Textbook Assignment #2- Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Searching through these literary elements/devices was beneficial since I was not familiar with many of these terms. Being an elementary teacher, I have come across some of the terms that are being discussed, but many of these were interesting to learn about. Here are my interpretations of the terms I gathered based on the given definitions and examples. 

Literary Elements

• Antagonist- The antagonist in a story is usually seen as the villain who is a character up against a hero character. The antagonist can also be seen within the protagonist, the main character, who may be dealing with an inner/ moral conflict. In a story, the antagonist brings in conflict, taking the plot of the story to its climax.

• Character- A character can be a person, object, or animal that plays an important part of the plot of the story. 

• Conflict- The conflict in a story can be shown through different ways. Conflict is often shown as protagonist vs. antagonist, but it can also be shown through internal/ external problems within a character (e.g. good vs. bad).

• Mood And Tone- The mood of a story is felt by the reader. It is the emotions the author makes you feel through the descriptions of the setting, tone and/or theme of the story. The tone of a story is seen through the author's feelings towards a certain subject/character. The reader is able to see the perspective the author has toward this subject/character, which can shape the way the reader comprehends the story. The author's choice of words can help with depicting the tone of the story, and a few examples of tone are happy, sad, comedic, and uplifting.

• Plot- The plot of a story is the sequence of events in which a story follows. For example, the beginning of the story is the introduction. This is when the main character and setting is introduced, following the conflict of the story. This goes into the second part which is the rising action. Here is when certain events begin to happen that build up the conflict which lead to the climax of the story. In the climax, the reader feels a sense of anticipation towards the conflict. This is the highest point of the story. Then as the conflict begins to resolve, the falling action part of the plot, and as the story begins to come to an end, the resolution of the conflict occurs and the story comes to an end. An easy way to understand plot is by thinking of it as a roller coaster: introduction (starting the ride), rising action (going up the roller coaster, climax (the highest point of the ride before the drop), rising action (going down the drop), resolution (ending the roller coaster). 

• Protagonist- The protagonist is the lead character, or sometimes the hero of the story. 

• Setting- The setting of a story tells the reader the time and place in which the story is currently in. It helps the reader understand the circumstances of where the story is currently taking place.

• Themes- The theme of the story is the underlying message or lesson that the author is trying to have the reader learn.

Literary Devices

• Allegory- An allegory is when a character or object is used to stand for a deeper meaning with a moral or lesson to be learned by the reader. 

• Allusion- An allusion is a passing comment that is not explicitly described by the author. Rather, it is a passing comment that can refer to a certain time, event, person or place in a historical, cultural or literary context to the reader.

• Archetype- An archetype is an established idea, person, or object in storytelling that can be identified in the story.

• Deus ex machina- This literary device is one that is detable to use and may be seen as using an “easy way out” for solving a conflict in a story. When an author uses a deus ex machina, he/she brings in a character or uses a solution that is not possible to bring the conflict to an end and give the reader a satisfactory ending. 

• Hyperbole- A hyperbole is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration to emphasize a certain concept/idea.

• Imagery- Using imagery is a figure of language that uses particular words or phrases for the reader to create “mental images” of what the author is trying to get you to visualize. 

• Metaphor- A metaphor is a figure of speech that brings two opposite subjects together by one common characteristic and is used to show the first subject being something else by using the second subject. A metaphor is different than a simile because it does not use the words “like” or “as”. 

• Motif- A motif is noticed by the reader as it is repeated throughout the story. It is a repeated theme, object or idea and is an important role in defining the story. 

• Point of view- There are three points of view that the author may use in their work to show the angle in which the reader should be viewing. The narrative of the story can be told in first person, which uses pronouns such as “I” or “we”, second person which uses the pronoun “you”, or third person which uses pronouns such as “he”, “she”, “it”, “they”, or a specific name.

• Simile- A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unrelated subjects using the words “like” or “as”.

• Symbolism- Symbolism is when a certain object, idea, or concept is used in a way that holds a different meaning from its literal self to portray an abstract message/idea in the story.