Literary Terms Flashcards
plot
sequence of events in a story
plot diagram order
Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action, Resolution
exposition
introduces the characters, describes the setting and establishes the problem in the story.
rising action
where the suspense builds and the problem gets worse and becomes more complicated
climax
the turning point in the story
falling action
the events that happen after the climax that lead to a resolution or ending to the story
resolution
the outcome of the story
characterization
the process by which the writer reveals the personality of character
direct characterization
tells the audience what the personality of the character is
indirect characterization
shows things that reveal the personality of a character through their speech, thoughts, reactions to other characters, actions, and looks.
static character
character that stay the same throughout the whole story
dynamic character
characters that change throughout the story
character traits
words that describe character’s personality or qualities that make them who they are
setting
where and when the story takes place
theme
a message about life and human behavior that an author expresses in a text
conflict
a struggle or problem a character in a story must overcome
external conflict
a type of conflict that places characters at odds with forces outside themselves.
internal conflict
when a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs
first person point of view
a writing style where the narrator is one of the characters in the story, often using the pronouns “I, me, or my”
second person point of view
a writing style where the narrator speaks to the reader directly, often using “you.”
third person point of view
a writing style where the narration is not done by one of the characters. The narrator often uses the pronouns “he,” “she” or “it”
