plot
a series of events in a narrative that is composed and artistic, to give pleasure and convey meaning
simple narrative account
chronological description of real events, tell what happened
plotless short story
modern creation, that describes characters in a situation, but does not employ thedevelopment or the resolution of a conflict
in media ras structure
opened in the middle of the action and then information about the beginning of the action is supplied to the reader through flashbacks and other devices for exposition
frame story
a story within a story
Typical Plot Structure
exposition, complication, technical climax, resolution, conclusion
exposition
background information on the characters, setting and other events necessary for understanding the story are given (conflict introduced)
complication
conflict is developed
suspense
anticipation as to the outcome ofevents
foreshadowing
hints at later events
conflict
interplay between opposing elements
protagonist vs. self
internal struggle
protagonist vs. others
external struggle with people, society
protagonist vs. environment
external struggle with nature
technical climax
the turning point in the plot at which the outcome of the action isdetermined
dramatic climax
point of greatest interest or intensity of thestory
resolution
the events following the technical climax in which the outcome is actuallyworked out
conclusion
the final event of a story's plot
setting
the represented time and place of events in a literary work
four (three) functions of setting
1. to help in the understanding the characters and their actions2. to help create mood and atmosphere3. to facilitate plot development by being involved in the conflict
Pathetic fallacy
using the setting, or nature, to parallel or mirror the mood of a character or of the story
character
a fictional personality created by an author
characterization
the technique a writer uses to create and reveal characters in a work of fiction; credibility and consistency are essential to good characterization
expository character revelation
telling the reader about a character's personality in a straightforward manner; this method is quicker, more direct, and less attention-getting
dramatic character revelation
showing the reader what a character is likethrough descriptions of thought, dialogue, action, etc.; this method is less quick, more indirect, but more attention-getting
motivation
the reasons that cause characters to act the way they do
Protagonist
the central character in a work of fiction; the character who sets the action of the plot in motion
Antagonist
the principal opponent of the main character; the person or thing working against the protagonist
Round Character
a character who is well described and whose thoughts and actions are clearly revealed during the development of the story
Flat Character
a character who is not well developed in a story
Dynamic Character
a character who grows learns or changes in some significant way throughout the story; the character is different at the end of the story than he was at the beginning
Static Character
a character who resists change or refuses to change during the story
Foil Character
a character who contrasts in some important way with a more important character; a character who, through contrast, underscores the distinctive characteristics of another
Consistent Character
a character whose speech, thoughts and actions are what the reader has been lead to expect from that particular character; all good characters are consistent
Stock Character
a type of character that is always found "in stock" in a particular type of story
Stereotyped Character
a character created according to widely held, often narrow-minded, ideas; this character has no individuality and is not well developed
point of view
the physical and psychological relationship between the narrator and the story's characters and events
narrator
teller of the story
first person
the narrator is a character in the story
third person objective
the narrator is not a character in the story and reports only what can be seen and heard
third person limited omniscient
the narrator is not a character in the story and reports not only what can be seen and heard, but also the thoughts and feelings of one of the characters
third person omniscient
the narrator is not a character in the story and reports not only what can be seen and heard, but also the thoughts and feelings of all of the important characters
theme
a controlling idea of a literary work that is a general truth or commentary about life, people and the world that is brought out in a story
Three Guidelines to Stating a Theme
1. must be a complete declarative sentence2. must be a general truth about life (take from the story and apply to real life)3. must be clearly brought out throughout the entire work, not just part of it
Two-Step Process for Determining Theme
STEP 1: Fill in the blank with a general wordSTEP 2: Answer this question in one sentence, following the guidelines above - What is it about_______________ the author is trying to tell me? This sentence is your theme!
atmosphere
describes the general feeling of the story itself, usually established by the setting's description
mood
describes the reader's state of mind after she finishes the story (deals with readers' emotions)
style
the distinctive handling of language by a writer through the purposeful selection of words and sentence structure
diction
selection of words- denotation/connotation of a word- degree of difficulty or complexity of a word- level of formality of a word- the emotional charge a word carries
syntax
sentence structure- a type of sentence- length of sentence- subtle shifts or abrupt changes in sentence length or patterns- punctuation use- use of repetition- how all of the above factors contribute to the narrative pace- language patterns / rhythm / cadence- the use of active and/or passive voice
tone
the author or speaker's attitude toward the characters, events or audience conveyed by details and descriptive words used by the author
symbolism
the use of something concrete to represent something abstract; using a thing to represent an idea, concept, quality or condition
irony
contrast between the way things truly are and the way they appear to be
verbal irony
a discrepancy between the literal meaning of a word and the meaning actually conveyed; saying one thing but meaning another; verbal irony is usually conveyed through tone of voice; sarcasm is a form of verbal irony
dramatic irony
a discrepancy between knowledge held by a reader and a character's ignorance of that knowledge; when the reader knows something a character doesn't
situational irony
a discrepancy between the expected outcome of a situation and the actual outcome; a twist in the plot