Scribd
Upload
2 views

Literary Elements of Creative Nonfiction

The document outlines the essential elements of creative nonfiction, including setting, descriptive imagery, figurative language, plot, symbolism, and character, emphasizing that it is based on true events. It discusses the importance of each element in storytelling, such as establishing setting early, using descriptive imagery and figurative language effectively, and structuring plot through scope, sequence, and pacing. Additionally, it highlights the role of characters and dialogue in bringing stories to life and the use of symbolism to convey complex ideas.

Uploaded by

sopiyafresa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2 views

Literary Elements of Creative Nonfiction

The document outlines the essential elements of creative nonfiction, including setting, descriptive imagery, figurative language, plot, symbolism, and character, emphasizing that it is based on true events. It discusses the importance of each element in storytelling, such as establishing setting early, using descriptive imagery and figurative language effectively, and structuring plot through scope, sequence, and pacing. Additionally, it highlights the role of characters and dialogue in bringing stories to life and the use of symbolism to convey complex ideas.

Uploaded by

sopiyafresa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

LITERARY ELEMENTS

OF CREATIVE
NONFICTION
HEATHER RINGO AND ATHENA KASHYAP
OVERVIEW
• The main elements of creative nonfiction
are setting, descriptive
imagery, figurative language, plot,
symbolism, and character. The overarching
element or requirement that distinguishes
creative nonfiction from any other genre of
writing is that while other literary genres can
spring from the imagination, creative
nonfiction is, by definition, true.
SETTING
• Each story has a setting. The setting is
the place where the story takes place.
Usually, an effective story establishes
its setting early in the story: otherwise
readers will have a difficult time
visualizing the action of the story.
TELLING
SHOWING
DESCRIPTIVE IMAGES
• You have probably
encountered descriptive
imagery before. Basically, it is the
way the writer paints the scene, or
image, in the mind of the reader. It
usually involves descriptions of one or
more of the five senses: sight, sound,
smell, touch, or taste.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
• As a counterpart to descriptive imagery, figurative
language is using language in a surprising way to
describe a literary moment. Figurative language can
take the form of metaphor, such as saying "the lemon
tree was heavy with innumerable miniature suns."
Since the lemons are not actually suns, this is
figurative. Figurative language can also take the form
of simile: "aunt Becky's attitude was as sour as a
lemon." By comparing an abstract concept (attitude) to
an object (lemon), it imparts a feeling/meaning in a
more interesting way.
PLOT
• Plot is one of the basic elements of every
story: put simply, plot refers to the actual
events that take place within the bounds of
your narrative. Using our rhetorical situation
vocabulary, we can identify “plot” as the
primary subject of a descriptive personal
narrative. Three related elements to
consider are scope, sequence, and
pacing.
1. SCOPE
• The term scope refers to the
boundaries of plot. Where and when
does the story begin and end? What is
its focus? What background
information and details does the story
require?
2. SEQUENCE
• The sequence of your plot—the order of the
events—will determine your reader’s
experience. There are an infinite number of
ways you might structure your story, and
the shape of your story is worth deep
consideration. Although the traditional forms
for a narrative sequence are not your only
options, let’s take a look at a few tried-and-
true shapes your plot might take.
TYPES OF SEQUENCING
• FREYTAG’S PYRAMID
• CHRONOLOGICAL – EXPOSITION, RISING ACTION, CLIMAX,
FALLING ACTION, RESOLUTION
• IN MEDIAS RES (AND THE USE OF FLASHBACKS)
• CLIMAX > EXPOSITION > RISING ACTION > CLIMAX AGAIN >
FALLING ACTION > RESOLUTION
• NONLINEAR NARRATIVE
• GOING BACK AND FORTH
• FORESHADOWING
• WRITER GIVES CLUES TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN
3. PACING
• While scope determines the boundaries
of plot, and sequencing determines
where the plot goes, pacing
determines how quickly readers move
through the story. In short, it is the
amount of time you dedicate to
describing each event in the story.
CHARACTER
• A major requirement of any story is the
use of characters. Characters bring life
to the story. Keep in mind that while
human characters are most frequently
featured in stories, sometimes there
are non-human characters in a story
such as animals or even the
environment itself.
DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
INDIRECT CHARACTERIZATION
DIALOGUE
• Think of the different conversations you’ve had today,
with family, friends, or even classmates. Within each
of those conversations, there were likely pre-
established relationships that determined how you
talked to each other: each is its own rhetorical
situation. A dialogue with your friends, for example,
may be far different from one with your family. These
relationships can influence tone of voice, word choice
(such as using slang, jargon, or lingo), what details
we share, and even what language we speak.
SYMBOLISM
• In literature, authors have long favored the use of
symbols as a literary device. The importance of
symbolism can be seen in the earliest recorded
forms of human storytelling—cave paintings and
hieroglyphics—which are quite literally symbols
representing more complex narratives or beliefs.
Symbolism allows writers to express complex
ideas while giving the reader a visual, sensory
experience.
SHOW NOT
TELL
WRITING ACTIVITY
TRANSFORM THIS INTO CNF
VERSION
• THE PRINCIPAL SCOLDED YOU WHO
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT SEEMINGLY
STEALING SOMETHING FROM THE
LIBRARY. TURNS OUT YOU JUST PUT ON
YOUR BAG THE BOOK THAT YOU JUST
BOUGHT FROM A BOOKSTORE AND
DECICED TO READ IT IN THE LIBRARY.

You might also like