2.

01 Literature 101
Shakespeare is undoubtedly one of the greatest writers of the English language. His friend, the
dramatist and poet Ben Johnson, said, "He was not of an age, but for all time." Each of
Shakespeare's plays had the same humble beginnings as every other piece of literature—it
started with an idea. Like all writers before and after him, he needed a story to tell, and then he
had to jump into the narrative writing process. But what makes a piece of writing literature? In
this lesson, you will start the process of analyzing literature and be able to identify key elements
of the narrative process.

Key Elements of a Literary Text

Literature is a broad umbrella that covers distinctive styles of writing. Literature is part of the
human experience—our expression of ideas. However, not all written word is literature.

In this module, we are going to focus on the narrative forms of literature. Most literary narratives
include a number of elements which will be very familiar to you. Look at the flip cards below for
a refresher on the elements of literature.

● Setting - the time, place, and circumstances in which something occurs or develops in a
literary, dramatic, or cinematic work
● Plot - the main story of a dramatic or literary work
● Characterization - the creation and description of the nature and features of a character
in a narrative
● Conflict - a struggle between two opposing characters or forces
● Point of View - the type of narration used—first–, second–, or third-person narratives
● Theme - the underlying message or big idea (in a sentence) of a piece of work
● Tone - the author's attitude toward a subject, evident through diction or the viewpoint of
an author or speaker on a particular subject
● Mood - the atmosphere of a piece of writing—diction, figurative language, and other
writer choices—that resonates with the reader/audience

Surface Meaning: The actual meaning of the words.

Emotional Meaning: The mood the story evokes in the reader.

Author’s Attitude: The tone the author used in the story.

Author’s Meaning: The author's purpose or theme of the story.

2.02 I Like Your Style
When you go to a familiar restaurant with a group of friends and look over the menu, there are
most likely three or four entrees you could order. On a similar vein, writers are the same. Some
writers love to put in a lot of metaphors and similes. Various authors prefer personification. A
few authors may include a number of rhetorical questions. These elements are combined to
create an author's style. Thriller writer Stephen King writes with certain words, sentences, and
phrases that is different from thriller writer Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. They both achieve a
scary story—but in diverse ways. In this lesson, you will learn how to analyze a piece of text for
the author's style.

Author’s Style
When writing, authors make decisions constantly about their work—either consciously or
unconsciously. Word choice, syntax, grammar, and figurative language are all parts of the style
of each individual author. For example, Maya Angelou is well known for using a direct,
conversational style of writing. She also uses many strong metaphors and similes in her work. In
contrast, Dame Agatha Christie wrote with simple language in a very conversational style. She
relied heavily on dialogue to help vary the pacing.

Transcendentalists Authors
This philosophical, social, and literary movement believed in the intuitive power of humans.
Much like universalism, this movement believed people—men and women equally—have the
ability to "transcend" the world around them. The trappings of society and religion inhibited the
idea of American individualism and self-reliance. They took extremely progressive stances on
women's rights, abolition, reform, and education. Their primary critiques revolved around
government, organized religion, slavery, laws, and industrialization.

Perhaps the most influential writer was Henry David Thoreau, whose essay "Civil Disobedience"
against the Mexican-American War in 1844 was written from prison. This essay inspired
Mahatmas Gandhi during his Indian Independence movement in the 1930s and 1940s. Gandhi's
success inspired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the American Civil Rights Movement of the
1950s and 1960s.
Crafting Style

What is style?
Diction, Syntax and grammar, figurative language
1st Read, Second Read, Third Read
When reading textbooks, novels, or handouts for class, a common response is "I read it, but I
didn't get it." Despite what you may think, this is the correct response for your first reading.
When navigating challenging texts, like scientific articles, academic journals, and older works,
multiple read-throughs are essential to break down and analyze the material. In this lesson,
you'll learn about the most efficient way to break down text—without any background
knowledge—and succeed. The trick is in the number three.

Style Analysis and Sample

In this lesson, you will write a short style analysis for your selected text. Look through the text
and find a section you want to use in your analysis. Aim for between a half and a whole page of
text—you can pick any page you want. Read through the section and take notes on what you've
learned about diction, syntax and grammar, and figurative language. You will be using a graphic
organizer to help organize your notes.

2.03 Message Recieved

One of the primary parts of any story—from a short story to a novel—is the conflicts that arise.
How the character reacts to problems, and the emerging external and internal issues that help
comprise the themes of the story. While it may seem early in your selected text to identify the
overlying theme, it's essential to start finding the errant threads in the beginning. Then, as you
continue to read over the next few lessons, you can see the picture those threads start to
weave.

Theme
In literature, every story has a theme—the message that an author is communicating to the
reader—whether it's overt or simmering under the surface. While a reader may identify a theme
at the beginning of the story, it's never truly developed until the end. Some stories could have
multiple themes. What makes up a theme? The setting, characters, plot, and conflict can all
contribute to the theme. The exploration of themes adds depth and layers to any story. Some of
the most popular themes involve certain perspectives about broad topics like love, death,
coming of age, good versus evil, or the pursuit of power. Let's look at how themes transcend
through history.
Topic or Theme
A common error is assuming the topic of the story is the theme. So, what is the difference
between the two? Let's practice with William Shakespeare's classic play Romeo and Juliet.

The play Romeo and Juliet tells the story of two young people who fall in love with each other
despite their feuding families. The young couple attempts to overcome the obstacles in their
way—their families and Juliet's impending marriage to Paris—and ends in tragedy.

A universal theme is a type of theme that applies to anyone, anywhere, regardless of their
cultural differences. This means readers from Belgium, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Malawi,
or the United States can all identify with and understand the story. Not every theme is universal.
Some may be limited to a certain culture or relevant to a specific group of people. A "coming of
age" story may seem like it's only applicable to teens; however, if we broaden our scope and
say the theme is "how to productively deal with change," then the theme becomes universal.

Theme and Symbolism

The use of symbols and symbolism is frequently sprinkled throughout literature. Running water
is a symbol of change. An olive branch is a sign of peace. Purple garments denote royalty or
authority. Land containing milk and honey means prosperity and good health. Symbols continue
to permeate novels in modern literature. One of the most famous examples in modern literature
is the use of a mockingbird on the cover of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Known as a
symbol of innocence, it reflects the loss of innocence throughout the book.

Causing Conflict
Without conflict, literature wouldn't exist as the problems experienced by the characters propel
the plot. From the moment a conflict is introduced, a story relies on a reader to stick around long
enough to see the conflict resolved. Remember—the protagonist is experiencing the conflict and
the antagonist is the source of the conflict. The antagonist, or the conflict creator, doesn't have
to be a person. It can be an idea, a natural phenomenon, or something within the protagonist
themselves. This is where theme, symbolism, and conflict combine to create the premise of the
work.
Literature doesn't always have only one conflict. Many short stories, plays, and novels will have
multiple conflicts occurring simultaneously, or one conflict will resolve just for another one to pop
up. Review a few of the types of conflict and read each example to see how one novel contains
numerous controversies. Keep in mind, there are more conflicts than just these four, so keep an
eye out when you're reading your text.

● Character versus Character

○ In this external conflict, a character is at odds with another character regarding
needs, wants, or beliefs.
○ Example: In Don Quixote, university grad Sansón Carrasco twice tries to defeat
Don Quixote and force him to give up his knight quest.
● Character versus Nature
○ In this external conflict, a character is battling a force of nature. This conflict
occurs when a character faces resistance from a natural force. A character may
have to survive or recover from a storm, fire, flood, or other natural disaster.
○ Example: In Don Quixote, both Sancho and Don Quixote struggle with finding
food and are often hungry. The significance of their hunger and subsequent
malnutrition has a huge influence on their characters.
● Character versus Self
○ In this internal conflict, a character attempts to overcome a personal issue. This
conflict occurs when a character encounters a problem within themselves, like
fear, anxiety, or confusion.
○ Example: In Don Quixote, the protagonist reads so many adventure stories that
he loses his grip on reality and decides to become a knight-errant. Most of the
book is seeing the disparity between Don Quixote's perceptions and reality.
● Character versus Society
○ In this external conflict, the protagonist may have a different opinion from the
majority of society, may be oppressed by society, or may want to change society
in some way.
○ Example: In Don Quixote, the protagonist is trying to resurrect the old-world
chivalry and knighthood while the new world has moved past it. Don Quixote
doesn't understand anyone, and no one understands Don Quixote.

Keep in mind, conflicts are just as fluid as the stories themselves. What starts as an external
conflict may become internal as events keep happening in the story and vice-versa. Peer
pressure is a great example of this malleability of conflict—it often starts as an external conflict
with a peer, but then becomes internal as the character struggles with deciding what's "right"
and "wrong" as they make their decisions.

Fender-Bending Reading
"They ran right into my rear bumper!"

"They stopped short and slammed on their breaks!"

Just like a car accident has different viewpoints, novels are the same. When you're reading a
scene, character perspective is an important part of the analysis and understanding of the text.
Just like in Don Quixote, Sancho sees the world as it is while Don Quixote sees the world as he
wants it to be. The contradiction between these two perspectives is what makes it a comedic
work.

Conflict Mapping
Now that you've learned about the distinct types of conflict, try to identify the types of conflict the
author is creating in the beginning of your selected text. Remember, texts can have a number of
different conflicts within the same story so it's not a one-and-done. So how do you find the
conflict in your text? The easiest way to find the conflicts is if you do some conflict mapping.
First, ask yourself a few questions:

● Who are the major characters in the text?

● What is each character's goal?
● How does each character experience or contribute to conflict?
By putting characters into a graphic organizer, it's easier to track the conflicts between the
characters. Check out the completed graphic organizer to learn about the characters in Don
Quixote.

Character: Sancho Panza has his faithful squire.

Goal: Sancho Panza wants to serve Don Quixote and gain riches and glory.
Conflict: Character versus Self with his inability to see Don Quixote's madness
Character: The Duke and Duchess are the schemers of the missions Don Quixote goes on in
the book—they play pranks and make fun of him throughout the book.
Goal: The Duke and Duchess are bored and snobby and use Don Quixote as a source of
entertainment.
Conflict: Character versus Character with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

Character: The priest is a friend of Don Quixote's who, despite his disapproval of fictional books,
delights in his friend's misadventures.
Goal: The priest secretly enjoys Don Quixote's shenanigans despite his better judgment.
Conflict: Character versus Self as he frowns upon fictional books but delights in Don Quixote's
antics
Conflict: Character versus Society with the views on knights and fictional books

Character: Sampson Carrasco is a student who mocks and makes fun of Don Quixote often and
even fights him.
Goal: Sampson Carrasco wants to defeat Don Quixote and prove himself superior.
Conflict: Character versus Self when he seeks vengeance after he fails to subdue Don Quixote
the first time
Conflict: Character versus Character with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza

Character: Don Quixote is the main character of the novel.

Goal: Don Quixote wants to become a knight-errant and revive chivalry.
Conflict: Character versus Character with Sampson Carrasco and The Duke and Duchess
Conflict: Character versus Society with the Priest and the outdated concepts of knights-errant
Conflict: Character versus Self with his perception on reality and Sancho Panza

2.04 Fictional Figures

Fiction is a mirror into the world, however similar or different it may be to our own. It offers
glimpses of characters, conflicts, and themes that confirm and expand our thinking. It provides
insight into cultures and geographic locations that allow us to learn beyond our experiences and
invites us on a journey into the human experience.

Character Composition
One of the most essential parts of characters and character development revolves around the
distinct types of characters. Authors carefully craft their characters to best serve the meaning
and message of their story. Let's start by reviewing the basic characters that are the root of a
literary text.

Protagonist - The protagonist is the central character in the story who is faced with a conflict that
must be resolved. This character is not always the "good guy" or the superhero. They can have
flaws and make poor decisions—basically, they can be a regular person.
In the fairy tale Little Red Cap, the protagonist is the little girl. She resolves her conflict by
vowing to stay on the path and follow her mother's instructions after the conclusion of the story.

Antagonist - The antagonist is the person or thing that the protagonist must overcome. This
character doesn't have to be a bad guy or a villain. The antagonist is simply the conflict, or the
cause of the conflict. Sometimes, the antagonist isn't even a person. A shark, a hurricane, and a
fear of public speaking could all act as antagonists.

In the fairy tale Little Red Cap, the antagonist is the wolf. The huntsman creates conflict that the
wolf cannot overcome at the end of the story.

Regardless of protagonist or antagonist, authors reveal their characters through direct

characterization or indirect characterization. As you read fiction, it's important to look for details,
whether implied or stated, that show you what each character is like and what their contribution
is to the story as a whole.
Classifying Characters
In addition to a protagonist and an antagonist, literature presents us with many other ways to
classify characters. Sometimes, these types of characters will be obvious. Other times, you'll
look for clues in the text to determine which type of character was used. Explore four types of
characters below. As you read the definitions and examples, think about a character from
something you've watched or read recently that would fit into each category. Through
characterization, authors develop two categories of characters: round or flat and dynamic or
static. As you examine each type of character, understand that they are not one-size-fits-all; not
all protagonists are complex and multidimensional and not all antagonists are stereotypical
villains.

Round characters, flat character, dynamic character, static character

Characterization Clues in Dialogue
Despite what you may think, some of the best clues to decipher a character's nature and point
of view is dialogue. What are they talking about? How do they say it? Do they use any
gestures? Is their body language and tone of voice addressed?

In Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Montgomery writes about a girl with "carrot-colored red hair"
which is the bane of Anne's existence. This is a re-occurring character versus self-conflict that
Montgomery sprinkles throughout the book. Anne asks someone in the book if they've ever
known of someone who had red hair which changed to a different color when they grew up.
Marilla, a no-nonsense woman says, "No, I don't know as I ever did and I shouldn't think it likely
to happen in your case either." Anne replies, "My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes."
This line shows a lot about Anne's character. Not only is she disappointed in Marilla's answer,
but she also expresses it as a fanciful metaphor that is overly dramatic.

Character Perspective
You may be curious to know that the story of Little Red Cap has made its rounds through all the
groups represented. The wolves have a vastly different account of the story. It's not that
surprising that the meaning of the story and details change according to who is telling the story.
Life is filled with stories, and it's important to remember that perspective—another person's
version of reality—could be true but in a different way. Let's imagine the story from the
perspective of the wolf.
History is Written by the Victors
Most histories throughout the centuries are written from the perspective of the winner. The
American Revolution is a key element in American History classes; however, it's barely
mentioned in British History classes. The Allied invasion in Normandy is exalted in World War II
history but the Soviet's successfully holding off the German army—all alone for two full years
before 1944—is barely mentioned. However, in the late twentieth century, the writing of history
changed. Historians are taught about historical lenses to help ensure they look as objectively as
possible at a person or event. This has given rise to histories written from multiple perspectives
and new historical studies. Take a look at some of the historical lenses that are addressed and
used in studying history.

Social Lens: looking at the communication and exchange of ideas between cultures
Political Lens: looking at the changes between those who have authority and those who don't
Economic Lens: looking at how economic power influences and changes those at all levels from
international to local
Cultural Lens: looking at what influences and changes a culture

02.05 Techniques for Storytelling

The best books and movies have a unique way of telling a story that draws in the audience. The
story—or narrative—is found in a number of different genres: novels, fables, folk tales, short
stories, and poetry. The use of narrative techniques influence and enhance the reader's
experience—you may be transported to the future, allowed into a protagonist's private thoughts,
or taken back in history.

Narrative Techniques
A narrative is defined as something told in full detail, but that is an extremely broad definition.
Newspapers, films, TV shows, graphic novels, video games, biographies, and more could all be
considered a narrative. Even ancient cave paintings and hieroglyphics tell a story in complete
detail. In the context of this lesson, a narrative will apply to novels.

There's no secret formula for authoring a great book or story. Each one is as varied and diverse
as the writers who create them, and they all use narrative techniques. At its core, a narrative
technique is a strategy writers use to deliver their story to the reader.

● Description
○ Explanation: the details a writer uses to convey a message or develop literary
elements
○ Application: Description includes (but is not limited to) sensory details, and literal
and figurative language.
 ● Dialogue
○ Explanation: a conversation between two or more characters
○ Application: Dialogue can be used for multiple purposes including the
advancement of a plot or development of a character.
● Flashback
○ Explanation: used to alter time in order to convey a past event or significant
occurrence
○ Application: While many instances of flashback are incorporated overtly, some
uses are more subtle, requiring inferential readership.
● Foreshadowing
○ Explanation: used to subtly suggest or indicate something ahead of time in a text
○ Application: Foreshadowing is commonly used to create suspense and/or
advance the plot of a story.
● Juxtaposition
○ Explanation: a writer's side by side placement of two descriptions, ideas,
characters, actions, or events in a text
○ Application: Authors use juxtaposition to compare and/or contrast elements within
a text.
● Narration
○ Explanation: the method(s) used to tell a story
○ Application: Narration can serve multiple purposes, including the advancement of
a plot or development of a character.
● Pacing
○ Explanation: the methods or strategies a writer uses to advance a plot or create
tension, mood, and/or tone in a text
○ Application: Pacing techniques cut across genres and therefore serve varying
purposes.
● Perspective
○ Explanation: the view of a text and/or its elements, as created by a writer
○ Application: Perspective is to be distinguished from narrator point of view.
● Stream of Consciousness
○ Explanation: writing is organized around the internal thoughts of the narrator
○ Application: Stream of consciousness follows a character's thoughts as they
progress in an unstructured manner.

While there are samples of many of the narrative techniques in Don Quixote, it helps that the
story spans two very long novels. Most authors don't use all narrative techniques in a single
work. Just like you have favorite go-to outfits when you're cold or meeting friends, authors have
favorite techniques for different scenarios. The combination of the techniques creates a specific
effect or purpose and can become an author's signature style.
Plot Structure
Regardless of genre, topic, or date of publication, works of fiction share one commonality: a
plot. The stages of a story help an audience to understand events, make predictions, and
identify where they are in their reading. Plot is universal—no matter where you travel or what
language the literature, a plot will be present. Explore the elements of plot to review how a
fiction unfolds. The diagram below shows a traditional plot structure and represents one way to
set up a story, but there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to designing a narrative so your
text may not follow this design.

Exposition: In the beginning of the story, known as the exposition, you are introduced to the
characters, including the protagonist, and the setting. The setting is the time and place in which
a story's actions unfold. This is when the author gives background information about the
characters. The exposition prepares you for the events that are about to take place.

Character: Who or what is the protagonist? Who or what is the antagonist? Which other type of
characters exist—round, flat, dynamic, or static? How do you know?

Setting: This is the time period, place, historical event, mood, or social environment. The setting
has a big impact on the characters, conflict, plot, and theme of a story.

Conflict: What is the problem that sets the story into motion? Is it character versus character,
nature, self, or society?

Rising Action: Next up is the rising action. You become aware of the conflict the protagonist is
facing and the antagonist that is causing this conflict. The conflict increases, suspense builds,
and the reader begins to feel a certain mood as the story progresses. The character(s) must
respond to the tension that is building.

Climax: The high point of the plot is called the climax. This is the turning point of the story. The
protagonist makes a choice or takes action to solve the conflict. The climax can be the most
exciting part of the story, or it can be a calm, quiet life-changing moment for the protagonist.

Falling Action: Immediately following climax is the falling action. The protagonist experiences
the consequences of the turning point in the climax. The conflict is being resolved and it leads
towards the conclusion of the story.

Resolution: The very end of the story is called the resolution. This brings the story to a close.
The conflict is resolved and the life lesson the protagonist learns becomes clear.

Theme: What is the message of the story? What message did the protagonist, or the reader,
learn?
The Big Picture
Narrative techniques are not used in isolation; the author combines them with the elements of
style, organization, and other components to achieve an overall effect for the reader. Think of it
like a movie—while each department is important and has its own subtleties, it's the overall
viewer experience when they sit down in the theater that brings it all together. The hair and
makeup, script, audio elements, stunts, and special effects are impressive on their own—but are
phenomenal when combined. Take a look at the sample below to see an author combining
narrative techniques to create an immersive experience for the reader.
Every author uses a unique combination of narrative and style techniques to craft their
masterpieces. What narrative techniques have you noticed in your text? Keep track of what
techniques your author uses and the effect that has on your reading experience.