LITERARY ELEMENTS-

THROUGH DISNEY
 Point of View
Definition: The
perspective from which
the story is told.
Narrators of stories can
take on three points of
view: FIRST-PERSON:
1st person= “I/we”  The story is told by one of the characters in his or
her own words.
2nd person= “you”  Always considered to be a limited point of view
3rd person= “he/she, since the reader is told only what one specific
they/them” character knows and observes.

THIRD-PERSON: The story is told by someone outside of the

story itself by using “he” or “she.”
 OMNISCIENT: This narrator is an all-knowing observer who
can describe all the characters’ actions, thoughts, and
feelings.
 LIMITED OMNISCIENT: This is a storyteller who shares the
thoughts and feelings of only one particular character or a
select group of characters .
 Freytag’s Pyramid
(Plot)
Climax

Fa
ion

ll
ing
Act

Ac
ng

ti o
Risi

n
Exposition

Conflict Introduced
 Exposition
Definition: The
portion of a story
that introduces
important
background
information to the
audience — for
example, information
about the setting,
events occurring
before the main plot,
characters’
backstories, etc. Example: At the beginning of Robin Hood, the rooster
Alan-a-Dale describes how Robin Hood has been
robbing from the rich to give to Nottingham’s poor.
 Conflict & Rising Action
Definition: An inherent
incompatibility
between the objectives
of two or more
characters or forces.

Types:
External and Internal

Begins the Rising Action

Phase of the story.
Example: External Conflict.- When Shere Khan the
Definition: Sequence of man-eating tiger returns to the jungle, Mowgli must
events that build up to flee to the safety of human civilization.
the Climatic Event.
 Climax
Definition: The turning
point in the action (also
known as the “crisis”)
and/or the highest point of
interest or excitement.
Many stories have
numerous climactic events.

Example: Pinocchio is transformed into a donkey

and sold into labor. The audience is left wondering
if he will ever make it home to his father.
 Falling Action and
Denouement(Resolution)
Definition: The final
part of a play, movie,
or narrative in which
the strands of the
plot are drawn
together and
matters are finally
resolved.

Example: At the end of The Little Mermaid, Ursula is killed, King

Triton turns Ariel into a human, and Ariel marries Prince Eric.
Then Sebastian sings over the closing credits. WIN.
 Medias Res
Definition:
(Latin "in the
midst of things")
is the literary and
artistic narrative
technique of
relating a story Ratatouille begins looking at a house in the distance with the muffled
from the sounds of what turn out to be shotgun blasts and then with Remy
jumping through a plate glass window while carrying a book significantly
midpoint, rather larger than himself. It quickly jumps back to explain how the incident
occurred.
than the
beginning
 Flashback
Definition:
A literary device in
which an earlier episode,
conversation, or event is
inserted into the
sequence of events.

Often presented as a
memory of the narrator
or of another character.

An interruption in a Example: In Toy Story 2, Jesse remembers her previous owner

story to permit the and all that they use to do together, before the doll was
author to relate an event discarded.
from the past
 Breaking the 4th Wall
Definition: Speaking
directly to or
acknowledging the
audience. The “fourth
wall” refers to the
imaginary “wall” at the
front of the stage in a
traditional three-walled
box set in a proscenium
theater.

Example: Timon acknowledges the audience when he

cuts off Pumbaa midsong: “Pumbaa, not in front of the
kids!”
 Imagery
Definition: Words
or phrases that
appeal to one or
more of the five
senses.

Writers use
imagery to
describe how
their subjects
look, sound, feel,
taste, and smell.
 Archetype
Definition: an
original model or
pattern from which
other later copies
are made. This idea
is applied to
characters,
situations, and
symbols.

Example: Alice must pass a series of tests as she makes

her way through Wonderland. This kind of journey is a
common archetype in Western literature and is best
epitomized by Homer’s The Odyssey.
 Character Foil
Definition: A
character who
illuminates the
qualities of
another character
by means of
contrast.

Example: Gaston’s combination of good looks

and terrible personality emphasizes Beast’s
tragic situation. The former is a monster trapped
inside a man; the latter a man trapped inside a
monster.
 Dramatic Irony
Definition: Irony that
occurs when the
meaning of the
situation is
understood by the
audience but not by
the characters in the
literary work.

Example: Throughout most of The Lion King,

Simba mopes around feeling guilty for his father’s
death, unaware (as the audience is) that Scar
actually killed Mufasa
 Anachronism
Definition: an
error of
chronology or
timeline in a
Example: Disney’s Sword in the Stone has Merlin
literary piece. In discussing concepts that were developed after the
other words, medieval ages, i.e. “Round” world.
anything that is
out of time and
out of place.

Example: in Aladdin, Genie is constantly wearing

clothing that would be more suitable in future eras.
 Allusion
Definition: A brief
reference to a
person, place,
thing, or passage in
another work,
usually for the
purpose of
associating the
tone or theme of
the one work with
the other.
Types: Historical, Example: In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the
Literary, Biblical gargoyle Laverne tells a flock of pigeons to “Fly my
pretties! Fly, Fly!” à la the Wicked Witch of the West in
The Wizard of Oz.
 Foreshadowing
Definition: A warning
or indication of a
future event.
Many times presented
with the change of
weather

Example: Before she’s fatally shot by a hunter (and

millions of childhoods are scarred), Bambi’s mother
gives Bambi a stern lecture on the dangers of man.
 Mood
Example: Fantasia frequently
Definition: The uses music and setting to
drastically shift the mood from
atmosphere that light and playful to dark and
pervades a foreboding. This image makes
the audience feel …..
literary work with
the intention of
evoking a certain
emotion or
feeling from the
audience. Example: In Cinderella, the main
character completes ALL the added
chores her family has assigned her and
has done so in time to leave for the ball.
Once she is ready, her stepsisters destroy
the dress she planned to wear to the ball.
How does this make the audience feel?
 Suspense
Definition: The growing
interest and excitement
readers experience
while awaiting a climax
or resolution in a work
Example: In Toy Story 3, the audience in
of literature.
suspense as they watch the toys attempt
to escape the daycare.

A feeling of anxious
uncertainty about the
outcome of events.

Writers create suspense

by raising questions in
the minds of their Example: In Brave, the audience is anxious as they
watch Merida jumping towards her mother as a
readers. bear is reaching for her.
 Symbolism
Definition: An
object, character,
figure, or color
that is used to
represent an
abstract idea or
concept.

Example: Dumbo’s “magic” feather represents

courage and self-confidence. Once he truly believes
in himself, he no longer needs it as a psychological
crutch.
 Motif
Definition: A
recurrent image,
word, phrase, or
action that tends to
unify the literary
work or that forms
the theme in a work
of literature.

Example: in Finding Nemo, a recurring

action (motif) is forming friendships.

Example: in The Lion King, a recurring phrase

(motif) is “Hakuna matata.”
 Allegory
Definition: A story with
two meanings, a literal
meaning and a symbolic
meaning.

An Allegory is a story in
which characters,
settings and actions
stand for something
specific beyond
themselves.

The characters and Example: Star Wars makes a biblical connection by

situations stand for centering on the “Chosen One” who has “power” from
historical figures and the force and will bring “balance” to the universe. The
events. characters and situations contribute to this biblical
idea.
 Theme
Definition: A
common thread or
repeated idea that
is incorporated
throughout a
literary work.A
general idea that
can apply to
multiple genres .

Example: A theme in Frozen, is the importance of

accepting personal identity.