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What is a gist?

A gist is the general meaning or main point of a text. A gist shows what a text is mostly about. A gist is sometimes the same as a main idea.

Who	Did What	Why
Who is the most important character here?	What did this character do?	Why did the character do this?

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PLOT ELEMENTS

Plot

We can think of plot like a roller coaster. The exposition is like being strapped in, you don’t know alot about it yet. Then you start to go up (you are feeling super tense and excited to see the top). Then you get to the top, the most exciting point! (climax) Then you quickly fall (falling action) and end the ride. Now you know what happened on the roller coaster! (resolution)

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Characterization

The process through which an author reveals a character’s personality

There are two type of characterization:

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Direct Characterization

(The author or another characters TELLS the trait(s).)

This is when the author directly tells the reader about the character.
This could be a description of the character’s physical appearance, personality, or motivations.

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Indirect Characterization

S.T.E.A.L. (Speech, Thoughts, Effects on Others, Actions, Looks)

The author makes hints about the character, and the reader has to make inferences.
Instead of telling the reader, the author shows the reader
Authors mostly use indirect characterization

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Find THEME in 3 easy steps!

Determine a THEMATIC

TOPIC

Remove the sentence starter.

Write what the author wants you to learn about that topic.

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Some Possible Thematic Topics

Friendship

Abuse of Power

Survival

Freedom

Relationships

Love

Good vs. Evil

Greed

Fate

Loyalty

Nature

Justice

Pride

Equality

Security

Revenge

Quest for Knowledge

Perseverance

Family

Courage

War

Honesty

Jealousy

Fear of Failure

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Use this sentence starter to help you write a theme:

What the author wants us to learn about (thematic topic) in “(story title)” is...

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Theme:Finding Nemo

Topic: Love

What the author wants us to learn about love in “Finding Nemo” is...

Love causes one to willingly face many obstacles.

**Cross out the sentence starter and the remainder of the sentence is the theme.

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Figurative Language

Use the following slides for definitions and examples of various examples of figurative language.

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Figurative Language

Hyperbole

Personification

Simile

Metaphor

Idiom

Onomatopoeia

Alliteration

A gross exaggeration used to add emphasis when

Communicating. “It took forever to get a seat at the table.”

An inanimate object that is given human

characteristics. “The wind whispered through the fall leaves.”

A comparison of two unlike objects using “like” or “as.”

“He was as happy as a clam.”

A comparison of two unlike objects without using “like” or

“as.” “The hose is a snake slithering through the yard.”

An expression that carries deeper meaning than its literal

interpretation. “It’s raining cats and dogs.”

The use of words that imitate sounds.

“Swish! The ball went through the hoop”

The repetition of initial consonant sounds. Writers use alliteration to draw attention to certain words or ideas. “Larry the Leopard learns lots of logic in his literary lessons..”

The many types of figurative language are also known as Figures of Speech

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What is

IMAGERY?

Descriptive language that helps the reader visualize the story in their head

Language that appeals to the five senses:

(taste, smell, sight, touch, sound)

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What is

SYMBOLISM?

Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas beyond the literal meaning.

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What is

MOOD and TONE?

MOOD:

The feeling in a literary work. This is what the reader experiences.

TONE:

The author’s attitude toward a subject. An author’s tone can be revealed through choice of words and details.

Check out the assignment in your Brainpop App!

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What is

PERSONIFICATION?

A figure of speech in which human characteristics are given to a nonhuman object

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