Elements of Children and Adolescent Literature: Verbal Elements

Verbal Elements of Children and Adolescent Literature

• Components of verbal elements include writer's purpose, plot, characters, settings, theme, and style.

Writer's Purpose

• Reflects the author's intention, goals, or objective in conveying a message through their work.
• Typically revolves around engaging young readers, sparking their imagination, and fostering cognitive and emotional development.

Plot

• Sequence of events in a story.
• Narrative order: the way the author chooses to unfold the story.

Narrative Order

• Chronological order: events are presented in the order they occur.
• Flashbacks: narrative temporarily shifts to events that occurred earlier in time, providing background information, character development, and context for present events.

Conflict

• Struggles in the story.
• Types of conflict: character vs self, character vs character, character vs nature, character vs society, and character vs fate.

Pattern of Action

• Sequence and arrangement of events in a story.
• Types of pattern of action:
  • Rising action to climax: the story builds tension gradually from rising action to climax.
  • Parallel plotlines: multiple plotlines that run parallel to each other and eventually intersect at certain points in the story.
  • Episodic structure: the story is divided into distinct episodes or chapters, each with its own mini-plot or conflict.

Characters

• May be a person, personified animal, or object that acts in the story.
• Types of characters:
  • Protagonist: central character, drives the narrative forward, navigates through challenges and conflicts.
  • Antagonist: opposes the protagonist, creates conflicts and obstacles.
  • Round character: complex and multidimensional, relatable and realistic.
  • Flat character: less developed, serves specific functions but lacks depth and complexity.
  • Dynamic character: undergoes significant changes as a result of events and conflict.
  • Static character: remains unchanged, may still play important roles but does not undergo significant development.

Settings

• Time and place of the story, provides backdrop against which characters interact and plot unfolds.
• Characteristics of setting:
  • Time period: past, present, or future.
  • Location: physical location or geographical setting.
  • Climate and weather: can evoke emotions and shape the tone of the narrative.

Theme

• Foundational concepts and life lessons in children's literature.

Style

• Author's personal choice, makes one author's work distinctive from others.