| A | B |
|---|
| setting | the time and place of the action of a story |
| plot | the sequence of events in a story telling what happens, when, and to whom - includes the exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, and falling action |
| climax | often called the turning point, the moment when the reader's interest and emotional intensity reach the highest point - it usually occurs toward the end of the story |
| denouement | resolution |
| rising action | the events in the story that move the plot along by adding complications or expanding the conflict - it usually builds to the climax, or turning point |
| exposition | the plot normally begins with this - it sets the tone, establishes the setting, introduces the characters and gives the reader important imformation |
| inciting incident | the event that starts the story moving |
| dynamic character | character who undergoes changes as the story goes onthe |
| irony | special kind of contrast between appearance and reality - usually one in which reality is the opposite from what it seems |
| allusion | an indirect reference to another literary work or to a famous person, place, or event |
| foreshadowing | hints or clues to indicate events or situations that will occur later in the story - these prepare the reader for what is to come |
| flashback | a conversation, episode, or event that happened before the beginning of the story - often interrupts the flow of the story to give information that helps in understanding the present story |
| static character | character who remains the same, doesn't change much |
| theme | the main idea in a work of literature - a perception about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader |
| mood | feeling or atmosphere that the writer creates for the reader - descriptive words, the setting, and figurative language contribute to the mood - used to shape the reader's emotional response |
| tone | the attitude the writer takes toward a subject - reflects the feelings of the writer |
| point of view | method of narrating a story - usually either first or third person |
| simile | a comparison between two items using "like" or "as" |
| metaphor | a comparison between two things that are basically unlike but that have something in common - "like" and "as" are NOT used |
| personification | figure of speech where human qualities are attributed to an object, animal, or idea (time flys) |
| first person point of view | story is told by a person who is a character in the story using I, me, my |
| onomatopoeia | the use of such words as pow, buzz, and crunch, whose sounds suggest their meanings |
| third person objective | the narrator tells only what can be observed (like a reporter) |
| third person omniscient | the narrator knows everything and sees into the minds of more than one character |
| third person limited | the narrator tells only what one person thinks, feels, and observes |
| rounded character | character whose many personality traits are revealed by the author |
| flat character | character who is described very simply |
| situational irony | the contrast between what the reader or character expects and what actually exists or happens |
| dramatic irony | the reader or viewer knows something a character does not |
| verbal irony | when someone knowingly exaggerates or says one thing and means another |
| symbol | a person, place, activity, or object that stands for something beyond itself |
| resolution | the conflict is usually resolved at this time and any loose ends are tied up - often items from the story are explained |
| external conflict | the struggle is between the character and an outside force, such as nature, a physical obstacle, or another character |
| internal conflict | the struggle occurs within the character |
| voice | writer's use of language that allows a reader to "hear" a human personality in his/her writing - includes sentence structure, diction, and tone |
| alliteration | the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginnings of words (she sells seashells by the seashore) |
| conflict | a struggle between opposing forces |
| hyberbole | a figure of speech in which the truth is exaggerated for emphasis or for humorous effect |
| main character | one of the most important characters |
| minor character | character who plays a less important role |
