they”.
 Key element: This narrator has access
into ALL character’s minds and can
tell what they are ALL thinking,
feeling, and doing.
Literature Misc.
Foreshadowing- to show
beforehand, foretell with hints or
clues
Flashback- Conversation, scene or
event that happened before the
current point in the story
Irony:
 Verbal Irony- where what is said is
the opposite of what was meant
(sarcasm)
 Situational Irony- where what
happens is the opposite of what you
think.
 Dramatic Irony- where the reader
knows something the characters
don’t