Tools for Literary Analysis

Front

Analyze

Back

To break down and carefully examine the author’s choices & text’s meaning.

Front

Character

Back

Person, animal, creature; role played out

Front

Protagonist

Back

The main character or central figure in a story.

Front

Antagonist

Back

A character or group of characters in opposition to the protagonist.

Front

Simple (Flat) Characters

Back

Not just background characters but they can be just that.

Characters who are two-dimensional, do not change much over time, and do not impact the path or growth of other characters on a personal level.

Front

Complex (Round or Dynamic) Characters

Back

Characters that change over time, have complex purposes, thoughts, and personalities, and help shape the story and other characters.

Front

Diction

Back

Word choice; language used

Front

Dialect

Back

A particular form of language that is peculiar to a specific region or social group.

Front

Structure

Back

How the writing is built and organized.

Front

Setting

Back

Time and Place