Literary Elements

Exposition

• A "lesson" about life that the author hopes we will learn

• The problem of the story

• The very beginning of a story; characters, setting, and sometimes the conflict are all introduced in this part of the plot

• Where and when the story happens

Climax

• Narrator is one of the characters in the story

• The narrator's perspective

• The big moment; what happens to finally end the conflict

• Narrator is not a character in the story and knows the thoughts and feelings of only one character

Resolution

• Quick rap-up after the climax; now the whole thing feels finished

• The problem in the story

• The main character of a story. the story revolves around this character

• The feeling or emotion which the story generates in the reader or audience

Setting

• What a character is like; what she or he does to show his or her personality

• A problem or struggle between two characters or between one character and some outside force like nature or society

• Narrator is not a character in the story but knows everything about all characters in the story

• Where and when the story happens

Characterization

• The narrator's perspective

• What a character is like; what she or he does to show his or her personality

• Narrator is one of the characters in the story

• The problem in the story

Antagonist

• The main character of the story. The story revolves around this character

• Narrator is one of the characters in the story

• The problem in the story

• The character who works against the main character (not always a person)

Protagonist

• The main character in the story. The story revolves around this character

• A "lesson" that the author hopes we will learn

• The main character in the story. The story revolves around this character

• Narrator is not a character in the story and know the thoughts and feelings of one character

Tone

• The big moment; what happens to the finally end the conflict

• The problem in the story

• Where and when a story happens

• The attitude of the writer towards a subject or an audience

Mood

• The feeling or emotion which the story generates in the reader or audience

• What happens in the story

• Narrator is one of the characters in the story

• The very beginning of a story; characters, setting, and sometimes the conflict are all introduced in this part of the plot

Conflict

• Narrator is not a character in the story but knows everything about all the characters

• The problem in the story

• The narrator's perspective

• Quick rap-up after the climax; now the whole thing feels finished