Literary Elements

Question 1

plot

Answer 1

The chain of events in a story

Question 2

Conflict

Answer 2

A struggle between two or more forces

Question 3

Setting

Answer 3

Time, place, and circumstances

Question 4

Characterization

Answer 4

The way the author develops the personalities of his/her characters

Question 5

Theme

Answer 5

The message the author is trying to get across

Question 6

Point of view

Answer 6

The narrative perspective used to tell the story

Question 7

Flat character

Answer 7

A character who is not well developed; the reader knows only one or two of their traits; this type of character can be summed up in one or two sentences

Question 8

Round character

Answer 8

A character who is well developed and has many traits; he/she may be complicated and seem real (like a real person)

Question 9

Static character

Answer 9

A character who doesn’t grow or change throughout the story

Question 10

Dynamic character

Answer 10

A character who grows and changes in a significant way throughout the story

Question 11

Protagonist

Answer 11

The main character

Question 12

Antagonist

Answer 12

A character who works against the main character

Question 13

Exposition

Answer 13

The beginning of the story where you learn about the background information (basic information about the main character and the setting)

Question 14

Rising action

Answer 14

The part of the story that is leading up to the climax; this is where most of the conflict, suspense, etc. occurs

Question 15

Climax

Answer 15

The highest point of action in the story; also known as the turning point

Question 16

Falling action

Answer 16

The events after the climax when the story starts to wrap up

Question 17

Resolution

Answer 17

How the story ends; usually, but not always, the conflict is resolved

Question 18

First person narrator

Answer 18

A character tells the story; they can only tell what they see and hear; they say “I”

Question 19

Third person narrator

Answer 19

An outside narrator tells the story; the narrator is not a character; two types include limited and omniscient

Question 20

Second person narrator

Answer 20

The reader is treated as the character; the narrator says “you”; this is very rarely used