Story elements

Question 1

Definition of character

Answer 1

1. The person in a work of fiction
2. The characteristics of a person

Question 2

Protagonist

Answer 2

Character that is clearly central to a story with all major events having some connection to this character.

Question 3

Antagonist

Answer 3

The character in opposition to the main character (protagonist)

Question 4

Characterization

Answer 4

The information the author gives the reader about the characters.
1. Their physical appearance.
2. What they say, dream or think.
3. What other characters think of them/ how they react to them.
4. What they do or not do.

Question 5

Round character

Answer 5

many sided and complex personalities. You see different sides of them and they usually go through some changes.

Question 6

Flat character

Answer 6

Stereotypes, they usually only have one or two personality traits that will not change throughout the story. The characteristics are usually over-emphasized.

Question 7

Developing character

Answer 7

many-sided personalities that change by the end of the story.

Question 8

Theme

Answer 8

The subject of a piece of writing. (the moral of the story)

Question 9

How to extract the theme of a story?

Answer 9

To fully extract the theme you need to look at the characters, the plot (action) and the setting. But also:
1. Check out the title.
2. Look for repeating patterns and symbols (motifs)
3. Hints/ suggestions throughout the story.
4. Details and particulars, what greater meaning might they have?

Question 10

Plot

Answer 10

1. A series of causes and effects which shape the story as a whole (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution)
2. The why for things that happen in a story

Question 11

How to uncover the plot?

Answer 11

Look at the elements of the story and identify them.

Question 12

The exposition of the plot

Answer 12

Information needed to understand the story/ usually an introduction (who’s doing what, why and where)

Question 13

The rising action of a plot

Answer 13

The catalyst that begins the major conflict.

Question 14

The climax of a plot

Answer 14

A point where things can’t get any worse/ there is no going back. It is a turning point where the story usually gets at its worst.

Question 15

The falling action of a plot

Answer 15

The way down toward the ending of a story.

Question 16

The resolution of a plot

Answer 16

Brings the story to a close, all problems are solved/ all the story lines are over and have ended.

Question 17

Point of view

Answer 17

The narrator

Question 18

Types of point of view

Answer 18

1. First person point of view
2. Third person point of view
3. Omniscient point of view
4. Limited omniscient

Question 19

First person point of view

Answer 19

I and me are being used. And we only know the thoughts of that person. The narrator does participate in the story. Can be subjective and untrustworthy and thus unreliable.

Question 20

Third person point of view

Answer 20

Narrator doesn’t participate in the story as a character, but lets us know exactly how the character(s) feel. He and she are being used.

Question 21

Omniscient point of view

Answer 21

Narrator doesn’t participate, but knows all the thoughts of all the characters. He tells the story through different perspectives and is therefore reliable.

Question 22

Limited omniscient point of view

Answer 22

A narrator whose knowledge is limited to a few characters.

Question 23

Setting

Answer 23

The location, period of time and climate of a story.

Question 24

How to describe a setting?

Answer 24

The location, the period of time, the social conditions (dress, manners, speech, weather of a specific place or person) and the mood or atmosphere (what feeling is created? is it dark and frightening or humorous and cheerful?, how things taste, feel, smell, sound or look)

Question 25

Types of conflict in a story

Answer 25

1. Man vs man
2. Man vs self
3. Man vs nature
4. Man vs society
5. Man vs technology
6. Man vs supernatural

Question 26

Tone

Answer 26

The emotional colouring of the work

Question 27

Including elements to the tone

Answer 27

1. Word choice
2. Word order
3. Interpunction
4. The use of images that create a certain picture

Question 28

What determines the tone?

Answer 28

Tone can be determined by:
1. The devices used to create the mood or atmosphere
2. The authors attitude of focus toward their subject
3. The musical quality of the language: tone depends upon sound of the words

Question 29

Irony

Answer 29

1. Situational: you expect one thing, but then the opposite happens.
2. Verbal (sarcasm): a figure of speech in which words are used that their actual meaning is different from their intended meaning. You say something you don’t actually mean.

Question 30

Suspense

Answer 30

The gut feeling that something isn’t right/ that something bad is going to happen. Also the thing that makes readers want to keep on reading. What makes them eager to find out the ending.

Question 31

Euphemism

Answer 31

The use of a word or phrase to avoid saying another word or phrase that might be insulting, unpleasant or mean. To make something sound less harsh or mean.

Question 32

Wit

Answer 32

A natural way of using words and ideas in a quick inventive way to create humor.

Question 33

Foreshadowing

Answer 33

The devices to hint at upcoming events, to keep readers guessing. The author uses clues to alert the reader about events that may occur later.

Question 34

The sublime

Answer 34

Overwhelming environment (nature). E.g. a thunderstorm. Is used to leave the characters with an overwhelming sense of dread and terror.

Question 35

The uncanny

Answer 35

A kind of disturbing strangeness, which reminds you of something in the past. Simultaneously frightening, unfamiliar and yet also strangely familiar. Things look real but are not real.

Question 36

Crisis

Answer 36

A lot of changes, is used in Gothic literature to escape reality.

Question 37

Elements of Gothic literature

Answer 37

1. Individuality
2. High emotion and nature
   (1 and 2 are romantic elements)
3. The uncanny
4. The sublime
5. Crisis
   6 Supernatural and real

Question 38

Romanticism (romantic philosophy)

Answer 38

Inspired by the French Revolution. People wanted to get away from science and social life and got back to the basics: nature, human emotions and connection. They wanted to follow their own intuition.

Question 39

Gothic novel

Answer 39

Describes something that is characterized by mystery, horror and gloom. Combines the genres horror and romanticism.