Literary Elements

A type of literature with a certain style.

• fiction

• genre

• drama

• theme

Writing that is true and factual, like essays, speeches, biographies, and autobiographies.

• fiction

• poetry

• nonfiction

• subplot

Narrative writing, including novellas, novels, and short stories.

• fiction

• nonfiction

• poetry

• genre

Writing that has a structure different from prose. Can be narrative, epic, lyric, dramatic, or sonnets.

• fiction

• genre

• poetry

• prose

Written to be acted out onstage.

• poetry

• fiction

• nonfiction

• drama

The sequence of events in a story. It includes the introduction, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.

• drama

• plot

• theme

• setting

Includes plotlines which are separate from the main plot but merge together in the end.

• plot

• subplot

• parallel plot

• flashback

Contains a series of related actions, often revolving around secondary characters in the story.

• plot

• subplot

• parallel plot

• flashback

A scene or event that happened before the beginning of a story.

• plot

• subplot

• parallel plot

• flashback

The giving of clues about how the plot is going to develop.

• foreshadowing

• flashback

• conflict

• resolution