litelements(1)

Characterization人物刻画: how a character is revealed or developed. There are 3

fundamental methods of characterization: 1. the explicit presentation by the author of the character through direct exposition, either in an introductory block or more often piecemeal throughout the work, illustrated by action; 2. the presentation in action, with little or no explicit comment by the author, in the expectation that the reader will be able to deduce the attributes of the actor from the actions; and 3. the representation from within a character, without comment on the character by the author, of the impact of actions and emotions upon the character’s inner self, with the expectation that the reader will come to a clear understanding of the attributes of the character.

But regardless of the methods by which a character is presented, the author may concentrate on a dominant trait to the exclusion of the other aspects of the character’s personality, or the author may attempt to present a fully rounded personality. If the presentation of a single dominant trait is carried to an extreme, not a believable character but a caricature will result. If this method is handled with skill, it can produce two dimensional characters that are striking and interesting but lack depth. On the other hand, the author may present us with so convincing a congeries of personality traits that a complex rather than a simple character emerges; such a character is three-dimensional, or round.

Furthermore, a character may be either static or dynamic. A Static character is one who changes little if at all in the progress of the narrative. A dynamic character is one who changes as a result of reaction to the happenings. And Most great dramas and novels have dynamic characters as protagonists. Short stories are more likely to reveal static characters through action than to show changes in characters resulting from actions.

Plot情节: a term to indicate how the events are arranged to affect the reader. It is an

artificial rather than a natural ordering of events. It is composed of two basic aspects of narration: 1. the sequence, i.e. the story told in chronological order, or with a lot of flash back, or in psychic order; 2. the development, i.e. whether in the traditional linear pattern (set-up/exposition → rising action/ complications → climax → resolution/falling action/consequence → (denouement, unraveling) or modernist way (little action, inner world depiction, dialogues, no development). A work may have just one plot, or double plots, or multiple plots.

Setting背景: the background against which the action of a narrative occurs, referring

both to the time and place of the events in a story, including the specific time or period, geographic location, cultural environment as well as social and political realities.

Setting is often established by description, but it may also be shown through character’s action, dialogue or thinking. Although defined as the background, it

can have great significance in the story. It not only gives the reader the impression of verisimilitude, but may also function as “objective correlative” of the internal life of the character. The setting can also affect characters or plot by creating a certain atmosphere or mood, and help develop the theme either through suggestion or more direct symbolism. When setting dominates, or when a piece of fiction is written largely to present the manners and customs of a locality, the writing is often called Local Color writing or Regionalism.

Theme主题: the central or dominating idea in a literary work, and the soul of the

story. In nonfiction prose it may be thought of as the general topic of discussion, the subject of the discourse, the thesis. In poetry, fiction, and drama it is the abstract concept which is made concrete through its representation in person, action, and image in the work. The theme of a work may be pronounced explicitly, but more often it emerges indirectly through the recurrence of motifs. Common themes of literature are about human nature and the most important human experiences which are universal, covering the primary emotions and relations in human life.

Point of View观点: the position or vantage-point from which the events of a story

seem to be observed and presented to us. The chief distinction usually made between points of view is that between third-person narratives and first-person narratives. A third-person narrator may be omniscient, and therefore show an unrestricted knowledge of the story’s events from outside or “above” them; but another kind of third-person narrator may confine our knowledge of events to whatever is observed by a single character or small group of characters, this method being known as “limited point of view”. A first-person narrator’s point of view will normally be restricted to his or her partial knowledge and experience, and therefore will not give us access to other characters’ hidden thoughts. Many modern authors have also used “multiple point of view”, in which we are shown the events from the positions of two or more different characters.

Style文体: any specific way of using language, which is characteristic of an author,

school, period, or genre. Particular style may be defined by their diction, tone, syntax, imagery, rhythm, and use of figures of speech, or by any other linguistic feature. Style is a combination of two elements: the idea to be expressed, and the individuality of the author.

Frequently-used critical approaches

Historical: relating it to its historical background

Autobiographical: relating it to the life experience of the author

Archetypal: find a motif established in old classic works or scientifically proved Feminist: define a universal or social meaning about women

Stylistic: find the specific stylistic feature(s) that set(s) off the central idea, such as

symbols, language, tones, etc.