CREATE SAMPLES OF THE
DIFFERENT LITERARY ELEMENTS
BASED ON ONE’S EXPERIENCE
Literary elements are essential
components found in all forms of
writing, such as books, articles, or
poems. They are the basic tools of
writing that help us create, read, and
understand literature. These elements
focus on the “what” of a work.
LITERARY ELEMENTS
I. SETTING
The setting is where and when a story
takes place. It includes time periods,
places, cultural backgrounds, surroundings,
weather, and times of day or year. A good
setting can create mood, influence the plot,
suggest themes, and reveal details about
the characters.
II. PLOT
The plot of a work is defined as the
sequence of events that occurs from the
first line to the last. In other words, the plot
is what happens in a story. All literature has
a plot of some kinds.
The plot elements:
1. Beginning/Exposition: This is the very
beginning of a story. During the exposition,
authors usually introduce the major
2. Rising Action: Rising action is literally
everything that happens in a story that leads
up to the climax of the plot. The writers use
rising action to build tension that comes to a
head during the plot's climax.
3. Climax: This is the "peak" of the plot
where all the tension of the rising action
finally comes to a head, the characters finally
have to face and solve the major conflict.
4. Falling Action: Falling action is everything that
happens after the book's climax but before the
resolution. This is where writers tie up any loose
ends and start bringing the book's action to a
close.
5. Resolution/Denouement: This is the
conclusion of a story. But just because it's called a
"resolution" doesn't mean every single issue is
resolved happily—or even satisfactorily.
III. POINT OF VIEW
Point of view is the position of the
narrator in relationship to the plot of a piece
of literature, it is the perspective from which
the story is told.
1. First Person: The narrator is a character
in the story, using "I" or "we."
•Example: "I walked down the street, feeling
the cold wind on my face."
2. Second Person: The narrator speaks
directly to the reader, using "you."
•Example: "You open the door and see a
shadow moving in the corner.“
3. Third Person: The narrator is outside
the story and uses "he," "she," "they," or
names.
•Limited: Focuses on one character's
thoughts and feelings.
• Example: "She stared at the sky,
wondering if it would rain."
• Omniscient: Knows everything about all
characters and events.
•Example: "She stared at the sky, unaware that
across town, he was thinking of her."
POV shapes how readers experience the story
and connect with the characters.
IV. CONFLICT
Conflict is the core problem or
struggle in a story that pushes the
characters and plot forward. It often
happens between the protagonist (main
character) and the antagonist (opposing
force) but can also involve other
characters. Conflict is what makes a story
engaging and gives it meaning. It can be
large-scale, like a war, or personal, like a
All conflict falls into two categories: internal
and external.
Internal conflict is when a character
struggles with his own opposing desires or
beliefs. It happens within him, and it drives
his development as a character.
External conflict sets a character against
something or someone beyond his control.
External forces stand in the way of a
character’s motivations and create tension
as the character tries to reach his goals.
The 6 Types of Literary Conflict
1. Character vs. Self
This is an internal conflict, meaning that the
opposition the character faces is coming from
within. This may entail a struggle to discern what
the moral or “right” choice is, or it may also
encompass mental health struggles.
2. Character vs. Character
This is a common type of conflict in which one
character’s needs or wants are at odds with
another.
3. Character vs. Nature
In a nature conflict, a character is set in
opposition to nature. This can mean the
weather, the wilderness, or a natural disaster.
4. Character vs. Supernatural
Pitting characters against phenomena like
ghosts, gods, or monsters raises the stakes of a
conflict by creating an unequal playing field.
5. Character vs. Technology
In this case, a character is in conflict with
some kinds of technology.
6. Character vs. Society
A character vs. society conflict is an
external conflict that occurs in literature
when the protagonist is placed in
opposition with society, the government,
or a cultural tradition or societal norm of
some kind. Characters may be motivated
to take action against their society by a
need to survive, a moral sense of right
and wrong, or a desire for happiness,
freedom, justice, or love.
V. CHARACTERS
A piece of literature has to have at
least one character, which can be a
person, an object, or an animal.
1. The protagonist of a work is its main
character. The plot circles around this
person or object, and it is central to
solving the conflict of the story.
2. Antagonists, on the other hand, are
the characters that oppose the protagonist
in some way.
VI. THEME
All literary works have themes, or central
messages, that authors are trying to convey.
Sometimes, theme is described as the main
idea of a work, but more accurately, themes
are any ideas that appear repeatedly
throughout a text.
VII. TONE
The author's attitude towards the topic.
VIII. MOOD
The feeling the reader gets from a story.
LITERARY TECHNIQUES/DEVICES
I. FIGURES OF SPEECH
Figures of speech are tools that writers use
to create images, or paint pictures in the mind.
1.LITERAL LANGUAGE—The actual, dictionary
meaning of a word. Writers use literal language
solely by their defined or primary meanings
2.FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE—Language that
goes beyond the normal meaning of the words
used. It strengthens the creative expression and
description along with making the language
more graphic, pointed and vivid.
MOST COMMOM FIGURES OF SPEECH
A. Simile— It is a comparison between two
distinctly different things and the comparison
is indicated by the word as or like.
B. Metaphor— the use of a word which originally
denotes one thing to refer to another with a
similar quality. The comparison is implied, not
expressed with the word as or like.
C. Personification—gives human traits and
feelings to things that are not human – like
animals or objects.
D. Apostrophe: It is a direct address either to an
absent person or to a non-human entity.
E. Hyperbole: Exaggeration is used for emphasis or
humorous effect.
F. Onomatopoeia: It is the use of words that imitate
the sounds associated with the objects or actions they
refer to.
G. Oxymoron: Oxymoron is the combination of two
contradictory terms to produce a special effect.
H. Alliteration: refers to the appearance of the same
initial consonant sound in two or more words.
I. Assonance: It is the repetition of similar vowel
sounds.
K. Allusion -A figure of speech that makes a
reference to a place, person, or something that
happened. This can be real or imaginary and may
refer to anything, including paintings, opera, folklore,
mythical figures, or religious manuscripts.
L. Irony—Words are used to convey a meaning
contrary to their literal meaning.
M. Anaphora- The deliberate repetition of the first
part of the sentence in order to achieve an artistic
effect.
N. Metonymy- Metonymy is a figure of speech that
replaces the name of a thing with the name of
something else with which it is closely associated.
Examples of Figures of Speech:
Simile:
1.The night sky was as dark as coal.
2.Her smile was like sunshine on a rainy day.
Metaphor:
3.Time is a thief.
4.The world is a stage.
Personification:
5.The wind whispered through the trees.
6.The sun greeted the morning with a warm smile.
Apostrophe:
1."O, Death, where is thy sting? O, Grave, where is
thy victory?“
2."O, Muse, inspire me with your creativity and
grace.“
Hyperbole:
3.I've been waiting for ages.
4.The backpack weighs a ton!
Onomatopoeia:
5.The thunder roared with a loud boom.
6.The steak sizzled on the hot grill.
Oxymoron:
1.The bittersweet memories of the past lingered in
her mind.
2.The movie portrayed a love that was both painful
and beautiful.
Alliteration:
3.Silly Sam silently sang a silly song.
4.The playful puppy pranced around the park.
Assonance:
5.The cat sat on the mat and stared at the glass.
6.The old oak grove spoke of forgotten stories.
Consonance:
Allusion:
1."His betrayal felt like a Judas kiss, a traitorous act from
someone close.“
2."She had the Midas touch when it came to business, turning
every project into gold.“
Irony:
3.The "unsinkable" Titanic sank on its maiden voyage.
4.The lifeguard drowned while trying to save a swimmer.
Anaphora:
5.He sings in the morning. He sings in the evening. He sings
whenever he feels happy.
6.In the garden, I plant flowers. In the meadow, I plant dreams.
In the heart, I plant love.
Metonymy:
7."The press is reporting on the royal family's activities.“
"Writing is the most powerful
way to understand the world,
and it’s one of the best ways to
communicate with others."
