Based on the title, this time I want to talk about the “body” of a literary work — the elements that build and strengthen a story from the inside.
Well, hi peeps. Welcome.
Actually, there are many aspects that play important roles in literature. All of those elements should connect and support one another because that relationship is what makes a literary work feel alive and complete. A good story is not created by a single aspect alone. Plot, setting, characters, and other elements work together like parts of a body, each one supporting the others.
What I am sharing here comes from what I learned from my lecturers and from my own understanding while studying literary analysis. These elements become important whenever we try to analyze a novel, short story, or any literary work deeply. Every literary work has a structure hidden inside it, and that structure helps the story breathe.
So, let us start with one of the most important elements: plot.
Plot
Plot has a huge role in literary works, especially in novels and short stories. One of the most essential parts of plot is the event. Events show readers how situations develop from beginning to end. Through plot, readers experience transitions from one condition to another, and it encourages curiosity about what will happen next.
In simple terms, plot is the foundation of a story. Characters and settings are built around it, while events are arranged logically to create meaning and emotional impact.
Generally, plots can be divided into three categories:
1. Forward Plot
A forward plot moves chronologically from past to present. Events are arranged in sequence, making the storyline easier to follow.
2. Flashback Plot
A flashback plot begins from a later event before returning to earlier moments in the story. It allows readers to understand the past gradually.
3. Jumping Plot
A jumping plot moves back and forth between different timelines. The story may suddenly shift before returning to previous situations again.
As mentioned earlier, events are extremely important in plot analysis. Events can be understood as transitions from one situation to another. That is why, when analyzing literary works, one of the first things readers often do is identify and collect important events from beginning to end. Those events usually become clues for understanding conflicts, themes, and messages hidden inside the story.
And honestly, this process requires careful reading and strong attention to detail.
Setting
Besides plot, another important literary element is setting.
Events in fiction never happen in emptiness. Stories are always connected to places, times, situations, and environments that make them feel real. Setting is the entire environment surrounding the story, including customs, traditions, social conditions, and ways of life.
Some experts define setting as the relationship between place, time, and social environment where events occur. In literature, setting is sometimes called the “fulcrum point” because it supports the movement of the story itself.
Generally, setting can be divided into three elements:
- Place Setting → where the story happens
- Time Setting → when the story happens
- Social Setting → the social environment surrounding the characters
Setting plays an important role because it strengthens the realism of a story. Readers can imagine situations more vividly when the setting feels believable.
However, setting is not only physical.
Sometimes, settings also carry emotional or spiritual values. For example, a rural setting does not only present fields, dirt roads, and trees. It may also symbolize simplicity, warmth, religious values, or close social relationships.
That is why authors carefully choose settings. Settings provide historical, cultural, psychological, and emotional context for the characters. They shape how characters think, behave, and react to conflicts.
So whenever we read literature, identifying where and when the story takes place can help us understand the story more deeply — especially because some settings also contain historical meaning.
Character and Characterization
Next, we move to character and characterization.
A character is the person who appears in a literary work and performs actions within the story. According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, a character is a person represented in novels, plays, or other literary genres.
Characters are important because they carry messages, values, emotions, and conflicts throughout the story. Through them, readers experience the narrative emotionally.
Characters are generally divided into two types:
1. Major Character
A major character is the central figure in the story. This character usually appears most frequently and becomes deeply involved in the main conflict. The major character is often called the protagonist.
2. Minor Character
Minor characters support the story and help develop the major character. Even though their roles are smaller, they still contribute important functions within the narrative.
One interesting thing about characters is that they often change throughout the story. Conflicts and experiences shape them into better or worse versions of themselves. This development makes characters feel human and believable.
Characters also help readers understand the deeper messages within a literary work. Through their emotions, actions, and struggles, readers can interpret what the author wants to communicate.
To identify the main character, Nurgiyantoro suggested that the main character is usually the one who appears most frequently and is involved in most scenes. So, one simple way to identify the protagonist is by observing which character dominates the story.
Now let us move to characterization.
Characterization refers to the methods writers use to reveal and develop characters. Authors can reveal characterization in many ways:
- Through physical description
- Through psychological explanation
- Through dialogue
- Through actions and behavior
- Through reactions toward others
- Through how others speak about the character
For example, readers may understand a character simply by observing how they speak, how they react during conversations, or how they behave during conflict.
Characterization is also closely connected to background. Family, birthplace, social environment, education, work, friendships, and historical context all influence how a character develops.
Name
Lastly, there is one element that is often overlooked during literary analysis: name.
Even though it seems simple, names can carry symbolic meaning within a story. Sometimes authors choose names carefully because they reflect personality, destiny, social background, or hidden symbolism.
A name may subtly strengthen characterization without readers realizing it.
That is why naming characters is actually one of the most difficult parts of writing literature. Authors usually do not choose names randomly. Behind every name, there is often intention, meaning, and purpose.
And honestly, after trying to write stories myself, I completely understand why.***
