Ch 8: GACE English: Elements & Language of Literature
About This Chapter
GACE English: Elements & Language of Literature - Chapter Summary
The lessons that you'll come across in this chapter can reinforce your knowledge on key literary elements, including figurative language, tone and mood, characterization and more. Once you have completed the lessons in this chapter, you will be ready to do the following on the GACE English exam:
- Recognize the effects of form and structure
- Discuss literature as a form of expression and a response to culture and history
- Explain how an author's life influences their writing
- Define structure in writing
- Interpret literary meaning
- Identify point of view in fiction
- Analyze plot, setting and dialogue
- Assess how story elements interact
Use the handy video tags if you want to check out any video segments a second time after your initial review. Verify your knowledge of the issues by completing each lesson's short practice quiz.
1. Literature as a Form of Expression
Literature is typically understood as intentionally constructed ideas that operate as a form of expression. Examine the concept of what constitutes literature in detail by how it expresses culture, values, and ideas through writing.
2. How an Author's Life Influences Literary Works
Life is a powerful tool for inspiration, and this is especially prevalent in the works of writers. Explore how authors like Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and others used their experiences with history, gender, and race to create narratives.
3. Literature as a Response to Culture
This lesson analyzes how literature responds to various aspects of culture, such as historical events, social conditions, scientific developments, and religious movements. This lesson offers examples from British and American literature.
4. Drawing Inspiration from Historical Texts
This lesson explores how modern works of literature and film draw on historical texts. We will learn about the genre of historical fiction. Then, we will discover how the structures of fairy tales and mythic archetypes inspire contemporary writers.
5. Interpreting Literary Meaning: How to Use Text to Guide Your Interpretation
To interpret literature is to try and find the meaning or theme of the story. Discover how to use the text to guide your interpretation with key elements such as plot, characters, setting, symbols, and point of view.
6. Analyzing How Story Elements Interact
Every element of a story is equally important in creating an immersive, interesting tale. Analyze the way story elements interact by exploring the influence of a setting, and examine how point of view can change the way a story is told.
7. Methods of Characterization in Literature
Authors often rely on a process called characterization to create both literary characters and imagery for their readers. Take a close look at the five unique methods of characterization by using an acronym and a selected excerpt from literature, and learn the distinct differences between direct and indirect characterization in literature.
8. Point of View in Fiction: First Person, Third Person & More
In fiction, there are several points of view from which a story can be told. Explore the first person, second person, and third person points of view, and practice identifying each.
9. Understanding Tone and Mood in a Reading Passage
In literature, mood is the feeling you get while reading a story, and tone is the author's attitude toward a subject. Learn more about how to identify mood and tone by looking at the setting, characters, details, and word choices.
10. Figurative Language: Definition & Examples
Figurative language provides a way to imaginatively express information. Explore the definition and examples of figurative language, and learn about figures of speech and other figurative devices.
11. Plot Analysis: Example & Overview
A plot analysis is a process of reviewing a story's plot to understand its events and how the story progresses. Learn about the definition and process of plot analysis, including the use of a plot diagram. Consider an overview of the process, and study the example of ''The Three Little Pigs'' to understand the elements of a plot analysis and how to use a plot diagram to carry out a plot analysis.
12. What is the Setting of a Story?
The setting of a story is a vital literary element that establishes where and when a story takes place. Explore the three key components of setting, discover its importance to fiction writing, and learn how imagery plays a role in writing a successful setting.
13. How Dialogue Reveals Aspects of a Character
Dialogue reveals aspects of a character in a story by what they say, how they say it, and what they don't say. Explore dialogue's ability to reveal character traits, the use of dialogue by authors such as Hemingway and Hosseini, and the power of subtext.
14. What is Structure in Writing and How Does it Affect Meaning?
The structure of a written story impacts the story's meaning. This lesson will define what is in a story, the framework of a story, and how the story is organized impacts the meaning of the story.
15. The Effects of Form & Structure in Poetry & Drama
Form and structure can influence the meaning of poetry and drama. This lesson looks at the main forms and structures of poetry and drama and discusses how those elements can give you clues about what the piece means.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the GACE English (520): Practice & Study Guide course
- About the GACE Test
- GACE English: Literary Genres
- Periods of American Literature
- World Literature Overview
- Young Adult Literature Overview
- Forms of Poetry
- GACE English: Reading Strategies
- Overview of Literary Devices
- Literary Themes & Main Ideas
- Technical Writing & Informational Texts
- Literary Theories & Research
- GACE English: Instructional Strategies
- Language Development & Acquisition
- Basic Semantics
- Methods for Writing Instruction
- GACE English: Writing Forms & Structure
- GACE English: Writing & Editing Skills
- Rhetorical Strategies & Methods of Argument
- GACE English: Researching & Citing Sources
- Sentence Types, Parts & Structure
- Overview of English Grammar & Usage
- Capitalization & Punctuation in English
- Organizing The Speech
- Speech Delivery
- Strategies for Classroom Discussion
- Differentiated Instruction Basics
- Language Arts Assessments
- Using Technology to Teach Reading & Writing
- GACE English Flashcards