| Term | Definition |
|---|
| plot | A series of events in a narrative that is carefully constructed by the author for artistic purpose; a series of related incidents that build upon one another as the story develops, meant to entertain the reader |
| simple narrative account | like a police report, in several ways. A simple narrative account is just a chronological description of real events. Its purpose is to tell what happened. A plot, on the other hand, is something that is composed and artistic, rather than a mere sequence of events. Its purposes are to give pleasure and convey meaning. |
| plotless short story | a very modern creation that is pleasurable to read as it describes characters in a situation, but does not employ the development or the resolution of a conflict. |
| in media ras structure | where the story is opened in the middle of the action and then information about the beginning of the action is supplied to the reader through flashbacks and other devices for exposition. |
| frame story | Story within a story |
| exposition | background information on the characters, setting and other events necessary for understanding the story are given (conflict introduced) |
| complication | the conflict is developed |
| suspense | (anticipation as to the outcome of events) is created |
| foreshadowing | (hints at later events) may be used |
| conflict | the interplay between opposing elements; the plot of a story is produced by and propelled by the conflict; there are three types of conflicts |
| protagonist vs. self | internal struggle |
| protagonist vs. others | external struggle with people, society |
| protagonist vs. environment | external struggle with nature |
| technical climax | the turning point in the plot at which the outcome of the action is determined; often, the protagonist changes or has an opportunity to change at this point; after this point, the conflict begins to come to an end |
| dramatic climax | which is the point of greatest interest or intensity of the story. This is subjective. |
| resolution | the events following the technical climax in which the outcome is actually worked out; works out the decision that was arrived at during the technical climax |
| conclusion | the final event of a story’s plot |
| functions of setting | to help in the understanding of the characters and their action; to help create mood and atmosphere; to facilitate plot development by being involved in the conflict |
| pathetic fallacy | is a technique some authors use. This is using the setting, or nature, to parallel or mirror the mood of a character or of the story. |
| characterization | the technique a writer uses to create and reveal characters in a work of fiction; credibility and consistency are essential to good characterization |
| expository character revelation | telling the reader about a character’s personality in a straightforward manner; this method is quicker, more direct, and less attention-getting |
| dramatic character revelation | showing the reader what a character is like through descriptions of thought, dialogue, action, etc.; this method is less quick, more indirect, but more attention-getting |
| motivation | the reasons that cause the characters to act the way they do |
| protagonist | the central character in a work of fiction; the character who sets the action of the plot in motion |
| antagonist | the principal opponent of the main character; the person or thing working against the protagonist |
| round character | a character who is well described and whose thoughts and actions are clearly revealed during the development of the story |
| flat character | a character who is not well developed in a story |
| dynamic character | a character who grows, learns or changes in some significant way throughout the story; the character is different at the end of the story than he was at the beginning |
| static character | a character who resists change or refuses to change during the story |
| foil character | a character who contrasts in some important way with a more important character; a character who, through contrast, underscores the distinctive characteristics of another |
| consistent character | a character whose speech, thoughts and actions are what the reader has been lead to expect from that particular character; all good characters are consistent |
| stock character | a type of character that is always found “in stock” in a particular type of story |
| sterotyped character | a character created according to widely held, often narrow-minded, ideas; this character has no individuality and is not well developed |
| mood | describes the reader’s state of mind after she finishes the story (deals with readers’ emotions) |
| atmosphere | describes the general feeling of the story itself, usually established by the setting’s description |
| diction | purposeful selection of words |
| syntax | sentence structure |
| tone | the author or speaker’s attitude toward the characters, events or audience conveyed by details and descriptive words used by the author. |
| symbolism | the use of something concrete to represent something abstract; using a thing to represent an idea, concept, quality or condition. |
| irony | contrast between the way things truly are and the way they appear to be |
| verbal irony | a discrepancy between the literal meaning of a word and the meaning actually conveyed; saying one thing but meaning another; verbal irony is usually conveyed through tone of voice; sarcasm is a form of verbal irony |
| dramatic irony | a discrepancy between knowledge held by a reader and a character’s ignorance of that knowledge; when the reader knows something a character doesn’t |
| situational irony | a discrepancy between the expected outcome of a situation and the actual outcome; a twist in the plot |
Combine with other sets
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