| A | B |
|---|
| plot | the action of the story, summary of plan or main story |
| setting | time and place |
| characterization | writing the author uses to show the internal and external traits of characters |
| theme | central message the writer sends |
| style | a writer's partucular way of writing |
| point of view | perspective from which the story is told (1st, 2nd, 3rd person) |
| symbolism | using something concrete (ex. dove) to represent an abstract idea (ex. peace) |
| foreshadowing | giving clues to suggest events that will happen later in the story |
| mood and atmosphere | the feeling created (in the reader) by a work |
| irony | when what is stated and what is meant are opposite |
| satire | a work that ridicules or criticizes human faults by using a format similar to another work |
| simile | an indirect comparison between two things using "like" or "as" |
| metaphor | a direct comparison between two things |
| personification | a a non-human is given human traits |
| alliteration | repetition of first consonant sounds in two or more words |
| allusion | a reference to a well-known person, place, event, or literary work that adds meaning to the writing |
| inference | a guess made based on the writer's hints |
| stanza | distinct groups of lines in a poem |
| rhyme scheme | the regular pattern of rhyming words in a poem |
| imagery | descriptive language that appeal to the readers five senses |
| flashback | a part of a literary work that goes back in time |
| protagonist | the character you root for, the good guy |
| antagonist | the character you root against, the bad guy |
| round (dynamic) character | the character that changes over time |
| flat (static) character | the character that does not change over time |
| plot example | Peter Parker, a nerdy teenage scientist, is bitten by a spider that gives him super spider powers. His uncle is killed when he refuses to use his powers to stop a thief and he dedicates his life to fighting crime as Spider-Man. He soon finds out that the Green Goblin will hurt anyone he loves to get to him, but decides to fight evil anyway. Spider-Man kills the Green Goblin and saves Mary Jane. |
| setting example | New York, 2006 |
| characterization example | Peter Parker wasn't a big guy. In fact, he was a weak looking teenager with thick glasses. This didn't stop him from following Mary Jane Watson around the museum, being very sweet to her as he took picture after picture. |
| theme example | With great power comes great responsibility. |
| style example | Don't doubt for a minute, dear readers, that Spider-Man was ready for the fight of his life. |
| symbolism example | Spider-Man's costume stands for Peter Parker's alter-ego. Where Parker is weak, Spider-Man is strong. |
| foreshadowing example | As they began to eat Thanksgiving dinner, Harry's father noticed a cut on Peter's arm. He smiled an evil smile and left the table abruptly. |
| mood example | Perched on the Statue of Liberty, Spider-Man surveys the city he protects, poised to leap into action. |
| irony example | Peter Parker slips on a banana peel and Harry says "Smooth move, Ex-Lax." |
| satire example | The Mad magazine issue in which they make fun of the Spider-Man movie and its use of violence. |
| simile example | The Green Goblin flew in behind Spider-Man like an eagle about to catch a mouse. |
| metaphor example | Mary Jane Watson is a fox. |
| personification example | Aunt May's door moaned as the Green Goblin's pumpkin bomb kicked it in. |
| alliteration example | The Green Goblin grabbed Jonah Jameson's jugular. |
| allusion example | When Spider-Man fought the Green Goblin it was D-Day in the streets of New York. |
| inference example | You guessed it, folks. That upside down kiss meant that Mary Jane had fallen in love with Spider-Man. |
| imagery example | Spider-Man's muscles rippled as he lifted the concrete slab and hurled it at the Green Goblin. It smacked the Goblin with an enormous thud, setting his glider on fire. The smell of burning fuel filled the air. |
| flashback example | When Spider-Man catches the man who killed his uncle Ben, he remembers the thief he let go by and realizes it's the same person. |
| protagonist example | Spider-Man or Peter Parker |
| antagonist example | the Green Goblin |
| round character example | Spider-Man or Peter Parker |
| flat (static) character example | Jonah Jameson, the newspaper editor |
| internal trait | an aspect of a character's personality, emotional makeup and/or values; what the character is like on the inside |
| external trait | an aspect of a character's physical person; what the character is like from the outside |
| internal trait example | Peter Parker is hopelessly in love with Mary Jane Watson, showing that he's sensitive and romantic. |
| external trait example | J. Jonah Jameson is always smoking a cigar, has a buzz cut and big mustache, and shouts a lot. |
| conflict | a problem in a story |
| internal conflict | a problem within a character's mind |
| external conflict | a problem outside of a character's mind, ususally with other characters, society or nature |
| climax | the emotional peak of the action in a story |
| denouement | after the climax, the resolution of the conflict |
| subplot | action that is secondary, or not as important as, the main plot |
| point of view, first person | narrator refers to himself, or "I", as the story is told |
| point of view, third person | narrator refers to others, or "he", "she", "it", as the story is told |
| tone | the author's attitude toward the subject of the writing |
| archetype | a character who represents a certain type of person (ex. town drunk) |
| conflict example | Peter Parker struggles to do the right thing and make himself happy at the same time while fighting against criminals. |
| internal conflict example | Peter Parker has to decide between saving innocent people from evil and protecting the people he loves. |
| external conflict example | Spider-Man and the Green Goblin punch, kick and fight each other to the death. |
| climax example | Spider-Man chooses to save both Mary Jane and the group of innocent people who the Green Goblin has captured. |
| denouement example | Spider-Man defeats the Green Goblin and Peter Parker decides to distance himself from Mary Jane in order to protect her. |
| subplot example | Mary Jane struggles with an abusive father and a domineering boyfriend. |
| first person point of view | "I couldn't let my powers go unused, so I decided to become Spider-Man." |
| third person point of view | "Peter couldn't let his powers go unused, so he decided to become Spider-Man." |
| archetype | Jonah Jameson is the typical hard-nosed boss who is mainly concerned with money and his own success. |
