Prose Elements Flashcards
What is a protagonist?
The main character in a piece of work. This character may be honourable or immoral or anywhere in between
What is an antihero?
A protagonist who has the opposite of most traditional attributes of a hero. They may be immoral, deluded (believe something isn’t true), or merely pathetic
What is a Deutergonist?
The second most important character after the protagonist . This term is sometimes used for foil.
What is an Antagonist?
A character, force, or collection of forces in fiction or drama that opposes the protagonist (challenges) and gives rise to the conflict of the story (opponent of the protagonist).
What is a Dynamic character?
a character who undergoes significant development or change during a story.
What is a Character arc?
the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of story (closely related to a Dynamic character)
What is a Character?
Any person, figure, inanimate object, or animal that is represented within a literary work.
What is a Static character?
A character who is unchanged (emotionally and/or mentally) throughout a piece of work.
What is a Round character?
A complex character whose development contains contradictions and complexity.
What is a flat character?
A character who is relatively simple and is presented to have no complexity or contradictions
What is a stock character?
a common or recognizable character that appears in a piece of work (i.e. the hero, the fool, etc. - an archetype(??))
What is a foil character?
A character whose behaviour and values contrast with those of another character which helps highlights distinctive temperament (the nature of someone/something that affects their behaviour) of that character (usually the protagonist)
What is a Ancillary Character?
a character who is a helper
What is a choric character?
A character who comments upon the story’s action or character.
What is direct characterization?
characterization throughout a piece of work that is stated directly by the author.
What is indirect characterization?
Characterization throughout a piece of work that is displayed through physical descriptions, dialogue, inner thoughts of characters, reactions to other characters, reactions of other character towards this individual, symbolism, mood, motif, and charactonym.
What is plot?
the plan of action in a story (order of events) that reveal the character and what character carries the lot forward.
What is a ab ovo beginning?
A term used to describe a story that starts at the beginning of an event.
What is a medias res beginnign?
A term used to describe a story that begins in the middle of an event.
What is a ultimas res beginning?
A term used to describe a story that begins at the end of an event.
What are the 6 parts of a plot?
1) Exposition
2) Initiating incident/narrative hook/problem
3) Rising action
4) Climax
5) Falling action
6) Resolution/denouement
What is an Exposition in terms of plot?
A portion of the plot that provides background information, establishes a setting and mood, and introduces character(s).
What is a Initiating incident/narrative hook/problem in terms of plot?
A point of the plot that introduces the conflict or the main problems (the point that results in rising action to begin).
What is the rising action in terms of plot?
A portion of the plot that provides a series of events that further complicate the problem and adds to the story’s tension/suspense (leads to the climax of the story).
What is a climax in terms of plot?
The highest point of tension in the story and is the stories turning point or main event (results from a significant decision).
What is the falling action in terms of plot?
A portion of a story that provides a series of events that lead towards the conclusion or consequences of the characters decision (leads to the resolution).
What is the resolution/denouement in terms of plot?
the portion of a story where the final outcome or dramatic complication is stated. This point any remaining secrets, questions, or mysteries are solved or explained by either the author or the characters (loose ends or tied up).
What is a open ending?
a narrative or piece of literature that does not offer a resolution/denouement (questions are often left unanswered).
What is a closed ending?
A narrative or piece of literature that offers a complete resolution/denouement
What is a flashback?
When the story is moved back to an earlier time in a story’s timeline
What does chronological mean?
When a story progresses following the passage of time which may cause gaps in time but still maintains the order in which the events occurred.
What is conflict?
the tension or aggravation experienced between characters and their surroundings.
What are the two main types of conflict?
Internal and external conflict
Overall what are 6 types of conflict?
1) Character vs. Character
2) Character vs. Nature
3) Character vs. society
4) Character vs. fate/supernatural
5) Character vs. technology
6) character vs. self
What is character vs. character conflict?
when two characters oppose each other (external conflict)
What is character vs nature conflict?
when a character battles against the natural environment (external conflict)
What is character vs. society conflict?
when a character is in opposition with the norms of society (external conflict)
What is character vs. fate/supernatural conflict?
when a character is experiencing struggles against a god or destiny (external conflict)
What is character vs. technology conflict?
When a character is struggling against scientific or technological creations (external conflict).
What is character vs. self conflict?
When a character must deal with in their nature which they oppose, or when a character is struggling within him or herself with a decision or the consequence of an action (internal conflict)
Can external conflict turn into internal conflict?
Yes, external can turn into internal when it is manifested and the opposition causes a moral or philosophical dilemma
What is theme?
theme is the philosophical statement (lesson/teaching) about life, humanity, human nature, etc. that the author is trying to convey; theme is not a topic, not a warning, and is never expressed as a cliche.
How is the theme expressed in pieces of literature?
theme is usually expressed as a theme statement in longer pieces but can also be expressed as a single sentence or a line in dialogue in short stories.
What is setting?
The details of a story that includes when and where a story takes place in. Setting can also provide a social environment, conditions and context that determine the way in which characters live and behave.
What is local colour?
customs, moral codes, and standards of conduct.
What are the two types of settings?
Integral setting and backdrop setting
What is integral setting?
A setting where the action, character, or theme are influenced by the time and place. In an integral setting the writer must describe it in concrete details, relying on sensory pictures and vivid comparisons to make the setting clear
What is a backdrop setting?
a setting that is generalized and universal and does not aid in characterization or analysis
What is style?
the literary element that describes the ways that the author uses words (authors word choice; diction, sentence structure, figurative language, and sentence arrangement, all work together to establish mood, imagery, and meaning in the text)
What is tone?
The attitude the speaker or author has towards or the treatment of a subject
-focuses on authors subjectivity
-Subject and feeling on the surface of the text
What is mood?
The emotional environment within a piece of literature
-Focus on emotional space created by the text
-Surroundings and feeling in the story world
What is diction?
The word choice chosen by the author
What is imagery?
A description that focuses one or more of the seven senses (touch, tactile, olfactory, gustatory, auditory, kinesthetic, and organic)
What is denotation?
The dictionary definition of a word
What is connotation?
The emotional or associational meaning of a word
What is a symbol?
Something in the story that stands for something that is too complicated to explain (can include character names, setting, characters appearance, objects, or actions)
What are the two types of symbols?
Universal and personal symbols
What is a universal symbol?
exists in and outside of the story (commonly known by society)
What is a personal symbol?
a symbol that is unique to the story’s text
What are the 5 different point of views?
1) first person point of view
2) second person point of view
3) third person omniscient
4) third person limited
5) third person objective
What is first person point of view?
When the story is told commonly by the characters using the pronouns of I and we
What is second person point of view?
When the story is told so the reader is a character in the story and uses the pronouns you. This point of view displaces the action of a story.
What is third person omniscient point of view?
When the story is told where the narrator’s knowledge is not limited and they know the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters with in the narrative (use pronouns they, he, she, him, her, and them)
What is third person Limited point of view?
When the story is told where the narrator’s knowledge is limited to only one or two characters only (uses the pronoun they, he, she, him, her, and them)
What is third person objective point of view?
When the story is told where it relies on external action and dialogue only in the creation of the story - no inner thoughts unless openly expressed by a character through dialogue. (uses the pronouns they, he, she, her, him, and them)
What is subjective narration?
tries to persuade the reader to share his/her opinions and describes one or more character’s feelings and thoughts
What is objective narration?
a narration that does not describe the feeling or thoughts of any characters
What is detached autobiography?
reflecting back on the pst self.
What is observer narration?
When the narrator is an observer rather than the main participant
What is marxist criticism?
an approach in literature that focuses on the ideological content of a work (has assumptions and values about matters such as culture, race, class, and power; everything is political)
What is psychoanalytic criticism?
What is formalist criticism?
An approach in literature where all elements for understanding the story is contained within the work itself
What is biographical criticism?
An approach of literature where understanding an author’s life can help readers more throughly comprehend the piece of work (author’s life = meaning)
