| Term | Definition |
|---|
| short story | short fictional prose text (500 - 15.000 words), usually has only one setting and a few main characters (protagonist - antagonist) |
| first person narrator, 'I' narrator | character in the text (thoughts, feelings), limited point of view, not identical with the author |
| selective third person narrator, observer narrator | presents the story through the eyes of a character, limited point of view |
| omniscient narrator | knows everything about the characters/ events, unlimited point of view |
| mode of presentation | the way a writer narrates (erzählt) events |
| scenic mode of presentation, showing | characters talk and act, action is shown, includes interior monologue |
| panoramic mode of presentation, telling | the narrator sums up (fässt zusammen) and explains, the story is told |
| characters | the people in a fictional text, usually presented through their actions, speech, thoughts and description, central character: protagonist |
| round character | has a complex personality, is able to surprise the reader and undergo a learning process, develops in the story |
| flat character | can be described in one sentence, stands for one idea or quality, does not change or develop in the story |
| characterization | the way in which the author presents his/ her characters |
| direct/ explicit characterization | the reader is told about the character's personality directly by the narrator, another character or the character himself |
| indirect/ implicit characterization | the reader has to find out the qualities of a character through what the character says and does |
| action | everything that happens in a fictional story |
| external action | the author describes what the characters do and the events that take place |
| internal action | the author describes what is going on in the minds of the characters |
| plot | the structure of events in a fictional story ( usually cause and effect, develops in a number of stages |
| exposition | the characters, theme, setting are introduced |
| rising action | a conflict is developed |
| climax | the conflict reaches its highest point |
| turning point | change in the conflict or suspense (Spannung) |
| falling action | suspense is reduced |
| denuement, solution, | some resolution of the conflict is reached |
| surprise ending | the reader's expectations are not fulfilled, but an unexpected ending to the conflict is presented |
| open ending | the conflict is not fully resoved, the reader is left wondering what might happen next |
| flashback | the narrator goes back into the past to describe a scene that has relevance to the plot |
| foreshadowing, anticipation | the technique of hinting at later events in a fictional text |
| atmosphere | the mood created by an author in his work, the setting, use of language and characterization contribute to it |
| setting | time, place and social circumstances |
| coming-of-age story, story of initiation | short story or novel in which the process of growing up is portrayed |
| frame story | story within a story, the main story provides the frame for the other stories |
Combine with other sets
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