Literary Vocab

Question 1

Paratext

Answer 1

The physical aspects of how the narrative is delivered. The paratext influences how we enjoy a narrative and helps us to distinguish fiction from reality. (the book, its hardcover binding, bottle/paper in the bottle, the tv playing a vhs tape, playing n64 games on the switch vs the old n64).

Question 2

Narrative

Answer 2

Presents a unified sequence of events that add up to something, a plot with some kind of “point”.

Question 3

Tone

Answer 3

The author’s attitude towards a literary work.

Question 4

Mood

Answer 4

The feeling the readers take away after reading a piece of literature. Can usually be summed up with one word.

Question 5

Point

Answer 5

The consequence of the story, the reason it gets told. Point is not the same thing as the theme. Point concerns only the fiction while the theme goes beyond the fiction implying something about the real world.

Question 6

Plot

Answer 6

The connected series of events that make up a story. Normally the connection is made by some sort of causation.

Question 7

Character

Answer 7

An agent who has one or more discernible traits, or qualities of personality

Question 8

Characterization

Answer 8

The process by which traits are assigned to characters.

Question 9

Direct Characterization

Answer 9

When other characters or narrators give us clues about traits of a particular character.

Question 10

Implied characterization

Answer 10

Character traits that can be assigned based on the actions/speeches/thoughts of the character.

Question 11

Major/Minor Character

Answer 11

You can distinguish between the two depending on their importance to the plot. Major=important Minor=not so important.

Question 12

Setting

Answer 12

The space in which story events occur. Setting consists of background and “props”.

Question 13

Exposition/Introduction

Answer 13

a literary device that is meant to relay background information about a main character, setting, event or other element of the narrative.

Question 14

Inciting Incident

Answer 14

The first action that sets off all the other actions to rise in the “rising action”.

Question 15

Rising Action

Answer 15

the section of a story that leads toward its climax. Because of the increased tension as a book’s central conflict (or conflicts) become clear, the rising action is often what keeps you turning the pages.

Question 16

Climax

Answer 16

Decisive moment, or turning point, at which the rising action of the play is reversed to falling action. It may or may not coincide with the highest point of interest in the drama.

Question 17

Falling Action/Denouement

Answer 17

The final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are either explained or resolved.

Question 18

Resolution

Answer 18

the conclusion of a story’s plot and is part of a complete conclusion to a story. The resolution occurs at the end of a story following the climax and falling action. In some stories, climax and resolution occur simultaneously but in that case are simply co-occurring points in the plot.

Question 19

Conflict

Answer 19

A literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces. (Mom made me late to cheer practice and I haven’t mastered the routine yet; George and Lenney cannot accomplish their dream of buying their own property because they are poor)

Question 20

Internal Conflict

Answer 20

When a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs.

Question 21

External Conflict

Answer 21

When a character is set against something or someone beyond their control.

Question 22

Ellipsis

Answer 22

Events that occur outside of the POV that can be discerned by contextual clues within the POV. Must be argued for.

Question 23

Narrator

Answer 23

The agent who communicates by “telling” or “showing” the story. Can be considered a character.

Question 24

Point Of View

Answer 24

the perspective from which the narrator conveys the story to the reader.

Question 25

1st Person Point Of View

Answer 25

The narrator is a character who provides narration through the pronouns “I/me/we”. We can only know the narrator’s thoughts and feelings and can only infer information about other characters through the narrator.

Question 26

2nd Person Point Of View

Answer 26

Narration described with the pronouns “you/your”. Used in Dungeons & Dragons, Choose Your Own Adventure stories, as well as other fiction, to make the reader a character in the story.

Question 27

3rd Person Point Of View

Answer 27

Narrator exists outside the events of the story, and relates the actions of the characters by referring to their names or by the third-person pronouns he, she, or they.

Question 28

Limited 3rd Person

Answer 28

Uses 3rd person pronouns (he/she/they). Has exactly the same essential limitation as 1st POV: that nothing can be seen, known, or told except what the narrator sees, knows and tells about a focus character and those around them. Narrator may be considered a character and provide commentary/opinions on events in the tale.

Question 29

Omniscient/Involved Narrator

Answer 29

3rd person narration where all information is accessible to the narrator and is not restricted to a single character. Omniscient narrator may be considered a character and may provide commentary/opinions on matters in the tale.

Question 30

Detached Narrator (“Fly on the wall”, “Camera Eye”, “Objective Narrator”)

Answer 30

3rd person narration where the narration provides no commentary/opinions and just presents what the camera/fly sees in the story (camera/fly since neither can provide commentary/opinions). May be considered a character, but more difficult to interpret. Of Mice & Men has a detached narrator.

Question 31

Actual Author

Answer 31

Information about the actual author that can only be gleaned from primary sources (i.e. straight from the horse’s mouth).

Question 32

Implied Author

Answer 32

Information about the actual author that readers are only able to infer from their works. (ex: This guy writes a lot about Nazis; he either is a serious WWII enthusiast, or he must be a Nazi)