Elements of the Novel

Reading 099
Literary Elements of the Novel Defined

1.Plot
The series of events in the story.
.Protagonist
The main character around whom much of the story centers.
3.Antagonist
This element is the force against the protagonist.
4.Setting
The time and place of the story. Also may include minor characters add to the realism of the work.
5.Character
Below are the elements of chracterization
--what the character does
--what the character says
--what others say about the character
--what the author states directly
--physical description
5.Point of View
The “eyes” through whom the story is told. Three points of view are possible”
--1st Person(An individual tells the story through his/her eyes. It uses the first person pronoun "I."


--Omniscient(This view is all-knowing. The reader is able to see all of the characters'
points of view. It uses the third person pronouns: he, she, they, etc.

--Limited Third (This view is a combination of 1st and Omniscient. The reader is able to see all of the characters' points of view, but it zeroes in on one more than the others.

7 Conflict
There are 4 conflicts , or opposing forces ,which often appear in a novel.
--Man against Man
--Man against himself (internal)
--Man against Society
--Man against nature


8.Climax
This element is the decisive moment of the story or the turning point ,when we find out whether the protagonist will triumph or not.
9.Flashback
Here, details from an earlier point in time are revealed to the reader.
10.Foreshadowing 
This element reveals hints to the reader of upcoming plot developments.
11.Irony

Irony is when the words and actions of the characters of a work of literature have a different meaning for the reader than they do for the characters. This is the result of the reader having a greater knowledge than the characters themselves.
12 Theme
This element is the idea about life that the author is relaying to the reader.It is the driving force behind the entire novel.
13.Simile
This element compares two unlike items with one thing they have in common. The words "like" or "as" are used.
14.Metaphor
This element compares two unlike items with one thing they have in common without using "like" and "as."