Literary Criticsm

Theme is the subject of talk, a topic, or morals that the author is trying to get across to the readers. When reading an excerpt, the theme is not directly stated in the text, so you must dig deeper into the context to understand the morals the author is trying to portray. In both Angela's Ashes and The Street, we can detect a similar theme of struggling to get through life’s obstacles. When reading the two different stories, we can further pick out the theme by using character, events, and the setting.

Theme can be defined as “a central insight.” According to the authors of The Art of Watching Films, a theme in a literary work or film should be universal and should be one that challenges people (Boggs & Petric, 2008). The Silence of the Lambs shows that peoples’ search for peace is universal. We see characters from all walks of life searching for peace. There is Clarice Starling, an FBI agent in training, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant

All parts of a story from its events to its result are based around a setting. Showing that a setting is the foundation of all stories and events. This is just like how the setting of the book Code Orange by Caroline B. Cooney affects the plot of the story. Cooney’s book is about a teenager, Mitty Blake, who lives in New York City. Mitty is doing a biology paper, in which his topic is smallpox, an incurable disease. While researching, Mitty finds smallpox scabs and foolishly plays around with them, which puts him in a problem of whether or not he has smallpox. In the novel, Code Orange the setting affects the plot because it shapes Mitty’s lifestyle, shows how major the impact would be if Mitty had smallpox, and the amount of independence that

Theme. A lesson in a novel or story that is not directly stated in the book. Between the excerpts Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and The Street by Ann Petry is a common theme. The theme that desperate times call for desperate measures.

A theme, by literary definition, is a central topic of a text.This means that they are a always a part of every story. Mainly, themes symbolize the meanings of texts. In one particular story by Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who WAlk Away from Omelas,” one of its main themes centers around the neglection of morals and ethics. Throughout the text,this idea of moral neglection is apparent and it describes how derelict the ethics of the people of Omelas has become.

1969: Setting is the physical environment in which action occurs. It includes time and place. In many novels and plays, setting is used significantly. For examples, the author may employ it as a motivating force in human behavior, as a reflection of the state of mind of characters, or as a representation of the values held by characters. Choose a novel or a play in which setting is important and write an essay in which you explain the uses the author makes of it. Choose your illustrations from works of recognized literary merit. Do not merely summarize the plot.

Plot is a crucial element because it includes the structure of the story from the beginning to the end, how the characters develop throughout the

Setting (including: time span of the story, time period in which the story is set, and place[s] in which the story is set)

Setting has a major impact on a story; it sets the theme and mood or feeling.

Throughout history, writers have developed a plethora of literary devices.  This allows them to essentially spice up their writing, or make it more interesting to the reader.  One of the most commonly used and talked about literary devices is theme; theme is a specific idea or lesson that an author is trying to get across.  Just a few examples are, ambition, guilt, things may not always be what they seem, or even nature verses the unnatural.  In fact, these are common themes used by one of the greatest play writes of all time, Shakespeare.  All throughout arguably his most renowned play, Macbeth, we see Shakespeare use each of the four previously listed themes.

The setting creates the enviornment for the entire story, the time and the place. Every single part of the story revolves around this. What the characters look like, how they talk to eachother, where they live, what is going on around them. The main conflict is even determined by the time period and where in the world it takes place. For example, the story "The Cask of Amontillado" is set in Paris, France around the rennaissance era. but theres more to the setting than just that. "It was about dusk one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that i encountered with my friend." This describes more about the enviornment around the characters in the beggining of the story. Then the setting shifts,"Its walls had been lined with

A theme, by literary definition, is a central topic of a text.This means that they are a always a part of every story. Mainly, themes symbolize the, sometimes hidden, meanings of texts. In one particular story of Ursula K. Le Guin, “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas,” one theme is evident throughout this short story, and it centers around the neglect of morals and ethical beliefs. Throughout the text, this idea of moral neglect is apparent, and the story describes how derelict the ethics of the people of Omelas have become.

Plot – these are the events or incidents that take place on the stage. The plot is clearly defined problems that the characters must solve. The plot is very different from the story line and is chronological detailing events that have happened on and off stage. Events that happen off stage are often introduced through a narrative dialogue. The playwrights often create a plot that is sincere and astounding.

The plot or sequence of a story is the order in which events in a story take place and how these events are related to one another. The integral components of a plot include: the exposition, the climax, the conflict and the resolution.

“Setting: the time and place of the action in a work of fiction, poetry, or drama. The spatial setting is the place or places in which action unfolds, the temporal setting is the time; thus, the same as plot time. General Setting is the time and place in which all action unfolds; whereas, particular settings are the times and places which individual episodes or scenes take place” (Mays A10).