Literary Elements

The time and place of a story

• plot

• setting

• theme

• tone

An interruption in the chronological sequence that tells about something that happened before the story began

• foreshadow

• fiction

• flashback

• plot

The emotional quality of a story

• tone

• plot

• author's purpose

• mood

the attitude of the narrative in which the situation and characters are invented.

• mood

• tone

• plot

• setting

A prose narrative in which the situation and characters are invented.

• fiction

• non-fiction

• genre

• author's purpose

The sequence of events in a story

• tone

• foreshadow

• plot

• theme

The intention of the writer, or author

• theme

• plot

• author's purpose

• tone

The main message of the story

• Theme

• Tone

• Plot

• Author's Purpose

The way the author develops the personality of a character

• plot

• characterization

• figurative language

• mood

the use of clues by an author to prepare readers for events that will happen in a story

• flashback

• foreshadow

• plot

• setting