Elements of Fiction Flashcards
Short story
– a brief form of fiction made up of certain literary elements: plot, characters, point of view, setting, and theme.
Plot
– the sequence of events in a story
Characters
persons, animals or things portrayed as persons
Protagonist
– the main character
Antagonist
– character or force that opposes main character
We learn what a character is like from:
“What the character says, What the character does
What other characters say about him or her
How other characters react to the character
What the author says about the character
“
Flat character
– little history is given; has only one or two personality traits
Round character
– personal history is given; fully developed
Dynamic character
– changes during the course of the story
Static character
– does not change
Direct Characterization
– the author actually states a character’s traits or characteristics
Indirect Characterization
– the writer allows the reader to draw his or her own conclusions.
Point of view
– the perspective from which the author tells the plot.
Setting
– the time and place in which an event occurs..
Theme
– the main idea or the basic meaning of a literary work. It is a general truth about life that the author wants to express. It is NOT a moral.
Conflict
– the struggle that takes place between two opposing forces.
Flashback
– an interruption of the events of a narrative to relate an action that happened at an earlier time.
Foreshadowing
– hint of things to come.
Suspense
– that quality in a literary work that makes the reader anticipate or speculate about what is to come next.
Mood
– the way that the atmosphere or setting makes the reader feel.
Symbol
– an object or idea that represents something else §Conventional symbol §Creative symbol
Irony
– a turn of events that is unexpected or a surprise
Verbal irony
– means the opposite of what is said
Dramatic irony
– reader knows things the characters do not
Irony of situation
– an event occurs that is the opposite of what is expected.
Exposition
The first part of the plot. beginning of the story where the characters are introduced and the setting of the story is identified. the conflict will be identified
Rising action
– second part of the plot. the events that cause the conflict to become greater.
Climax
– third part of the plot. event at which it becomes clear how the conflict will be resolved.
Falling action
– the fourth part of the plot. The events after the climax.
Resolution
– The ending or conclusion of the story.
Four main types of conflict
“1.Man vs. man, 2.Man vs. nature
3.Man vs. society
4.Man vs. himself
“
an internal conflict.
When a character struggles within himself, he has
he has an external conflict.
When a character struggles with an outside force,
