Short Story Elements Flashcards
plot
the sequence of events in a story
character
a person or animal in a story
indirect charcaterization
the character is revealed through their personality, appearance, words, actions, and effect on others
direct characterization
the author directly states a character’s traits
flat character
a character who is not very well developed; has few identifiable characteristics
round character
this character is fully developed - the writer reveals good and bad traits as well as background
static character
a character that does not change from the beginning of the story to the end
dynamic character
a character who grows, learns, or changes as a result of the story’s action
motivation
the reasons that cause characters to act as they do
protagonist
the main character, who must overcome obstacles and resolve the conflict
antagonist
a character or force in conflict with the main character
exposition
the introductory material which gives the setting, creates the tone, presents the characters, and presents other facts necessary to understanding the story
rising action
the series of conflicts or struggles that build a story toward a climax
climax
the turning point of the story
falling action
The events after the climax which close the story
denouement/conclusion
the point when the conflict is resolved and remaining loose ends are tied up
theme
a central idea or insight into life revealed through a literary work
first-person point of view
the narrator is a character in the story and used words like I, me, we
second-person point of view
the narrator addresses the reader directly using the pronoun “you”
thrid-person point of view
the narrator is outside the story and reveals the thoughts of only one character, who is referred to as “he” or “she.”
omniscient pov
all-knowing speaker shares the actions, thoughts, and dialogue of all characters
limited pov
a narrator who is confined to what is experienced, thought, or felt by a single character, or at most a limited number of characters
objective pov
story told through actions and dialogue; reader infers what the characters think and feel. narrator is a detatched observer.
inagery
Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)
simile
a comparison using like or as
metaphor
a comparison without using like or as
personification
a figure of speech in which an object or animal is given human feelings, thoughts, or attitudes
symbol
something that stands for or represents something else
fable
a brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters
allusion
a reference to a well-known person, place, event, literary work, or work of art
foreshadowing
the use of hints and clues to suggest what will happen later in a plot
