Select a Novel, a poem, a play or a short story and show how its author uses its different elements to communicate his or her message. NAMMUGGA MANISHURA, NAMUJJU RASHIDAH, NAKAYAGA SHARIFA AND KIRUMIRA MUSOKE CHARLES

Elements of a literary text are the parts or small bits of the poem that break it down for easy understanding. Author of poems, novels, plays and short stories use such elements to communicate their message and bring out the text as a whole. Below are some of the literary pieces we chose showing how authors use them to communicate their message. William Golding uses plot in “Lord of the Flies” to communicate his message. The novel’s exposition is when we are introduced to Piggy and Ralph who pick a conch at the beach that they blow to call others who could be lost at the beach. The action rises when Jack arrives and he shows his difference with Ralph. The two do not like each other hence Jack leaves the beach to the castle rock where, is the leader. At the climax Piggy is killed and the conch is crushed leaving Ralph all by himself hunted down by the other children. They fire up the entire island to kill him and resolution comes when the children are saved by the officer after seeing the fire. From this plot, the author is trying to show us how people can be destructive to nature for example the isolated island is at the end burnt down by the children. Setting is another element used by William in the text. The novel is set at the isolated island where the children find themselves at the beach where all the children meet. The beach is described with a beautiful scenery to show the good side of the island and the castle rock has a lot of rocks which is the bad side of the island. Notice that the author uses setting to bring out conflict for example Ralph is the leader at the beach where we observe order and law. Children built shelters, they eat cooked meat, they drink using a cocker. However, at the castle rock everything charges, children are violent, jack hunts down the pigs and they eat half cooked meat, its where Simon and Piggy are killed as well as the destruction of the conch. The authors uses setting to inform the reader about the leadership conflict in the society would wide. Considering the time setting, the novel was set effect of world war one where by British by this time thought that they where so modernized and Africans taken as barbaric, so then the authors aimed at exposing the savagery of British especially through the innocent children. Through characterization, the author brings us to a number of characters in the novel to communicate his message. The author creates a protagonist and an antagonist in his novel for example Ralph is the protagonist, he is a good leader, democratic and respects the rules. Ralph tries to bring law and makes sure that all the kids are safe by encouraging the building of huts. On the other side, Jack the antagonist tries to conflict with him. Jack does not want to build the shelter, he disrespects the conch, he does not approve to Ralph as their leader. He also introduces Piggy as an intelligent character and Simon who is queer amongst all the children. He is a depiction of Jesus when they kill him after he had gone to find answers to their problems. Through character and characterization, the author brings out the sative and tries to show us the ironical bit of life for example when all children join Jack to go against Ralph who was good. Things turn from good to bad for example Simon is killed as well a Piggy. Ralph is also hunted down to be killed hence the ironical bit of life and how people are so attracted to evil than to goodness. The author also employs different symbols in the novel to communicate his message for example the title “Lord of the Flies” symbolizes that evil is inherent in human life. He refers children to flies that enjoy dirt which is their lord or leader hence all the children following Jack the evil character. The conch is a symbol for communication so whoever has it is supposed to talk and the rest give him audience which drives us to the order amongst these children its destruction is a destruction of democracy. Fire is a symbol for rescue where we observe that when the island is set on fire these children are rescued. Huts are for shelter and their destruction indicates savagery, barbaric and primitivity. Therefore the author uses the above symbols for the reader to understand the central theme that evil is inherent in human nature and that man is destructive in nature. In conclusion, William Golding is able to communicate his message in “Lord of the Flies” as discussed above that man is without any restrictions or laws. Authors use plot in there texts by setting the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. In “School for scandal”, the play starts at the introduction of Lady Sneerwell and snake who are feigning relationships between different characters for their selfish aims. This is where we get to learn about Joseph surface and Charles as brothers and the love for Lady Sneerwell towards Charles plus that for Joseph towards Maria. Action raises when Sir Oliver surface arrives to see of his nephews who he would give his fortune. He disguises himself as Mr. Premium to Charles and Stanley to Joseph where he learns that Charles is generous opposed to Joseph or hypocrite. At the climax, Peter Teazle who hated Charles thinking that he loves his wife realizes that its not true when they pull the screen in Joseph’s office and its discovered that he has been fooling them all, prompting this, Sir Oliver reveals his true identity and every confusion is cleared up by snakes confession that its Joseph and Lady Sneerwell who had started the scandal. Through this plot, the author sarcastically brings out the slander and gossip among the people from high society and how they destroy their own family and friends. Setting is also used as an element by the author to command the meaning of the text. In the school for scandal the author mainly satirises malicious gossip and hypocrisy in the fashionable society of London in the 1770s. The play was first performed in London on May 8, 1777 in Dury Lane Theatre. This helps the reader understand or get to know about the way of life of the noble people in London during the 1770’s as the author’s main aim is to communicate about his people’s way of life. Characterization is another element used by theater to communicate his message. Charles surface is extravagant whereby he borrows money to throw parties for his friends and he drinks a lot. But despite his extravagance, he is generous whereby he is willing to sell all the portraits of his family except the one of Oliver surface. He is also loving whereby he is in love with Maria, he also loves his uncle Sir Oliver surface. Joseph surface is a brother to Charles who pretends to be a honourable gentleman but in real sense he is a double dealing scoundrel. He is materialist as he pretends to be in love with Maria but in reality he loves her money. He is also greedy and selfish as he refuses to give a single cent to his relative whom Sir Oliver surface disguises himself into. He also slanders his brother because he wants Maria to break up with him. This brings out themes of betrayal, materialism, love, malice, greed. Also hypocrisy as he pretends to be a gentleman yet he is not. Lady Sneerwel is another character, she is a widow of a knight and so is attracted to Charles surface. She is malicious whereby she derives pleasure form the suffering of people, due to the wrong rumours they spread. She is heartless slanderous as all she is after is to break relationships thus bringing out the theme of malice and hypocrisy as she pretends to be good to people yet she slanders them. In conclusion, Sheridan uses setting, characterization and plot as explained above to communicate his message. SONGS OF CHICKEN Master you talked with bows Arrows and catapults once Your hands teeming with hawk blood To protect your chicken Why would talk with knives now Your hands teeming with egg shells And hot blood from your own chicken Is it to impress your visitors. By Jack Mapanje In poem “Songs of chicken” written above below are the elements used by the author to communicate his message. The speaker whereby in the first stanza use addressing the person in power since the poem is about political power. The attitude of the speaker portrays betrayal by the masters, the mood which is portrayed is a sorrowful state and the chicken are using a sad tone to communicate to their master who used to protect them and now he is the person massacring them which brings out the ideas of betrayal and hypocrisy which is communicated by the author. “Your hands steaming with hawk blood To protect your chicken why would you talk with knives now?” Language and style that is to say, the diction or choice of words used by the author help to communicate his message. He uses the past tense where the speaker addresses the person in power whereby the chicken are addressing their master in the first and closing stanza show unsatisfied they are with their master which brings out hypocrisy and betrayal as the author’s message. The past tense is shown where the speaker says; “Master you talked with bows” Language still the author uses declarative sentences where the speaker which are the chicken are addressing the one in power who is there master as they say; “Master you talked with bows Arrows and catapults with hawk blood To protect your chicken.” The author has also employed interrogative looking for answers. The speaker use interrogative sentences to show disillusionment to the master where the chicken ask their master; “Why would you talk with knives now Your hands teaming with egg shells And jot blood from your own chicken Is it to impress your visitors.” The author uses language through the speaker whereby the word “own” illustrates ownership or possessive pronouns that is to say visitors versus your own and bring about protection versus destruction as the chicken assert. And not blood from your own chicken Is to impress your visitors Setting that is to say author uses time setting whereby Jack Mapanje writes “Songs of chicken” depending on the prevailing situation in Zimbabwe where the president Banda pays a visit to the South African president breaking away from the rule and act suggested in the African National Congress which had created bounding of the remain African countries with South Africa. This brings about hypocrisy and betrayal which is communicated by the author. The author uses figures of speech, the author uses satire whereby the speaker is sarcastic and uses mockery words to address the person in power or the master whereby the chicken say to their master; “Is it to impress your visitors?” This therefore brings out the idea of aggression and oppression as communicated by the author. The author uses personification whereby the chicken are given attributes of human and they are complaining of the same things again and again which shows the struggle of power between the heads and vulnerable or ordinary people. This also brings about the ideas of aggression and oppression as the chicken address their master by saying; “Master you talked with bows Arrows and catapults once Your hands steaming with hawk blood To protect your chicken.” Why would you talk with knives now Your hand teaming with egg shells And hot blood from your own chicken Is it to impress your visitors?” In conclusion, the element in the poem above explained how the author uses them to communicate his message. That is to say, the speaker, language and style, setting and figures of speech as critically analysed above.   THINGS FALL APART-CHINUA ACHEBE Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe is an A African contemporary novel and it reveals how Europeans greatly affected the Africans, they lost their rights and culture for example they were converted to the European way of worship, We see these white men forcing the Igbo people to the English system of governance, essentially the white men are destroying the clan’s unity indeed, Things are falling apart and below are some of the elements that Achebe employs in his novel Things fall apart; Achebe uses plot which is the chronological flow of events in the novel Things fall apart, as we see different plot stages such as the anticipation stage where Okonkwo who is the big fish in his village sets out to make his own reputation and fortune, he feels a deep insecurity about being like his farther Unoka who was weak and effeminate. Having been left with no inheritance, Okonkwo is determined to stand by himself by working hard and also exploiting his talent in wrestling to present himself in the Igbo society in the best way he can. After the anticipation stage, Achebe introduces us to the dream stage where Okonkwo becomes one of the top dogs in Umuofia, he establishes himself, he builds a large compound and a productive farm, marries three wives and has eleven children in Umuofia and though his only son Nwoye acts feminine, he is woken up by the coming of Ikemefuna to Okonkwo’s homestead where Nwoye is forced to accept masculine behaviors and it is in this stage where we see Okonkwo who began poor and disadvantaged being paid off by his hard work. After this stage, we are introduced to the frustration stage where we see Okonkwo’s luck running out, then the night mare stage where Okonkwo sees his clan falling apart but can do nothing to prevent it and finally the destruction stage where we see the resigned, hopeless and totally disappointed Okonkwo who decides to commit suicide and therefore through plot, Achebe develops subject matter, setting , themes and characters in the novel hence giving it flow and more so helping him to bring out his message. Achebe also uses theme as an element to bring about his message in the novel things fall apart. He employs the theme of gender as we see him presenting most of the traditional Igbo life revolving around structured gender roles starting from the crops that men and women grow, to the characterization of crimes. He also brings out family as a theme as he presents key ideas that form the basis of an ideal family such as the mutual respect for each other, the role of children as the inheritors of the future and they are raised to continue the values of the older generation as we see Okonkwo fighting towards the traditional and the masculine bringing up of Nwoye. Achebe also employs other themes such as fear as we see many characters falling victims of fear, religion as he presents the Igbo gods as the manifestations of nature and its elements and many other themes such as, traditions and customs, man and the natural world, fate and free will, language and communication, and the themes are so central in plot, setting, character and development. Achebe also uses character and characterization to boring about his message in the novel “Things fall apart”. He brings to us Okwonkwo who we focus on in the entire novel and it is justifiable that the entire novel “Things fall apart” centres on his story, his fall into exile, his inability to prevent white men from destroying his culture, and his suicide. Achebe also presents Unoka as an antagonist, even though he is not explicit enemy to Okonkwo who is the protagonist in the traditional sense, he antagonizes his son since the memory of Unoka’s debt and shame haunts Okonkwo throughout the novel, the missionaries and the while government officials are antagonists. Achebe also employs other characters such as Obierika who is presented as foil to Okonkwo, through character and characterization, Achebe conveys his message, and this is essential in plot, setting and subject matter development. Achebe also uses setting which where and when the action of the novel takes place to convey his message. He uses Umuofia and Mbata villages of the Igbo people in Nigeria, around 1900 and this setting in Nigeria around the 19th Century during Pre and colonial time is extremely important since it gives room to Okonkwo’s life to straddle the pre- and post European colonial time, since Okonkwo experiences both periods, we the readers are exposed to the dramatic changes that occurred in the Igbo culture and society as a result of colonialism for example in here, we see different manners in which crimes of murdering a clansman are handled. Okwonkwo is exiled for seven years under Igbo laws while Anneto is hanged by a white court for similar crime. Therefore setting is so central since it is so vital in the development of themes, subject matter, plot and the characters. Achebe also uses the narrator to convey his message for he uses the third person omniscient point of view and even the most of the novel is focused on Okonkwo, the narrator provides insight into the thoughts of most characters, he some times focuses the narration on different characters such as Nwoye, Ikemefuna, Obierika and Ekefi. This multiplicity of voices allows the reader to see different characters being so central in the thematic and character development He also employs tragedy, historical fiction and literacy fiction as genre to convey his message to the readers. Achebe brings out this novel as a tragedy invaded by outsiders and falling to pieces, the novel also tells the story of Okwonkwo, a man of wealth and status who none the less has a tragic flaw, fear of being perceived as weak which leads him to make many poor life decisions and this genre is so central in the plot, setting and character development. Achebe essentially employs elements to bring about his message.   REFERENCES Lord of the Flies by William Golding School for Scandal by Richard Sheridan Brinsley Songs of Chicken by Jack Mapanje Things fall apartby Chinua Achebe http://len.m.wikipedia.org/..../