Short Story Vocab Terms

Question 1

the revelation (usually early) in a story or play of necessary background information.

Answer 1

exposition

Question 2

a literary technique in the opening of a story that “hooks” the reader’s attention so that he or she will keep on reading.

Answer 2

Narrative hook

Question 3

event that starts the plot development

Answer 3

Rising Action

Question 4

event that is the peak of the book

Answer 4

Climax

Question 5

the part of a literary plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the conflict has been resolved.

Answer 5

Falling Action

Question 6

solution to a conflict

Answer 6

Resolution

Question 7

main character

Answer 7

Protagonist

Question 8

enemy of the main character

Answer 8

Antagonist

Question 9

a character in fiction whose personality, background, motives, and other features are fully delineated by the author.

Answer 9

round character

Question 10

doing; thinking

Answer 10

dynamic character

Question 11

not well developed; confusing; vague

Answer 11

flat character

Question 12

does nothing

Answer 12

static character

Question 13

a point of view (who is telling a story) where the story is narrated by one character at a time.

Answer 13

1st person

Question 14

Any story told in the grammatical third person, i.e. without using “I” or “we”

Answer 14

3rd person

Question 15

the narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of all the characters in the story.

Answer 15

omniscient

Question 16

the narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character.

Answer 16

limited

Question 17

place and time of a story

Answer 17

Setting

Question 18

the big idea or message of the book

Answer 18

Theme

Question 19

the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense.

Answer 19

Symbolism

Question 20

an object or idea that repeats itself throughout a literary work.

Answer 20

Motif

Question 21

a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words.

Answer 21

Irony

Question 22

rony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play.

Answer 22

Dramatic Irony

Question 23

irony in which a person says or writes one thing and means another, or uses words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of the literal meaning.

Answer 23

Verbal

Question 24

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

Answer 24

Situational

Question 25

a figure of speech which makes an implicit, implied or hidden comparison between two things or objects that are poles apart from each other but have some characteristics common between them

Answer 25

Metaphor

Question 26

a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similarities between two different things.

Answer 26

Simile

Question 27

figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it appeals to our physical senses.

Answer 27

Imagery

Question 28

a figure of speech in which a thing, an idea or an animal is given human attributes

Answer 28

Personification

Question 29

a figure of speech, which involves an exaggeration of ideas for the sake of emphasis

Answer 29

Hyperbole

Question 30

a literary element that evokes certain feelings or vibes in readers through words and descriptions.

Answer 30

Mood (Atmosphere)

Question 31

an attitude of a writer toward a subject or an audience.

Answer 31

Tone

Question 32

a literary device in which a writer gives an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.

Answer 32

Foreshadowing

Question 33

past events projected in a book

Answer 33

Flashback

Question 34

a word, which imitates the natural sounds of a thing

Answer 34

Onomatopoeia

Question 35

a literary term used to describe the events that make up a story or the main part of a story

Answer 35

Plot

Question 36

a literary element that involves a struggle between two opposing forces usually a protagonist and an antagonist

Answer 36

Conflict