English 1

Exposition

The reader is introduced to the characters, including the protagonist, and the setting

Rising Action

The conflict is introduced and increases, suspense builds, and the reader begins to feel a certain mood as the story progresses

Climax

The turning point when the protagonist makes a choice or takes action to solve the conflict

Falling action

The protagonist experiences the consequences of the turning point; the conflict is being resolved, and it leads towards the conclusion of the story

Resolution

The story comes to a close; the conflict is resolved, and the life lesson the protagonist learns becomes clear

Character vs. nature

A character struggles against forces like weather, the wilderness, or a natural disaster

Character vs. society

A character struggles against the government, a cultural tradition, or societal expectations

Character vs. supernatural

A character struggles against special powers, abilities, or mythical creatures

Character vs. technology

A character struggles against forces like robots, machines, or mechanical failures

Read the excerpt from the fable "Belling the Cat." Answer the question that follows.

Once upon a time the mice sat in council and talked of how they might outwit their enemy, the Cat. But good advice was scarce, and in vain the president called upon all the most experienced mice present to find a way.

Which type of conflict is represented in the bolded line?

Character vs. character

Plot

the main events of a play, novel, movie, or similar work, devised and presented by the writer as an interrelated sequence

Character

Who or what is the protagonist? Who or what is the antagonist? Which other type of characters exist—round, flat, dynamic, or static? How do you know?

Setting

The time period, place, historical event, mood, or social environment. The setting has a big impact on the characters, conflict, plot, and theme of a story.

Conflict

What is the problem that sets the story into motion? Is it character versus character, nature, self, society, technology, or the supernatural?

Theme

What is the message of the story? What message did the protagonist, or the reader learn?

Flashback

a writing technique used to alter time in order to convey a past event or significant occurrence 

Foreshadowing

a writing technique used to subtly suggest or indicate something ahead of time in a text

In Media Res

to begin telling a story in the middle of things in order to create a central question or mystery  

Conflict

a struggle between opposing forces

first person

The narrator is part of the story and uses first-person pronouns such as I, me, we, and us.

second person

The narrator tells a story in a way that makes the reader feel like a character. They use second-person pronouns such as you and your. Note: Very few stories are told from the second-person point of view.

third person limited

This narrator is not part of the story. They use pronouns such as he, she, or they to explain what one character is thinking and feeling.

third person omniscient

The narrator is not part of the story. They use third-person pronouns such as he, she, they, and them to describe the thoughts, feelings, and actions of multiple characters. This is the most commonly used point of view.

multiple narrators

Using multiple narrators can give a reader all sides of a story. An author will usually signify a change in narrator by titling a chapter or section with the narrator's name.

protagonist

 The protagonist is the central character in the story who is faced with a conflict that must be resolved. This character is not always the "good guy" or the superhero. They can have flaws and make poor decisions—basically, they can be a regular person

Antagonist

The antagonist is the person or thing that the protagonist must overcome. This character doesn't have to be a bad guy or a villain. The antagonist is simply the conflict, or the cause of the conflict. Sometimes, the antagonist isn't even a person. A shark, a hurricane, and a fear of public speaking could all act as antagonists

Round

This is a fully developed, major character. They experience conflict in a story and are affected by it. They are described in detail and can often seem very “real” to readers

Flat

This is a minor character that supports the main character. They do not change throughout the story and are predictable and uncomplicated

dynamic

This is a character that changes and reacts to experiences and events in a story. They learn a lesson and grow as a person

static

This is a character that remains the same and is not affected during the course of the story. They do not grow, change, or learn

Universal theme

an idea that applies to anyone, anywhere, regardless of cultural differences

theme

the message about life and the human experience that a work communicates

3 steps to identifying theme

summarize, interpret, and evaluate

Alliteration

the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables

Allusion

a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing, or idea of historical, cultural, literary, political, or religious significance

Hyperbole

exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally

Idiom

an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but must be learned as a whole

Meiosis

the presentation of a thing with underemphasis, especially in order to achieve a greater effect; understatement

Metaphor

a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or suggest that they are similar

Onomatopoeia

the forming of a word (as “buzz” or “hiss”) in imitation of a natural sound

Personification

representing a thing or idea as a person

Simile

a comparison of two unlike things, often introduced by "like" or "as"

Figurative language

Using words to create a picture, idea, or feeling in someone’s mind

Plot devices

a narrative technique, object, or character used to move the plot forward, create conflict, or resolve a conflict

summary

a brief statement or account of the main points of something

synopsis

a brief summary or general survey of something

cliff hanger

a suspenseful ending that leaves the reader anticipating what happens next

Deus ex machina

an unexpected event or character that resolves an otherwise unsolvable problem

macguffin

an object or goal that motivates the characters actions, but may be irrelevant to the story

plant and payoff

an element introduced early in the story to be revisited or explained later, a form of foreshadowing

red herring

a misleading clue or situation designed to distract the audience from the true course of the plot

editing

correcting errors in conventions

revising

rewriting sections of an essay to improve style, coherence, diction, and syntax

surface meaning

literal meaning of a story

emotional meaning

the mood the story causes, or evokes, from the reader

authors attitude

the authors feelings toward their topic

authors meaning

the overall theme and message the author is trying to convey. cannot be determined until the surface meaning, emotional meaning, and authors attitude are determined