| A | B |
|---|
| antagonist | opponent of the main character |
| character | a fictional (or real) personality |
| characterization | the way an author develops a character |
| climax | turning point |
| conflict | struggle between two opposing forces |
| narrator | the story teller |
| plot | the pattern of happenings in the story |
| point of view | vantage point from which an author presents the action |
| protagonist | the "good guy" or hero |
| setting | the place and time of a literary work |
| stereotype | a character is believed to possess the characteristics of a particular group or class |
| theme | the message about life or human nature that is "hidden" in the story |
| flashback | interruption of a story to present episodes that occured before |
| foreshadowing | hinting about events to come later |
| imagery | use of words to create pictures in a reader's mind |
| irony | contrast between expectation and reality |
| metaphor | comparison of two unlike things which does not use the words "like" or "as" |
| mood | atmosphere; the feelings created by a story |
| personification | attributes human characteristics to inanimate objects |
| simile | comparison using "like" or "as" |
| suspense | keeps the reader wanting to what happens next |
| symbol | something that represents something else |
| exposition | background information regarding the setting, characters, introduction of plot |
| rising action | series of events leading to climax; building of conflicts |
| falling action | point after climax where action begins to drop off; events of plot become clear |
| resolution | central conflict has been resolved and consequences for protagonist are decided |
| internal conflict | within a character's head |
| external conflict | between a character and another character(s) or outside force |
