Literary Vocabulary Flashcards
Paratext
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).
Narrative
Presents a unified sequence of events that add up to something, a plot with some kind of “point”.
Tone
The author’s attitude towards a literary work.
Mood
The feeling the readers take away after reading a piece of literature. Can usually be summed up with one word.
Point
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.
Plot
The connected series of events that make up a story. Normally the connection is made by some sort of causation.
Character
An agent who has one or more discernible traits, or qualities of personality
Direct Characterization
When other characters or narrators give us clues about traits of a particular character.
Implied Characterization
Character traits that can be assigned based on the actions/speeches/thoughts of the character.
Major/Minor Character
You can distinguish between the two depending on their importance to the plot. Major=important Minor = not so important.
Setting
The space in which story events occur. Setting consists of background and “props”.
Exposition/Introduction
a literary device that is meant to relay background information about a main character, setting, event or other element of the narrative.
Inciting Incident
The first action that sets off all the other actions to rise in the “rising action”.
Rising Action
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.
Climax
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.
Falling Action/Denouement
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.
Resolution
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.
Conflict
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)
Internal Conflict
When a character struggles with their own opposing desires or beliefs.
External Conflict
When a character is set against something or someone beyond their control.
Ellipsis
Events that occur outside of the POV that can be discerned by contextual clues within the POV. Must be argued for.
Narrator
The agent who communicates by “telling” or “showing” the story. Can be considered a character.
Point of View
the perspective from which the narrator conveys the story to the reader.
1st Person POV
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.
2nd Person POV
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.
3rd POV
The 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.
Limited 3rd Person
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.
Omniscient/Involved Narrator
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.
Detached Narrator (“Fly on the wall”, “Camera Eye”, “Objective Narrator”)
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.
Actual Author
Information about the actual author that can only be gleaned from primary sources (i.e. straight from the horse’s mouth).
Implied Author
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)
