Narrative Features Flashcards
atmosphere
the way an author uses setting, objects, or internal thoughts of characters to create emotion, mood, or experiences for the reader.
dramatic monologue
a poem written in the form of a speech of an individual character
third-person omniscient viewpoint
the narrator does not have a “voice”; the narrator knows all the thoughts, actions and feelings of all characters
third-person limited viewpoint
the narrator occupies the view of a single protagonist, referring to them by name and using third-person pronouns
first-person viewpoint
the narration is given from the perspective of a singular character, using first-person pronouns
second-person viewpoint
the narrator describes the reader’s actions, thoughts and background using second-person pronouns
multiple narrators, polyperspectivity
more than one character perspective is shown to the audience
turning point
a moment in the plot where the character must make a decision that will change the course of the story
climax
the most intense moment in the plot, marking a turning point for the protagonist as they confront the main conflict
denouement
the resolution of the major conflict in a narrative plot structure, and the very end of a story.
resolution
the resolution of a conflict by a character
symbol
an object, a person, a situation, or an action that has a literal meaning in a story but suggests or represents other meanings
theme
the main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a text
motif
any distinctive feature that is recurring throughout a text helping to develop ideas such as theme or mood
plot
the sequence of events in which each event affects the next one through a principle of cause and effect
foreshadowing
an advance hint of what is to come later in the plot
analepsis
a description of an event or scene from an earlier time that interrupts the chronological narrative
prolepsis
the chronological narrative is interrupted and the narrator describes future events
stream of consciousness
a narrative method that tries to capture the natural flow of a character’s extended thought process
subplot
a secondary strand of the plot that is a supporting side story for any story or for the main plot
syntax
the set of rules that determines the arrangement of words in a sentence
linear plot
a plot that has a beginning, middle and end and is constructed chronologically
non-linear plot
a plot where the order in which events are portrayed does not correspond to the order in which things happened
setting
the time and geographic location within a narrative, either fictional or non-fictional
