Literary elements Flashcards
Point of View
Perspective from which the action in a story is told
First-person
“I”, the action is narrated by a character within the story
Third-person
“He, she, it, they”, a voice outside the action of the story, an observer who shares what he or she knows, sees or hears with the reader
Plot structure
The way the author arranges the events of a narrative
Central conflict
A struggle between two opposing forces, can be internal or external
Exposition
Gives important background information about the setting, characters, and the current state of the world
Inciting incident
Introduces the antagonist and establishes the conflict
Climax
The conflict reaches a crisis point
Resolution
Finishing of the conflict
Falling action
Events that move the characters away from the conflict and into a new life
Setting
Geographical and chronological location of events in a story
Character development
The process an author uses to create characters that are complex and believable
Tone
Created by the author’s attitude toward the reader and toward the text
Mood
The emotional atmosphere of a literary work, which shapes the reader’s experience of the text
Theme
The message of a literary work
