lit devices: types of writing 2

myth: a traditional story that attempts to explain a natural phenomenon or justify a certain practice or belief of a society example: Icarus and Daedalus

narrative: an account of events; anything that is narrated

nonfiction: an account or representation of a subject which is presented as fact credit

novel: a lengthy fictional story with a plot that is revealed by the speech, action, and thoughts of the characters example: Grendel

novella: a prose work longer than the standard short story, but shorter and less complex than a full-length novel example: Heart of Darkness

oral tradition: the transmission of material by word of mouth and memory; materials such as the folk epic, the ballad, folklore, proverbs, and many songs that originated among illiterate, semiliterate, or preliterate people were presented aloud to their audiences and transmitted by memory rather than in writing example: Beowulf

parable: a short, descriptive story that illustrates a particular belief or moral example: The Prodigal Son

parody: a form of literature intended to mock a particular literary work or its style; a comic effect is intended example: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

persuasion: one of the major types of composition whose purpose is to convince others of the wisdom of a certain line of action

poetry: an imaginative response to experience reflecting a keen awareness of language; there are many elements used in writing effective poetry example: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

prose: the term is applied to all forms of written or spoken expression not having a regular rhythmic pattern

satire: a literary tone used to ridicule or make fun of human vice or weakness, often with the intent of correcting, or changing, the subject of the satiric attack example: A Modest Proposal

science fiction: a form of fantasy in which scientific facts, assumptions, or hypotheses form the basis, by logical extrapolation, of adventures in the future, on other planets, in other dimensions in time or space, or under new variants of scientific law example: 2001: a Space Odyssey

short story: a brief fictional work; it usually contains one major conflict and at least one main conflict example: The Most Dangerous Game

tragedy: a literary work in which the hero is destroyed by some character flaw and by forces beyond his or her control example: Othello

Fiction and Nonfiction

*** for more information, consult your textbook on pages 4-5

Narrative is a term which applies to both fiction (not a true story) and nonfiction (true story). The term, itself, means "story."

Setting refers to the time and place of the action.

Characterization occurs in four ways:

• what a character says about himself / herself
• what a character does
• what other characters say about a character
• what a narrator says about a character

Plot refers to the course of action for a narrative (see diagram below)

Dialogue is the conversation between or among characters

Point of view concerns the perspective from which a story is told, usually in one of the following forms:

• 1st person (one of the characters directly involved in the action tells the story)
• 3rd person limited (a narrator with limited knowledge tells the story)
• 3rd person omniscient (a narrator with unlimited knowledge of all characters tells the story)

Theme refers to the underlying meaning or insight for a narrative

Types of fiction:

• novels (To Kill a Mockingbird)
• novellas ("The Metamorphosis")
• short stories ("The Monkey's Paw")

Writers of nonfiction present information for one of three reasons:

• persuasion
• information
• entertainment

When reading nonfiction, students should:

• recognize whether the information is organized in order of importance, chronological order (the order in which they occurred), or spatial order (how the topics relate to one another)
• identify the author's purpose
• distinguish between facts and opinions
• evaluate whether the author adequately supports his/her argument

The tone of a piece refers to the author's attitude toward a subject and/or its readers

The perspective of a piece refers to the author's point of view on the subject, including any opinions in the piece

Standard 3, Reading

Standard 3, Reading: Comprehension and Analysis of Literary Text

Students read and respond to grade-level-appropriate historically or culturally significant works of literature, such as the selections in the Indiana Reading List (www.doe.state.in.us/standards/readinglist.html) illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. At Grade 10, students read a wide variety of literature, such as classic and contemporary literature, historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction, folklore, mythology, poetry, short stories, dramas, and other genres.

Structural Features of Literature

10.3.1
Analyze the purposes and the characteristics of different forms of dramatic literature (including comedy, tragedy, and dramatic monologue).
Example: Analyze the features of plays, such as I Never Sang for My Father by Robert Anderson or Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring or A Piano Lesson by August Wilson or The Buck Private by Luis Valdez.

10.3.2
Compare and contrast the presentation of a similar theme or topic across genres (different types of writing) to explain how each genre shapes the author’s presentation of the theme or topic.
Example: Compare three different reactions to Lincoln’s death: Walt Whitman’s poem “O Captain! My Captain!” Frederick Douglass’ eulogy, and the report of Lincoln’s death from The New York Times on April 12, 1865. Analyze the differences among the genres and how the form impacts the reader’s perception of the event.

Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Literary Text

10.3.3
Evaluate interactions between characters in a literary text and explain the way those interactions affect the plot.
Example: Compare the development of the characters as they are represented in Merlin: The Coming of Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory, retold in a collection by David Day and The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights by John Steinbeck.

10.3.4
Analyze characters’ traits by what the characters say about themselves in narration, dialogue, and soliloquy (when they speak out loud to themselves).
Example: Read works, such as “I’m Nobody! Who Are You?” by Emily Dickinson or In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens by Alice Walker, and analyze the characters, citing specific examples from the text to develop this description.

10.3.5
Compare works that express a universal theme and provide evidence to support the views expressed in each work.
Example: Analyze and compare selections that deal with the theme of independence developed in The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros and The Childhood Story of Christy Brown (based on the film My Left Foot) by Christy Brown.

10.3.6
Evaluate an author’s development of time and sequence, including the use of complex literary devices, such as foreshadowing (providing clues to future events) or flashbacks (interrupting the sequence of events to include information about an event that happened in the past).
Example: Discuss how the games the boys play in school foreshadowed the coming of the war in A Separate Peace by John Knowles.

10.3.7
Evaluate the significance of various literary devices, including figurative language, imagery, allegory (the use of fictional figures and actions to express truths about human experiences), and symbolism (the use of a symbol to represent an idea or theme), and explain their appeal.
Example: Evaluate the imagery in poetry, such “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth and “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” by William Shakespeare.

10.3.8
Interpret and evaluate the impact of ambiguities, subtleties, contradictions, ironies, and inconsistencies in a text.
Example: Read selections from short stories by Franz Kafka and evaluate the manner in which ambiguity and allegory function.

10.3.9
Explain how voice and the choice of a narrator affect characterization and the tone, plot, and credibility of a text.
Example: Read Darkness at Noon by Harold Krents and discuss the impact of the narration as the story unfolds.

10.3.10
Identify and describe the function of dialogue, soliloquies, asides, character foils, and stage designs in dramatic literature.
· Dialogue: a conversation between two characters
· Soliloquies: long speeches in which characters, on stage alone, reveal inner thoughts aloud
· Asides: words spoken by characters directly to the audience
· Character foils: characters who are used as contrasts to another character
· Stage designs: directions and drawings for the setting of a play
Example: Evaluate the function of different dramatic devices in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar.

10.3.13
Explain how voice, persona, and the choice of speaker (narrator) affect the mood, tone, and meaning of text.

Literary Criticism

10.3.11
Evaluate the aesthetic qualities of style, including the impact of diction and figurative language on tone, mood, and theme.
Example: Read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton or The Perfect Storm by Sebastien Junger and evaluate the way the author’s style and descriptions help create a mood of tragedy and suspense.

10.3.12
Analyze the way in which a work of literature is related to the themes and issues of its historical period.
Example: Read a book such as Hornblower During the Crisis by C. S. Forester and tell how the author uses the story to convey larger themes about a period of transition in British history.