9 Major Literary Elements Explained: Meaning and Examples

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Learn the essential components of a story and how to identify them
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When it comes time to write or analyze a narrative work, you’ll want to know about literary elements. These are the essential components of any story—what remains when you take away all the figurative language and stylistic choices. While there’s disagreement about how many literary elements there are, there’s a general consensus among educators about which are the main ones. This article breaks them down so you can identify and use them like a pro.

What are the major literary elements?

The nine major literary elements are characterization, point of view, narrator, plot, conflict, setting, theme, language, and tone. Literary elements are essential to a story. They’re different from literary devices, which are optional techniques a writer uses to convey meaning and style through language.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a literary element?

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  1. Literary elements are often called the building blocks or foundation of a work because they’re the core components. They’re built into the structure of a work—things like setting, characters, and plot. If you removed them, you wouldn’t have a story. [1]
    • Literary elements are also known as narrative elements.
    • There’s no formal, definitive list of literary elements. Some people argue that there are only seven literary elements, while others count nine or more. It depends on what you consider essential.
    • Literary elements aren’t the same as literary devices like metaphor, imagery, and syntax, although they’re sometimes lumped together. You could remove literary devices and still have a sense of the story, although it would be bland without them.
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Section 2 of 5:

The 9 Literary Elements with Examples

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  1. 1
    Characterization Characterization refers to how characters are portrayed in the text. Think of how the author describes their physical appearance and personality, but also how they come across based on their actions and dialogue. Another aspect of characterization is how they interact with other characters. [2]
    • Example: In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby , Jay Gatsby’s characterization as someone stuck in the past is revealed by what he says and does around main character Nick Carraway. He throws parties to catch the attention of Daisy Buchanan, a woman he used to date, and asks Nick to set them up together.
    • Most stories include a protagonist , the main character of the story who the reader identifies with, and an antagonist , the character who opposes the protagonist’s interests and actions.
      • A protagonist can be a hero and an antagonist can be a villain, but they don’t always fit these archetypes.
    • Another common character type is the supporting characters —typically, the friends, family, love interests, and other associates of the main characters.
    • Supporting characters (or the antagonist) may also be foil characters , meaning their beliefs and actions directly contrast those of the protagonist to add context and complexity to the main character.
      • For example, in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein , Frankenstein’s monster is a foil character to Victor Frankenstein. They have different philosophies on the ethics of creating life through science. [3]
  2. 2
    Setting Setting isn’t just where a story takes place. It’s also when the story takes place and the social and/or historical environment in which the story occurs. [4] Setting helps to shape other literary elements like characterization and plot. Some stories have many settings, especially when the main character goes on a journey. Others take place entirely in one place and time period. [5]
    • Example: In R.F. Kuang’s novel Babel , the story takes place in a fantasy version of 1830s and 1840s England. The novel includes scenes at a fictionalized version of England’s Oxford University and in Canton, China (now Guangzhou). The historical environment is the height of British Imperialism.
  3. 3
    Narrator The narrator is who is telling a story. Every literary work has a narrator, even if it’s not told in the first person from a character’s point of view. In nonfiction, the author is usually the narrator. In works of fiction, the narrator could be a character, an omniscient presence (like a Greek chorus), or the author. [6]
    • Example: In The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, the narrator is Death. In Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird , the narrator is Scout Finch. In The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the narrator is an omniscient voice.
  4. 4
    Point of view Every story has a point of view (POV), or a specific perspective from which the story is told. This literary element is easy to confuse with the narrator of a story, but point of view is more general. Common POVs are first-person singular, where the story is told firsthand by an “I” voice, and third-person omniscient, where the story is told outside the characters by an all-knowing narrator. [7]
    • Types of Point of View: [8]
    • First person (singular) point of view: a character narrates the story using first-person pronouns (“I”). An example of a work that uses first-person POV is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
      • In the rare first-person (plural) point of view, the story is told by multiple people in a chorus of voices, using first-person plural pronouns (“We”).
    • Second person point of view: the reader is made the main character, or the story is addressed to a character using second-person pronouns (“You”). An example of a work told in the second person POV is If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino.
    • Third-person point of view: The author or some other omniscient being narrates the story using third-person pronouns (“He/She/They”). An example of a work written in third-person limited is 1984 by George Orwell.
      • In third-person close/limited POV, the story only follows one character’s thoughts and actions. In third-person omniscient POV, every character’s thoughts and actions are known.
  5. 5
    Plot Plot is what happens in a story. This is one of the most important literary elements—without a plot, a story is simply a meandering and disjointed collection of unrelated events. Think of plot as what you would describe if someone asked what the story is about. Most plots occur in chronological order (events presented in the order they occur), but some are non-linear (told out of order). [9]
    • Example: In Toni Morrison’s novel Beloved , the plot follows a family of formerly enslaved people dealing with a haunting by the ghost of the main character’s daughter. The plot is non-linear, jumping from the past to the present to explore the lasting trauma of slavery.
    • A minor plot that occurs alongside the main plot is called a subplot . A subplot could be a romance, a minor conflict, or an inner journey the character goes on.
    • Most plots start with an inciting incident , the event that puts the story in motion. What happens next—the main character starting a journey, falling in love, or preparing for battle—is considered rising action.
    • Rising action culminates in a story’s climax , or the peak of stakes and tension in the story. In a romance, it might be the moment two characters confess their love for each other. In an action story, it might be the final battle between the protagonist and antagonist.
    • After the climax, the remaining plot features falling action , aka the aftermath of all the events thus far. Finally, the denouement occurs—the moment when the story’s conflict is resolved and the world returns to normal (or a new normal). [10]
  6. 6
    Conflict Conflict is the struggle between two forces that are at odds with one another in a story. Commonly, conflict is between two characters who have competing desires or beliefs. Conflict can be internal—character vs. self—or external—character vs. another character, character vs. nature, or character vs. society. Conflict drives a story. If everything went perfectly all the time, you probably wouldn’t want to read about it. [11]
    • Example: In J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye , the main character, Holden Caulfield, struggles with internal conflict as he avoids coping with the loss of his brother. He faces external conflict when another student dates the girl he likes, causing them to fight one another.
    • Stories can and often have multiple conflicts going on. A character may have an internal conflict that connects with external conflicts they face.
  7. 7
    Theme Theme is an important literary element, although it’s not as easy to identify as some others. Theme is the abstract concept of a story—what the story’s about, and not just what happens in it. [12] Some argue a theme is an argument made by the story, but it can be a simple recurring concept. [13] Common themes in literature include love, family, and power.
    • Example: In Louise Erdrich’s novel Love Medicine , broad themes include religion, racism, and love. More specific themes are how to define the concept of home, the healing powers of love and family, and resistance to assimilation.
  8. 8
    Language Language is what it sounds like—what language the story is told in. The vast majority of stories are told in one language, but some feature two or more languages to reflect a multicultural setting or the different dialects present in the story’s world.
    • Example: A story that’s told in one language is Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird . A story that features multiple languages (English and French) is Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre . One of the characters in the novel, Adèle, speaks French with the titular protagonist.
  9. 9
    Tone Tone is sometimes categorized as a literary element and sometimes as a literary device, but it’s hard to imagine a story lacking it. It refers to the attitude the author displays toward the subject matter of the story. Tone influences the reader’s experience with the story by framing characters and events in a particular way. [14] It’s communicated via word choice, style, perspective, and other elements.
    • Example: In Mark Twain’s novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn , the tone is satirical, moralistic, and friendly. Because the novel is told in vernacular by a main character with an innocent worldview who’s encountering heavy societal issues, its tone conveys a mixture of lightheartedness and gravity.
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Section 3 of 5:

Literary Elements vs. Literary Devices

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  1. Literary devices are techniques an author uses to tell a story. Unlike literary elements, they’re not essential to a story—meaning an author may or may not include them. Literary devices are also known as literary techniques. Think of them as the tools an author uses to add depth, style, and meaning to a story. [15]
    • Common literary devices include alliteration, dialogue, foreshadowing, imagery, metaphor, simile, symbolism, and irony. [16]
Section 4 of 5:

How to Use Literary Elements in a Story

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  1. Review their definitions and examples of how they appear in different works. Similarly, when you’re reading a novel or short story , try to spot each literary element. Ask not just how it’s used, but why it’s used the way it is and what effect it has on your experience as a reader.
    • For example, if you’re reading Beloved by Toni Morrison, ask yourself why Morrison presents the events of the novel out of order. How does it make you feel about the characters? How does it connect to the novel’s themes of memory and generational trauma?
  2. 2
    Think of unexpected ways to employ literary elements. While every story has more or less the same literary elements, talented authors find ways to twist them or make them feel unique. For example, you might write a story from the uncommon second-person (“You”) point of view to experiment with putting the reader in the story. Or, you may weave a web of multiple conflicts that seem unrelated, but connect by the end of the story.
    • For example, instead of just telling the story in The Book Thief from a third-person omniscient point of view, Markus Zusak makes the narrator Death. The novel is technically told from the first-person point of view (Death speaks as an “I” voice), but Death is all-knowing and transcends boundaries of space and time.
  3. Once you’ve written your story, examine each of the nine literary elements to understand how they’re working within your narrative. Decide if you’ve accomplished your desired effect with each one, or if there are areas that need strengthening.
    • Perhaps you wrote a linear narrative, but the reader would feel more engaged and surprised if you altered the plot to be nonlinear.
    • Get feedback from a trusted friend or family member to understand if your literary elements are clear. Ask how they understood the plot and characters to gain insight into what you might change in future drafts.
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Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. 1
    Why do writers use literary elements? Writers use literary elements to tell stories. Take one of the literary elements out of the equation, and a story isn’t really a story. Literary elements form the structure and driving force of a narrative, giving readers the who (characterization), what (plot and conflict), when/where (setting), and why (theme) of a story. Other elements shape how the story is told to the reader, specifically language, tone, narrator, and point of view.
  2. 2
    How do you identify literary elements? First, understand what the literary element is that you’re looking for. Review its definition and study examples of how it shows up in famous literature. Next, think about or re-read the story with the literary element in line. Write down what you think it might be, consulting a peer, teacher, or the Internet if you’re unsure.
    • Remember, many literary elements show up in different ways and multiple times within one story. Authors use different methods of characterization, have their characters face multiple conflicts, and might even switch points of view within one novel.
  3. 3
    Why do we learn literary elements? Literary elements are the building blocks of any story. Being able to identify them helps you analyze how a story works and what impact each element has. Even if you’re not a writer, you can appreciate how your favorite stories function as narratives. In an academic or casual setting, you’ll be able to think critically about what makes a story engaging and effective. [17]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-are-literary-devices-definition-examples/
      2. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_terms/index.html
      3. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-a-foil-character-in-literature-learn-about-2-types-of-literary-foils-and-the-differences-between-foil-and-antagonist
      4. ↑ https://lib.pstcc.edu/c.php?g=106685&p=7506389
      5. ↑ https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-are-literary-devices-definition-examples/
      6. ↑ https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-are-literary-devices-definition-examples/
      7. ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/glossary-literary-elements#characterization
      8. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/complete-guide-to-point-of-view-in-writing-definitions-and-examples
      9. ↑ https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/glossary-literary-elements
      1. ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-101-what-is-denouement-learn-about-the-difference-between-denouement-and-epilogue-with-examples
      2. ↑ https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/litel18-ela-conflict/literary-elements-and-techniques-conflict/
      3. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_terms/index.html
      4. ↑ https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-are-literary-devices-definition-examples/
      5. ↑ https://lib.pstcc.edu/c.php?g=106685&p=7506389
      6. ↑ https://www.yonkerspublicschools.org/cms/lib/NY01814060/Centricity/Domain/1643/NEW+LITERARY+DEVICES.pdf
      7. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/literary_terms/index.html
      8. ↑ https://www.chicagoacademyforthearts.org/news/2017/3/10/the-importance-of-teaching-literary-analysis

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