Six Elements of Literature

1) Plot - Exposition: presentation of everything - Conflict/rising action: multiple conflicts -> central core - Climax: releasing tension - Denouement: shortly after the climax. The author starts to close the door. Outcome 2) Characterization - Do characters teach us anything? - Hero v. anti-hero - Does a character grow? - Are characters flat or round? - Does a character convey an idea? Moral? Does s/he inspire? Discourage? - Whats the purpose of the author in having the character? - How does the character tie up with the plot? 3) Setting - Geographical location, historical time, culture - When/where does the story take place? - Whats the culture? Culture affect the literature: dominant beliefs, value, ritual, local history of the people - Is the setting crucial to the way the story is told? - Why does the author set the story in a particular place? Does the setting have any symbolic meaning 4) Theme: overall idea of the story - What is the purpose of the writing? - Whats the point? Whats the big picture? - What insights does the story reveal? - Generalization? - Is the theme universal, local, focused or apt for one thing? - Are there several themes or just one? - Does the title offer any glimpse on what the book is about? 5) Point of View: position of the narrator - Who is the narrator? - Is there a reason to have this specific person as the narrator? Does it create any bias? - Is the narrator active or passive? - Are there multiple point of views? - What is the role of the reader? 6) Style: How the writer tells the story - Whats the method of writing? - Use of Language - Voice/tone - Figures of speech -> metaphor, similes, personification

Does the language have musical quality to it? Onomatopoeia? Alliteration? Assonance? What repeated words, images have multiple meaning? What do they suggest? How do they feel? Would you spend time with the writer? Whats the form of writing?