Literary Elements

plot

the events that occur in a story

setting

when and where a story takes place; time and place

conflict

a character's problem or struggle

exposition

in a story, it's the basic situation, conflict, characters, setting, and inciting incident

rising action

events leading up to the climax; complications

climax

the most exciting and emotional part of the story

falling action

events after the climax

resolution

where all the loose ends of the story are tied up; how the problem is solved

protagonist

the main character, who must overcome obstacles and resolve the conflict

antagonist

the character who works against the protagonist in the story

dynamic character

a character who changes throughout the story

direct characterization

the writer simply tells the reader about the character

static character

a character who does not change during the story.

foreshadowing

a story device: hints or clues that suggest what may happen later in a story

flashback

a story device: interrupting the plot of the story to recreate an incident of an earlier time

suspense

a story device: the anxiety a reader feels about what may happen next in a story

cliffhanger

a story device: an ending to a section, chapter, or book, that leaves the reader in suspense

character traits

words that describe a character or person on the inside

theme

the truth or central idea that a story reveals about life

point of view

the standpoint from which a story is told

inciting incident

something that changes the path of the main character and gets the story started

indirect characterization

the writer shows a character's personality through the character's thoughts, words, feelings, choices, and actions

motivation

the reason the character says or does something

dialogue

conversation between characters