| A | B |
|---|
| fiction | any prose writing that tells an invented or imaginary story |
| characterization | the use of literary techniques to create a character |
| direct portrayal | characterization technique in which the writer actually describes or explains the character’s personality |
| character behavior | characterization technique in which readers discover a character’s personality by looking at the character’s actions |
| internal monologue | characterization technique in which readers discover a character’s personality through that character’s own thoughts or feelings |
| character | an individual who figures in the action of a story |
| protagonist | main character or central figure in a story |
| antagonist | character or force that works against the protagonist |
| major character | any character that has a significant role in the story |
| minor character | any character that appears in the story, but has little importance |
| one dimensional or flat character | a character that mainly exhibits a single dominant quality or Character Trait |
| three dimensional or rounded character | a character that exhibits complex traits that are more realistic |
| static character | character that does not change during the course of a story |
| dynamic character | character that changes during the course of a story |
| motivation | reasons why the character thinks and behaves in a certain way |
| theme | central idea in a literary work |
| setting | time and place in which a story occurs |
| mood | emotion created in the reader while reading the story |
| conflict | struggle between two or more forces in a literary work |
| internal conflict | struggle occurring within a character |
| external conflict | struggle that takes place between a main character and an outside force |
| plot | series of events related to the explanation and resolution of a major conflict |
| exposition | background information in a story that usually includes character introductions, the setting, and the mood |
| inciting incident | event(s) that begin the action of a story and introduces the central conflict |
| rising action | events leading up to the climax. The rising action usually includes complications, additional conflicts, and an increasing emotional intensity in the story. |
| climax | The moment of highest emotional intensity that serves as a turning point in the story. The climax is also known as a crisis. |
| falling action | events after the climax that lead to the resolution |
| resolution | event that ends the central conflict in a story |
| denouement | Information that wraps up loose ends in a story. Sometimes, the denouement is included in the resolution. |
| irony | any difference between appearance and reality |
| verbal irony | occurs when there is a difference between what is said and what is meant |
| irony of situation | occurs when events in a story lead to unexpected results |
| dramatic irony | occurs when the reader/audience knows information that the character does not |
| suspension of disbelief | using imagination to accept information in a literary work that is unrealistic or impossible |
| hyperbole | exaggeration for effect or to make a point |
| simile | comparison using like or as |
| foreshadowing | occurs when a writer gives clues to later events in a story |
