Ela terms midterm

Narrative Plot Structure

Narrative Plot Structure

This is a general diagram as this can vary from story to story.

Exposition

This is where the setting (time/place), the primary character(s), and the situation (what they are doing - their normal life) are established.

Conflict

What the entire story is based off of

Conflict Types

Man vs. Man

Man vs. Nature

(External) Man vs. (Internal) Self

Man vs. Society

Rising Action

Events that lead up to the climax. In this part of the plot diagram there may also be 'complications'.

Climax

'Major turning point'

Resolution to the conflict

The moment when the conflict will be decided

Falling Action

Events after the climax, leading to the resolution

Resolution

The new normal

Complications

A series of problems or difficulties that a character faces in a story

Setting

The time and place of a story

Antagonist

A character or force in opposition to the protagonist

Protagonist

The character in a work of literature that deals with the central conflict

Narrator

A person who tells a story

First Person (point of view)

When we talk about ourselves, our opinions, and the things that happen to us, we generally speak in the __________.

ex (singular): I, me, my, mine, myself

ex (plural): we, us, our, ourselves

Second Person (point of view)

This point of view belongs to the person (or people) being addressed.

ex: you, your, yours, yourself, yourselves

Third Person (point of view)

This point of view belongs to the person (or people) being talked about.

ex: he, him, his, himself, she, her, hers, herself, it, its, itself, they, them, their, theirs, themselves

Third Person Omniscient (point of view)

This point of view is where the narrator knows all the thoughts, actions, and feelings of at least two or more characters. The author may move from character to character to show how each one contributes to the plot.

Third Person Limited (point of view)

The narrator only knows the thoughts and feelings of one character

Third Person Objective (point of view)

When using __________ Point of View, it's a case of giving just the facts. The reader is never allowed into any of the characters' minds, nor given any of their feelings or emotions.

Chronological

Time order

Circular

Returning characters back to the starting point

Flashback

An account of a conversation, an episode, or an event that happened before the beginning of the story

Dynamic (character)

When a character develops (changes) by the end of the story (changes state of mind)

Static (character)

When a character does not develop (change) by the end of the story

Round (character)

A character who is complex and highly developed

Well described

A protagonist is always __________

Flat (character)

Minor character

Has no background

Don't know a lot about them

Don't know a lot about them

Direct Characterization

When an author tells readers something about a character

ex: Jane is a cruel person

Indirect Characterization

When an author shows readers something about a character

ex: As Jane walked past the box labeled 'Free Puppies,' she furtively glanced around her, then gave the box a swift kick

Foil

A character who provides a striking contrast to another character

ex: In "Most Dangerous Game" Ivan was a __________ for General Zaroff

Juxtaposition

When the author creates contrast in order to highlight characteristics (situations, objects, settings, and more)

Cannot be two characters, that is foil

ex: A butler spends his days in a beautiful mansion dressed in a tuxedo, but returns home to a closet-sized apartment in a rundown part of town.

Simile

Comparing two things using the words "like" or "as"

ex: They fought like cats and dogs

Metaphor

Comparing two things without using the words "like" or "as"

ex: She was fairly certain that life was a fashion show

Foreshadowing

A warning or indication of a future event

ex: A pipe is going to burst, but before it does, the author writes a scene where the family notices a small dark spot on the ceiling, but ignores it.

Imagery

Description that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, smell, touch, taste)

Auditory Imagery

Sound (imagery)

ex: The children were screaming and shouting in the fields

Gustatory Imagery

Taste (imagery)

ex: The fresh and juicy orange is very cold and sweet

Olfactory Imagery

Smell (imagery)

ex: He whiffed the aroma of brewed coffee

Tactile Imagery

Touch (imagery)

ex: The girl ran her hands on a soft satin fabric

Visual Imagery

Sight (imagery)

ex: It was dark and dim in the forest

Symbolism

A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than its literal meaning

ex: A dove stands for peace

Personification

A figure of speech in which human qualities are given to non-human things

ex: The stars danced playfully in the moonlit sky

Alliteration

Repetition of initial consonant sounds

ex: Sheep should sleep in a shed

Irony

Contrast between what is expected and what occurs

Dramatic Irony

When a reader is aware of something that a character isn't

ex: In a scary movie, the character goes into a house they think is empty, but the audience knows the killer is in the house

Situational Irony

An outcome that turns out to be very different from what was expected

ex: A fire station burns down

Verbal Irony

A figure of speech in which what is said is the opposite of what is meant

ex: Looking at her son's messy room, Mom says, "Wow, you could win an award for cleanliness!"

Theme

The underlying message about life or human nature portrayed by a work

Mood

Usually, __________ is referred to as the atmosphere of a literary piece, as it creates an emotional setting that surrounds the readers

Tone

The attitude of a writer toward a subject or audience

Motif

Repeated symbol throughout a work that stands for or communicates a larger thematic idea

can be a:

thing

phrase

situation

Stereotype

Assuming that "they're all alike." It's looking at a whole group of people and assuming that they all share certain qualities.

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like what they describe

ex: Boom! Pow! Whoosh! Wham!

However, there are some words like munch, sigh, or chew that are commonly mistaken for __________s, but they are not.

The word 'munch' does not sound like munching

Thesis

The sentence that introduces the main argument or point of view of a composition (formal essay, nonfiction piece, or narrative)