| Term | Definition |
|---|
| Character | a person or animal who take part in the action |
| Conflict | a struggle between opposing forces which causes the action or problem; can be internal and/or external for the characters |
| Theme | a central message,concern or purpose that usually expresses a general idea about human begins or about life |
| Denouement | the end or conclusion of a central conflict the outcome or results of the conflict |
| Setting | the time, place and background of the story's events including geographical location, placement of physical objects and the time period. |
| Climax | the high point or turning point of interest or suspense |
| Foreshadowing | hints or warnings from the author about something is going to happen |
| Theme | this terms refers to the central, underlying and controlling idea or insight in a work of literature |
| Theme | the idea the writer wishes to convey about a subject--the writer's view of the world or revelation about human nature. |
| Tone | refers to the manner of speaking that an author uses; may be revealed in the attitude toward the characters and the subject, the construction of sentence patterns, word usage, figurative language; creates spirit and attitude. |
| Denotation | the exact dictionary definition of a word |
| Connotation | emotional word associations usually based on individual experience, regional experience or universal implication |
| Imagery | words that arouse a sense of sight, sound, smell, taste or touch |
| Plot | the pattern that results from the events in a story in the order in which they are presented; most involve conflict (external/internal) as characters participate in a series of actions. |
| Exposition | the opening of a story when the basic situation including characters and their conflict is introduced |
| chronological order | when the story is told in order |
| flashback | when the author interrupts the flow of events to present an episode from the past |
| direct characterization | what the author tells the reader directly about a character |
| indirect characterization | what the reader deduces about the character based on their actions and behavior |
| round characters | complex and multidimensional characters; like real people |
| flat characters | one dimensional and superficial characters; can be described in one sentence |
| dynamic characters | characters who change in a significant way because of the plot |
| static characters | do not change much or at all through the story |
| stock characters | are predictable stereotypes of people; found in many texts |
| character motivation | the underlying force that causes a character to act in a certain way |
| symbolism | the literal use of an object, person, action or event that stands for something more than itself and suggests a larger, perhaps more universal meaning. |
| foil character | a character who is used in contrast with another character |
| epiphany | a sudden realization; a revelation in which the truth or meaning of something becomes clear |
| allusion | a reference to a person, place, event, or literary work which a writer expects the reader to recognize |
| dramatic irony | situation in which the audience knows more than the character |
| verbal irony | when what is said is the opposite of what is meant (sarcasm) |
| situational irony | actual events or circumstances are the opposite of what is anticipated |
| paradox | a statement that appears absurd or contradictory but is actually true |
| subject | can usually be expressed in one word like friendship or ambition |
| Thesis Statement | a general statement of a major aspect of the literary work that can be substantiated through analysis of elements |
| Inference | An educated guess about something to come later on in a story or drama. |
| First-Person Point of View | When the narrator of a story is a character in the story. |
| Third-Person Limited Point of View | When the narrator reports on the thoughts and feelings of only one character. |
| Third-Person Omniscient Point of View | When the narrator is able to report on the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story. |
| Protagonist | The main character in a story or drama. |
| Antagonist | A character or force that blocks or opposes the main character in a story or drama. |
| allegory | a narrative in verse or prose in which the literal events consistently point to a parallel sequence of symbolic ideas ex: Faith as a name |
| archetype | a recurring symbol, character, landscape or event found in myth and literature. |
| in media res | beginning a story midway in the events before explaining the context or preceding actions. |
| motif | element that recurs significantly throughout a narrative. |
| motivation | what a character in a story or drama wants. |
| unreliable narrator | a narrator who relates events in a distorted manner |
| dialect | form on language spoken by characters in a literary work |
| style | way the author uses words, phrases and sentences |
| genre | category or type of literature, like fiction or nonfiction |
Combine with other sets
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