Literary Elements in Prose

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering the core literary elements found in prose writing, based on the lecture notes.

Prose

Ordinary writing or speech that follows normal sentence structure, without rhyme or a fixed rhythm.

Examples of Prose

Short stories, novels, essays, and news articles.

Plot

The sequence of events that make up the story, told in either a chronological or a nonchronological order.

Freytag's Pyramid

A structure representing the sequence of a plot, including the beginning (exposition, rising action), middle (climax), and end (falling action, resolution).

Atmosphere

The creation of a mood or feeling in prose through the use of descriptions and setting.

Characterization

How the author describes the character, either directly or indirectly through action, using details or nuances to add depth.

Conflict

The problem or challenge faced by the character or characters in the story.

Man vs. Man

A type of conflict where a person is against another person, such as an argument between two characters.

Man vs. Nature

A type of conflict where a character struggles against natural forces, such as a fisherman trying to survive a strong storm at sea.

Man vs. Self

An internal conflict where a character struggles with their own thoughts and feelings.

Point of View

The perspective or vantage point of the speaker or the narrator.

First-person Point of View

The story is told by a character who is part of the story and uses the words “I,” “me,” or “we.”

Second-person Point of View

The narrator speaks directly to the reader using “you” or “your,” making the reader feel like part of the story.

Third-person Objective

A point of view where the narrator uses “he,” “she,” or “they” to describe only what can be seen or heard, without showing characters’ thoughts or feelings.

Third-person Omniscient

A point of view where the narrator knows everything about all the characters, including their thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Setting

The time, place, and environment where the events of a story happen.

Theme

The main message or lesson of a story.

Flashback

A literary technique where the story goes back to an earlier event that happened in the past.

Foreshadowing

A literary technique where the writer gives hints or clues about what will happen later in the story.