Antagonist
The force(s) that work(s) against the protagonist, such as other people, things, society, or themselves
Internal Conflict
man vs. himself
External Conflict (3)
- man vs. man or group of people
- man vs. the environment/society
- man against the unknown
Connotation
What a word infers or suggests
ex. the connotation of snake could be evil
Contrast
Stresses the differences of things, qualities, events, or problems
Denotation
The literal meaning or definition of a word
ex. the denotation of the word snake is reptile
Description
To describe a person you would explain your relationship, their physical characteristics, personality traits, their job, and in what way the person is special or different from others.
- creating a picture using words
- specific details
- uses 5 senses
Direct Presentation
The narrator tells the reader everything about the character
Dramatic or Objective Point of View
The opposite of the omniscient point of view. It is a moving camera where the events are recorded without judgement or comment. The author does not show the feelings and thoughts of the characters.
- very little of the past or future is given, the story is set in the present
Dynamic
A character that changes during the story
Falling Action
Part of the plot which occurs after the climax
First Person Point of View
The narrator tells the story in the first person using “I”, The reader sees and knows only as much as the narrator
Flashback
When the present action in a story is temporarily interrupted so that the reader can witness past events
Flat
A character with one or two traits
Foil
A character that serves by contrast to stress opposing traits in another character
Foreshadowing
Hints or clues to help the reader anticipate the outcome of the story
Indirect Presentation
When we know about a character by what he or she says, does, or thinks by how others react to the character
Irony
A mode of expressions, through words or events conveying a reality different from and usually opposite to appearance or expectation
What are the 3 types of irony?
Verbal irony: sarcasm
Situational irony: for example, a proffesional pick pocket has his own pocket picked as he is in the act of picking someone else’s pocket
Dramatic Irony: for example, someone unknowingly kills his father and says that he will banish his father’s killer when he finds him
Limited Omniscient POV
The author tells the story in the third person, but he tells it from the viewpoint of one character in the story, the author stands by the side of the character and presents the story through their eyes
Narrator
The person telling the story
Omniscient POV
The author tells the story in the third person and he knows everything about all the characters
Plot
The sequence of events in a story
What are the 5 parts of a plot?
- Introduction
- Rising Action
- Climax
- Falling Action
- Conclusion
Point of View
Who is telling the story
Protagonist
The central character in the story, the character in which the conflict surrounds
Resolution
The point of closure in a story, when the principal dramatic complication or dilemma is worked out (conclusion)
Rising Action
Part of the plot, a series of steps that develops the conflict as it builds to a climax. Begins with an initial incident
Round
A character who is complex and many sided; presented in detail
Sarcasm
(Verbal Irony), when a speaker makes a statement in which its actual meaning differs sharply from the meaning of the words expressed
Satire
A form of irony that ridicules the faults of humanity, but always in the interest of society
Setting
Refers to the time, place, and mood of the story
Static
A character that does not change or grow over the course of the story
Stereotyped
A “flat character” who is a certain type
ex: jock, nerd
Suspense
A narrative technique where an author creates uncertainty or anxiety in the reader about what will happen next and the outcome of the story
-suspense is generally resolved when the story reaches its climax
Symbol
Used to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from literal meanings
(ex: dove –> peace, 4-leaf clover –> good luck
Theme
The central idea of the story that is usually not stated by the author. The reader must discover the theme by questioning and examining the meaning of the story