Literary Elements Vocab

Question 1

Setting

Answer 1

Time and place of the action

Question 2

Mood

Answer 2

General feeling the story conveys

Question 3

Plot

Answer 3

Sequence of events in the story

Question 4

Theme

Answer 4

Insight into life

Question 5

Symbol

Answer 5

Object or a story element that stands for a larger meaning

Question 6

Foreshadowing

Answer 6

Gives readers hints about what will happen later in the story

Question 7

Exposition

Answer 7

Author introduces the setting and the characters

Question 8

Rising action

Answer 8

Includes events and complications that intensify the conflict

Question 9

Climax

Answer 9

Turning point in the story

Question 10

Falling action

Answer 10

Sets up the story’s ending

Question 11

Resolution/Denouement

Answer 11

Shows the outcome of the conflict

Question 12

Internal conflict

Answer 12

Takes place in the mind of the character

Question 13

External conflict

Answer 13

Takes place between a character and an outside force

Question 14

Person vs. Self

Answer 14

A struggle within the mind of a character

Question 15

Person vs. Person

Answer 15

A struggle between two characters

Question 16

Person vs. Nature

Answer 16

A struggle between a character and a force of nature

Question 17

Person vs. Fate

Answer 17

A struggle between a character and a god/gods or fate

Question 18

Person vs. Society

Answer 18

A struggle between a character and societal norms or a cultural tradition

Question 19

Person vs. Supernatural

Answer 19

A struggle between a character and something not entirely known or comprehensible

Question 20

Person vs. Technology/Machine

Answer 20

A struggle between a character and a piece of technolgy

Question 21

Characters

Answer 21

People or animals who take part in the action of the story

Question 22

Protagonist

Answer 22

The main character in the story

Question 23

Antagonist

Answer 23

The character who opposes the protagonist

Question 24

Direct characterization

Answer 24

Narrator makes a direct statements about a character’s personality

Question 25

Indirect characterization

Answer 25

Readers learn what characters are like by analyzing what they say and do as well as how other characters respond to them

Question 26

Point of view

Answer 26

Narrative perspective

Question 27

Third-person omniscient

Answer 27

Narrator is outside the events of the story and tells the thoughts and feelings of all characters

Question 28

Third-person limited

Answer 28

Narrator is outside the story but tells the thoughts and feelings of only one character

Question 29

First-person

Answer 29

Narrator is a character in the story and uses the pronouns I and me