Elements of Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Elements of Literature - Essay Example the basic need which drives people to read, be it prose, poetry, essays, plays, or any of the genres which constitute this infinite creative process. According to him, stories provide us with pleasure while at the same time informing and enlightening us with their multifarious characters and themes or to put it simply, â€Å"they enlarge our understanding of ourselves and deepen our appreciation of life.†(p. 27) The fictional world created by the masters of this craft are peopled by some of the most interesting people we know and who have become the byword for many of the attributes found in people all over the world. Characters whether in a story, play or poem help to move the story forward as much as the action, since what happens to whom, when, where and the characters corresponding response to this situation creates the story. The characters in a story can be dynamic or static depending upon their utility to the action and the insights they provide into the action. A dynamic character is sketched out in great detail and the reader is made privy to their inner thoughts and consciousness through narration in the first person or even through the use of the device of third person focalization. These characters undergo changes in their personality and outlook due to the experiences which they undergo. A very good example of such a character would be that of Louise whose circumstances make her portray herself differently at different times. Before the news of her husband’s death, she is the traditional dull housewife whose dreams are buried deep in her heart. But as soon as the unfortunate news reaches her, she becomes a totally different character who is ready to enjoy her new found freedom and is in fact happy at the turn of circumstances. A static character on the other hand may not show any great degree of transformation but they are necessary to move the action forward. E.M. Forster in his Aspects of the Novel makes another form of distinction between