Narrative:

-​ Point of view in which the story is being told. These elements determine who is telling
the story, whom it is about, and what information the reader has access to.
-​ Types:
1.​ Third-person narration: An unidentified listener tells what happened, refers
characters using he,she,they.
-​ The narrator is external (not a character in the story). There are different
types of third-person narration:
-​ A. Omniscient; has access to the thoughts, perceptions, and experiences of
more than one character.
-​ B. Limited narrator: external, third person narrator who tells the story from a
distinct pov (usually only a single character, revealing the character’s
thoughts and relate it exclusively to his/her actions.
-​ C. Objective narrator: Does not explicitly report the characters’ thoughts and
feelings but may obliquely suggest them through characters’ speech and
actions.

2.​ First-Person Narration

-​ The story is told from the pov of a singular character. A lot of uses of the
pronoun I.
-​ It may be a major/minor character therefore it is an internal character.
-​ Irony happens when there is an unreliable narrator.
-​ First-person narrators may unintentionally reveal their flaws as they try to
impress. Or they may even make claims that other characters/audience
knows is false/distorted.
-​ First-person plural is when the narrator uses the pronoun we. It is used to
effectively express the shared perspective of a community, one thats
close-knit, isolated or highly regulated.

3.​ Second-Person Narration

-​ A bit unusual, as it addresses readers as ‘you’ which has the effect of turning
the reader into a character in the story.

-​ The verb tense has an effect on the narration of a story. Narrative mainly uses past
tense as it is related memory.
-​ Contemporary fiction frequently use present tense, which gives the impression of
immediacy, or frequent repetition where the world’s time is frozen/ Might also be used
to create a conversational tone.
-​ Future tense is used to predict the future

-​ Narrator vs implied author

Character:
-​ Protagonist and antagonist
-​ Antihero is a controversial protagonist. Difficult to admire as they possess traits that
make them the opposite of the traditional hero.
-​ Major character (we see more of them, more complex and realistic than minor
characters)
 -​ Minor characters are less prominent and seem less complex, but is indispensable to
a story as major characters. They play key roles in shaping our interpretations of and
attitude towards the major characters. Eg, help to learn more abt the characters (how
they contrast etc)
-​ Round characters: Complex , Flat characters: 1d characters that behave and speak
in predictable or repetitive (sometimes odd) are called flat.
-​ Some characters may seem round to us because our impression of them evolves.
However, a character that changes is dynamic. Roundness and dynamism tend to go
tgt but they are not the same. Not all round characters are dynamic, not all dynamic
characters are round.
-​ Stock characters: Flat characters are those who represent a familiar, and frequent
recurring type (dumb blonde, mad scientist, the sympathetic sidekick) are called
stock characters. They seem to be pulled out of a stockroom of familiar, prefabricated
figures.
-​ Archetypes: characters that recur in myths and literature of many different ages and
cultures are instead called archetypes. E.g. scapegoat. ​

Setting:
-​ Geographical/physical/spatial setting is the place in which the action unfolds.
-​ Temporal setting is the time.
-​ General setting is the general time and place that the story takes place.
-​ Particular settings is the time and places in which individual episodes or scenes take
place.
-​ It is important in establishing the mood, situations and character. It sets the tone.
-​

Language (Symbolism and Figurative Language):

Here are simplified notes from your slides on Symbolism and Figurative Language, with
easy-to-understand explanations and examples:

🌟 Symbolism
●​ A symbol is something concrete (real) like a person, object, place, or event that
represents something abstract (an idea or feeling).​

○​ Example: A red rose = love or beauty (but also death because it wilts).​

○​ Example: Red light = stop; Stars and Stripes = USA.​

Types of Symbols:
 1.​ Traditional Symbol – Commonly known within a culture.​

○​ 🐍 Snake = evil (in Western cultures).​

○​ 🕊️ White dove = peace.​
○​ 🌹 Rose = love, beauty, or even hidden danger (because of thorns).​
2.​ Invented Symbol – Has meaning only in one story or work.​

○​ Example: A made-up object in a novel that only has special meaning in that
story.​

🏛️ Allegory & Myth

Allegory:

●​ A story with two layers of meaning: literal and deeper (symbolic or moral).​

●​ Everything in the story represents something else (characters, settings, actions).​

●​ Example: Animal Farm by George Orwell – farm animals = Russian revolution.​

●​ Example: The Pilgrim’s Progress – Christian travels from “City of Destruction” to

“Celestial City”.​

Myth:

●​ A story with symbolic meaning explaining human nature, the universe, or culture.​

●​ Can apply to all times and places.​

●​ Example: Greek myths (like Prometheus) explain deeper truths about human
struggle and knowledge.​

🧠 Figurative Language / Figures of Speech

●​ Language that goes beyond literal meaning to create effects, imagery, or deeper
meanings.​
 ●​ Also called tropes.​

Key Types & Easy Examples:

Term Meaning Example

Allegory Whole story = extended symbol Animal Farm = Russian Revolution

Allusion A quick reference to something “He was a real Romeo.”

famous (Bible, history, etc.)

Irony Opposite of what's expected or Saying “Lovely weather!” during a

said storm.

Verbal Irony Saying the opposite of what you “Great job!” (after someone
mean messes up)

Situational Unexpected outcome A fire station burns down.

Irony

Dramatic Irony Audience knows more than the In a horror movie, we see the killer
character but the character doesn't.

Cosmic Irony Fate or the universe seems to A man wins the lottery, then dies
play a cruel joke the next day.

Metaphor Saying something is something “Time is a thief.”

else (no “like” or “as”)

Simile Comparing using “like” or “as” “She’s as brave as a lion.”

Personification Giving human traits to “The wind whispered.”

non-humans

Oxymoron Two opposite ideas together “Bittersweet,” “Living dead”

Metonymy One thing stands in for something “The crown” = the king/queen
related

Synecdoche A part stands for the whole “Wheels” = car, “All hands on deck”
= sailors

Theme:

🎯 What is Theme?
●​ Theme = the main idea or message in a story, poem, or play.​

●​ It can be:​
 ○​ A broad topic: e.g., love, grief, power.​

○​ Or a specific insight about that topic: e.g., “Trying to be perfect can ruin
something good.”​

📌 Difference: Topic vs. Theme

Topic (Subject) Theme (Insight)

Love True love accepts flaws.

Grief Grief can lead to personal growth.

Power Power often corrupts those who have

it.

🔍 A topic is just a general idea. A theme is what the story says about that topic.

🧠 Tips for Identifying a Theme:

1.​ Start by identifying topics in the story (e.g., justice, freedom, fear).​

2.​ Ask: What does the story say or show about this topic?​

3.​ Write the theme as a full sentence (not just one word).​

🧪 Example:
Bad:

“The theme of The Birth-Mark is guilt, evil, love, and alienation.”

Better:
 “Hawthorne’s The Birth-Mark shows that trying to achieve perfection can destroy
what we already love.”

🐚 Fables and Theme

●​ A fable is a short story that teaches a moral (lesson).​

●​ Fables usually state the theme clearly, unlike most modern stories.​

🦀 Example: Aesop’s “The Two Crabs”

Story Summary:​
A mother crab tells her child to walk straight, but the child asks her to show how—since
crabs walk sideways.

👉
Theme (Moral):​
“Example is the best precept” – In other words, actions speak louder than words.

Here are simplified and detailed notes for the section "Identifying Themes", rewritten for
easy understanding, with added examples to help you apply each tip:

🧭 How to Identify Themes in a Story

There’s no single way to find a theme, but here are smart clues and questions to ask as
you read:

1️⃣ Pay Attention to the Title

●​ A title often hints at the story’s main topic or symbol, which can point to the theme.​

●​ 📚 Example:​
○​ Of Mice and Men — Suggests fragility of dreams and plans.​

○​ The Hunger Games — Focuses on survival and societal inequality.​

🔍 Ask: What ideas does the title hint at? What message might the story give about those
ideas?

2️⃣ Look for Recurring Words or Concepts

●​ Repeated words (especially abstract ones like freedom, justice, honor, death, etc.)
can show what the story is really about.​

●​ Even concrete items (e.g., a ring, a tree, a mirror) can hold symbolic meaning.​

●​ 📚 Example:​
○​ In The Lord of the Rings, the ring = power, obsession, temptation.​

○​ In The Giving Tree, the tree = unconditional love or sacrifice.​

🔍 Ask: What ideas or objects keep showing up? What deeper message might they
suggest?

3️⃣ Focus on What Characters Say About Life or People

●​ Characters or narrators might say something about human nature or society that
reflects a theme.​

●​ These lines may seem specific but often carry universal meaning.​

●​ 📚 Example:​
○​ In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus says: “You never really understand a person
until you consider things from his point of view…” → Theme: empathy and
moral understanding.​

🔍 Ask: Are there any lines that feel wise, ironic, or meaningful beyond the story?

4️⃣ Notice Character Changes

●​ When a character learns a lesson or changes, the lesson they learn often reflects a
theme.​

●​ 📚 Example:​
 ○​ In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge changes from greedy to generous → Theme:
It’s never too late to change, or kindness is more valuable than money.​

🔍 Ask: What does the main character learn? What deeper truth does that show?

5️⃣ Examine the Conflict and Its Outcome

●​ Conflict = the central problem in the story.​

●​ How it gets resolved gives a clue to the theme.​

●​ 📚 Example:​
○​ In Romeo and Juliet, the families’ hatred leads to tragedy → Theme: Blind
hatred destroys love and life.​

○​ In The Fault in Our Stars, Hazel and Augustus face terminal illness → Theme:
Even a short life can be meaningful.​

🔍 Ask: What’s the big struggle? How is it resolved? What message might that resolution
carry?

📝 Quick Summary Table:

Clue What to Look For What It Might Reveal

Title Key words or hints The main topic/theme

Repeated words or Symbols, abstract ideas Deeper meanings

objects

Statements about life Quotes with wider Author's view of the world
meaning

Character growth Lessons learned Insights or truths

Conflict resolution How problems are solved The message behind the
outcome

Would you like a worksheet version of this guide with fill-in-the-blanks or space to apply
these steps to a specific story? I can create that too!