Literary Elements

Short Story
Setting: time and place
Character/s: protagonist, antagonist; round, flat, dynamic, supporting,
stereotypes
Point of View: narration – first person, third person; omniscient, limited omniscient
Plot: exposition, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, resolution
Theme: meaning, vision of the work

Poetry
Form
Dramatic Situation
Persona
Diction
Imagery
Sounds
Symbol
Meaning/Theme
Figures of Speech

Drama
Setting: time and place
Character/s
Plot
Theme
Dialogue

In analyzing literary texts, you need to look at how these elements work together to bring forth
the theme or meaning. No element works in isolation. As in our discussion last week, looking at
the sensory details found in these elements can help you experience the text. You may not
necessarily see yourself in the text (the way you did when you read “Introduction to Poetry”) but
you can know what is going on in the text because you can sense it.

What do you see?

What do you feel/How does it feel to the touch?
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
How do you navigate the text (movements, action)?