47 Reading Literature: Applicable Strategy: Reading Actively by Annotating

Refer back to the strategy for reading actively.

Once you’ve read through it a second time and taken notes by annotating, compare notes with your partner student. What have you found that is the same? How are your notes different?

Who are the characters?

A person participating in, or alluded to, in the action of a story. Characters can also be animals or inanimate objects.

Who is the protagonist?

The main character(s) of a story. The events of a story focus on the protagonist(s).

Who is the antagonist?

The character(s), thing(s), event(s), or group(s) that stands in opposition to the protagonist(s).

Is there an Antihero?

A protagonist who does not embody traditional heroic values.

What is the plot?

The set of events that make up a story.

Where is the conflict?

The main problem in a story. It is tension in a story between two or more characters, groups, things, or events.

Does one of the characters have an internal conflict?

Conflict that takes place within an individual, such as a conflict of morals or of emotions.

Is there an external conflict?

Conflict that takes place outside an individual, such as a war or feud.

Can you identify the climax?

The turning point of the story; it is the incident that allows the story to resolve.

What are the rising action events?

The series of events in a plot that build up to the climax.

Can you determine the falling action?

The events in a story that take place between the climax and the dénouement.

Where is the dénouement?

The point in the story at which the central conflict is resolved.

What is the setting?

The frame of reference in which the story takes place. This includes place, time, and social/cultural context.

Can you identify one or several theme?

The unifying idea or ideas behind a story. Theme usually provides a broad statement about humanity, life, or our universe and should be expressed in a complete sentence.