5H.Creative Writing-Literary Terms

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

5H.Literary terms & elements 

The 5 literary elements of a story

A. Character 

• Often people or animals
• To perform actions and speak dialogue
• Who are part of the story
  
  
• Major characters - most important, dominate the story
• Minor characters 
  
  

If Homer is the protagonist of The Simpsons, then he has many antagonists, some of them evil and others less so. Can you think of examples of antagonists of Homer?                                                                         

B. Setting - time and place

• where and  when does the story take place
• creates mood

C. Plot

1. Exposition

2. Rising action

3. Climax

4. Falling action

5. Denouement/Resolution

Minions example

Minions have a goal to serve the most despicable master. Their rising action is

  their search for the best leader, the conflict being that they cannot keep one.

  Movie trailers encourage viewers to see the movie by showing the conflict but not

  the climax or resolution.

D. Conflict

*Challenge or problem that drives the action of the story. 

*Internal vs external conflict 

Internal or external conflict?

E.Tone

• refers to the “feel” of a piece of writing
• the style” or “voice” in writing
• Examples - Nostalgic / regretful / joyful / envious / persuasive / playful / assertive / pessimistic / sympathetic / ironic / conflicted / fearful / nervous 

How would you describe the of tone in the following famous movie lines?

 a. “Go ahead, make my day.” Sudden Impact 

 b. That is so fetch.” Mean Girls 

 c. There’s no place like home.” The Wizard of Oz 

 d. Just keep swimming.” Finding Nemo