Elements of Literature (New)

While Reading the Text 

Category	Element	Description	Examples
1.    Structure	Plot	Sequence of events: beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.	In “Cinderella”: Beginning – Cinderella lives with her stepmother; Climax – She loses her slipper; Resolution – She marries the prince.
	Story Sequencing	Chronological order of events.	In “The Lion King”: Simba’s birth → Mufasa’s death → Simba’s return → Scar’s defeat.
2.     Character	Characters (main, major, minor, flat, round)	Observe who is who and how they behave.	Main: Harry Potter; Major: Hermione; Minor: Filch; Flat: Dobby’s master (Lucius); Round: Snape.
	(i) Main Character	The central figure (e.g., protagonist).
	(ii) Major Character	Important to the plot, appears frequently.
	(iii) Minor / Supporting Character	Less frequent appearance but supports main plot
	(iv) Flat Character	A character with only one or two traits, and no depth or development. They do NOT grow or change throughout the story.
	(v) Round Character	A complex, fully-developed character with many traits (positive & negative). They often grow, undergo change, or evolve due to experiences in the story.
3.     Setting	Time, Place and cultural Background	Notice where and when the story takes place.	In “A Christmas Carol”: 19th-century London, during Christmas.
4.     Narrator / Point of View	First person, second person, third person limited, third person omniscient	Identify who is telling the story	First-person: “To Kill a Mockingbird” (Scout narrates); Third-person omniscient: “Pride and Prejudice”.
	(i) First Person	Narrator is a character in the story: "I" or "we" (When the writer tells the story through a character's eyes using "I" or "we", the character is the narrator)	“I walked into the room.” “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” – Greg Heffley tells his own story. “The Catcher in the Rye” – Holden Caulfield is the narrator.
	(ii) Second Person	Narrator addresses the reader directly: "You" (rare in fiction)	“You open the door” “Choose Your Own Adventure” books “Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McInerney
	(iii) Third Person Limited	Narrator outside the story, knows thoughts of one character. (The writer creates this narrator but is not the narrator themselves.)	“He felt nervous.” The Lost Child – Mulk Raj Anand
	(iv) Third Person Omniscient	A narrator outside the story who knows everything about all characters. (The writer creates this narrator but is not the narrator themselves.)	“He was nervous, and she was calm.” “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen “The Chronicles of Narnia”
5.     Language	Word Meanings	Understand unfamiliar words using context clues.	“Melancholy” in a poem can mean sadness – guess from lines around it.
	Keywords and Phrases	To Write stronger literature answers To Identify themes, tone, or character traits To  Support your answer with evidence	In “Macbeth”: “Fair is foul and foul is fair” – important phrase indicating theme.
6.     Reading Tools	Synopsis	Short idea of what the story is about.
	Reading with Annotations	Side notes for meaning, references, and explanations.
	Important Lines and Passages	Lines worth highlighting for revision.
	Tone and Mood	Feel the author's tone and the emotional atmosphere.(feelings)
	Imagery	Visualize sensory details in the text.

    

                                                               While Analyzing the Text

Category	Element	Description	Examples
1. Deep Meaning	Themes	The main subjects or topics explored in a story/poem. The big ideas or topics the story or poem talks about. (there can be multiple themes).	Courage, justice, loneliness in "The Diary of Anne Frank".
	Central Idea	The one main idea that sums up the whole text. (It combines all the themes into one unified concept.)	In "Animal Farm" – Power corrupts and leads to dictatorship.
	Message (explicit)	The clear lesson or moral given at the end. The explicit, surface-level moral or lesson conveyed by the work.	In many fairy tales, the message is “good triumphs over evil.”   In "The Thief’s Story" – Love and trust can change a person.
	Underlying Message (implicit)	A hidden or symbolic meaning that is not directly said. A hidden or implicit interpretation that adds depth beyond the obvious message.	In "The Great Gatsby" – Money can’t buy happiness.
	Essence	The overall feel or impression you get from the story.	Sad and hopeful in "The Lost Child".
	Title Justification	Why the title is appropriate, symbolic and justified.
	Summary and Paraphrase (poetry)	Summary = short version; Paraphrase = rephrased in your own words.	Ozymandias – explaining each stanza in your own words.
	Writing Style	Writer’s unique way of writing – word choice, tone, sentence type.	Simple and humorous in Ruskin Bond’s stories.
2. Narrative Study	Point of View	Who is telling the story and how it affects the narrative.
3. Language Tools	Figurative Language	Brief: Imaginative language, beyond literal meaning. (used in all genres) For example - metaphor, Simile, Hyperbole.   ·  Definition: Language that uses figures of speech to be more effective, persuasive, and impactful. ·  Purpose: To go beyond the literal meaning of words to create more vivid or imaginative expressions.  (Similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, irony, etc.)	·    Simile: “As brave as a lion.” ·      Metaphor: “Time is a thief.” ·     Personification: “The wind whispered through the trees.” ·     Hyperbole: “I’ve told you a million times!
	Poetic Devices	Sound, rhythm, structure of poems (Mostly poetry) Example - Alliteration, Rhyme, Meter   ·  Definition: Techniques poets use to enhance the musical quality, mood, or meaning of a poem. ·  Purpose: To give poetry rhythm, structure, sound, and style.	Examples: Alliteration: “She sells sea shells…” Rhyme: “Sky” and “high” Meter: A pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables (like iambic pentameter) Enjambment: When a line flows into the next without a pause Used mostly in poetry to create flow, sound, and emphasis.
	Literary Devices	Used in all literature Broader tools to enrich writing and meaning. (Irony, Symbolism, Foreshadowing)   ·  Definition: Broad techniques used in any kind of literature to convey meaning or enhance writing. ·  Purpose: To enrich storytelling, build themes, and engage the reader. Literary Devices covers both prose and poetry. It’s the umbrella term under which figurative and poetic devices often fall.	Examples Irony: Saying the opposite of what is meant Foreshadowing: Hinting at future events Symbolism: Using objects to represent ideas (like a dove for peace) Objects or colors representing deeper ideas. Imagery: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses

                                                                      Exam Preparation 

Category	Element	Description	Examples
Exam Preparation	Focus Points	Critical areas from where questions are likely. (frequently asked questions)	Board Expected Questions
	Value Points	Key points to be written for the questions asked	3 Mark - 3 value points 6 mark - 6 value points
	Extrapolatory Questions	Questions requiring comparison, inference, or expansion.	Compare how two characters handle fear in different stories.
	Summary and Paraphrase	Condensed meaning and own words version of stanzas or text.	Prepare Summary and Paraphrase of chapters
	NCERT Questions	Official textbook-based questions.	All end-of-chapter questions in Beehive and Hornbill
	Practice Questions	HOTS, PYQS, VBQs, BEQS for deeper understanding. (HOTS, Previous Year, Value-Based, Board Expected.)	What is materialism in the Lost Child (HOTS)
	Names of Authors and Poets	Know who wrote each text – helps in exams and analysis.	William Wordsworth – “The Solitary Reaper” / Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice