| A | B |
|---|
| Fiction | A story that is untrue and based on characters or events that are not real. |
| Plot | A series of related events that make up what happens in a story. |
| Conflict | The struggle between opposing characters or opposing forces. |
| Protagonist | The main character; drives the plot forward. |
| Antagonist | Character that opposes the protagonist; tries to stop him or her from resolving the conflict. |
| Internal Conflict | A struggle that takes place inside a character’s mind |
| External Conflict | A struggle between the main character and another person, group of people,or with a force of nature. |
| Complications | Events that take place as the characters try to resolve the conflict. |
| Climax | The most exciting part of the story and the point where the reader knows the conflict will be resolved, one way or another. |
| Resolution | The loose ends of the story are tied up and the story is closed. |
| Theme | The lesson about life that the reader takes from the story. |
| Point of view | The vantage point or position from which a story is told (First person or third person) |
| Setting | The time and place in which the story takes place. |
| Tone | The author’s attitude toward the topic. Some possible attitudes are pessimism, optimism, earnestness, seriousness, bitterness, humorous, and joyful. |
| Atmosphere/Mood | The overall feeling throughout the piece; created by details in the characters, setting, voice, and events; examples are joyful, nostalgic, scary, eerie, or bitter. |
| Foreshadowing | Events that happen in the story that give the reader a clue to an event that may be coming up. Helps develop a feeling of suspense. |
| Suspense | The feeling a reader experiences which motivates him or her to read more. Writers create this feeling by using elements such as foreshadowing and cliffhangers. |
