| A | B |
|---|
| characters | the people who are found in fiction; they are the individuals who participate in the aciton of a literary work |
| major character | an important character in a literary work; he is at the center of a story's action |
| minor character | a less prominent character; he plays a smaller role but often performs some important function in a literary work |
| dynamic character | a character that rows or changes as the plot unfolds |
| static character | a character that remains unchanged |
| characterization | the techniques a writer uses to develop the personality of a character |
| dialogue | conversation -- what a character says about himself or what other characters say about him |
| action | what a character does in a story |
| direct comment | what the author or narrator says about hte character as introductory remarks or throughout the work |
| motivation | why the character acts the way he does |
| protagonist | chief character in a work |
| antagonist | if the protagonist is pitted against an opponent |
| conflict | a fight or struggle between opposing forces in a literary work |
| 1 type of conflict | conflict between characters |
| 2 type of conflict | conflict between a character or characters and opposing forces |
| 3 type of conflict | conflict within a character |
| external conflict | occurs when a character is pitted against an outside force, such as another character, a phycial obstacle, or as aspect of nature or society |
| internal conflict | occurs when the struggle takes place within a character |
| plot | the chain of related events in a literary work; it is a system of actions represented in a dramatic or narrative work |
| plot structure | the basic organization of events, details, or parts of a story |
| exposition | lays the groundwork for the plot and provides the reader with essential background information necessary to understand the charactes and their actions |
| rising action | ist he part of the plot in which the conflict intensifies; it gives the steps of entanglements which build to the climax or highes point of interest and intensity of the story |
| climax | the moment when the interest and emotional intensity reach their highest point; this moment is also called the turning point because it usually determines how the conflict is resolved |
| falling action | consists of the events that occur after the climax; shows the results of the major events and resolves loose ends in the plot |
| point of view | refers to the outlook from which the events in a short story, novel, or nonfiction selection are related; it is the prespective or vantage point from which the short story, novel, or nonfiction selection is told |
| first person point of view | is the point of view in which the perspective is that of one of the characters in the story |
| third person point of view | the point of view in which a narrator outside the aciton describes events and characters |
| third person omniscient | the point of view in which the events are told from the perspetive of an outside observer/narrator who is all-knowing, and can see into the minds of more than one character |
| third person limited | the point of view in which the perspective is limited to what one character does, observes, and thinks |
| setting | the time and place of the aciton of a short story, novel, play, narrative poem, or narrative nonficiton; it is the locale and period in which the action occues |
| theme | the central idea or message in a work of literature; it is the main thought or meanign that the author is trying to convey |
| science fiction | prose writing that presents the possibilities of the future, using known scientific data and theories as well as the creative imaginations fo the writer |
| fantasy | a type of fiction characterized by extravagant imagination and disregard for the restraints of reality |
| foreshadowing | a writer's use of hints or clues to indicate events that will occur later int he narrative |
| mood | the feeling, or atmosphere, that a writer creates for the reader |
| suspense | the tension or excitement felt by the reader as he or she becomes involved in a story and is eager to know the outcome of the conflict; created when a writer purposely leaves the reader uncertain or apprehensive about what will happen |
| description | the process by which a writer creates a word picture of a scene, event, or character; writing that appeals to the senses |
