Literary Elements and Other Terms

The central, unifying element of the story, which ties together all of the other elements. The overall main idea.

• central idea

• theme

• textual evidence

• tone

TONE

• How a text makes the reader feel (uses imagery to create a certain feeling)

• The author's attitude or feelings toward a topic (revealed through word choice)

The time and place in which a story takes place

• mood

• dialect

• setting

• tone

Who is telling the story

• point of view

• tone

• mood

• character

An author's reason or intent for writing

• author's craft

• author's tone

• author's purpose

The emotional response that the writer wishes to evoke in the reader through a story.

• tone

• mood

The author's word choice

• mood

• tone

• dialogue

• diction

Consists of the author showing the audience what kind of person a character is through the character's thoughts, words, and deeds. This requires the audience to make inferences about why a character would say or do those things.

• direct characterization

• indirect characterization

The writer makes direct statements about a character's personality and tells the reader or viewer what the character is like.

• direct characterization

• indirect characterization

When an author uses descriptive language to help the reader visualize something. It appeals to the senses and "paints a picture" in the mind of a reader.

• connecting

• imagery

• internal conflict

• external conflict