NC English II Study Guide EOC Honors

character

a person, animal or an object in fiction or drama. Characters are described based on their personality.

Protagonist

the most important characters in a story that sets the plot in motion (protagronist)

Antagonist

The

character who blocks the protagonist or (main character) is called the antagonist. Sometimes the

antagonist is a villain who is a person, but an antagonist can also be a force opposing the main

character.

dynamic or round

Characters that change are

static or flat.

characters that do not change

characterization

Characterization is the means by which writers reveal character.

character trait

the quality of a character; what a character is like. This trait can be indicated by the character's statements,

actions, or thoughts.

An author may create a fictitious character by simply describing the

character:- direct characterization

Karen was small for her age and inclined to plumpness. Her blue eyes viewed the people and

events around her with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. She was not a woman, but she was

past being a child; too sophisticated for toys, she might still, on impulse, turn a somersault on

the living rug.

An author may also reveal a character through his speech or actions.- indirect characterization

"But why can't I go?" Karen wailed. "Everyone else is going. You never let me go anywhere!"

You just don't want me to grow up and have fun!" Karen wheeled around and stormed out of the

house, slamming the door behind her.

An author may show the character's inner thoughts and feelings.

The sunlight trickled between the slates of the bamboo blinds. Karen stretched luxuriously,

pleasantly aware of the tingling sensation in her muscles.

She really ought to get up, she thought. Sally was coming over at eleven. Maybe she should make

some sandwiches so they could eat out in the backyard. Mrs. Henley was taking them to the

beach in the afternoon. She should finish that letter to Peggy...maybe she would tonight...if she

remembered...and if she had time.

PLOT

is the series of events that make up the story or drama/play. The parts of plot are:

Exposition, Rising Action, Climax, Falling Action and Resolution/Denouement.

exposition

The part of a work of fiction where readers learn about the characters

and the conflicts they experience. It is sometimes referred to as the basic situation;

provides needed background information.

Rising Action

-the suspense builds because complications arise that make the conflict

more difficult for the main characters to resolve

Climax

or the turning point of the action, this is when the reader's interest reaches

its highest point

falling action

This is the part of the plot that occurs after the climax has been reached and the resolution of the conflict has occurred

resolution

Solution to the conflict. This is often called denouement; loose ends are

tied up; end of the story/conflict

conflict

is a central problem around which a story revolves.

What are the two types of conflict that occur?

Internal and External

(1) Internal conflict occurs within a person or character

(2) External conflict occurs between a person & another person, a machine, nature, or

society.

setting

The time and place in which a story takes place.

details of a setting

Time/Historical Period - the general period of the plot and the main location of the

story (ex - the story took place during the 1960's at Woodstock)

- Physical Features -

- Geographic Location -

time/historical period

the general period of the plot and the main location of the story

physical features

what the place/location of the setting looks like physically (ex -

mountains, streams and fields of grass)

geographic location

the actual location of the place

Foreshadowing

This device uses clues that hint as to things that will happen later in

the plot.

POINT OF VIEW

to the voice in which the story is told. It is the set of eyes the author uses to let the reader see the action

unfold.

Narrator

The voice telling the story is the narrator

Three points of view

first person, second person, third person

first person

One can spot first person point of view by the pronouns "I, we, & us" used by the narrator. With the use of first person, the narrator is an actual character in the

story. His or her knowledge is, therefore, limited to that one person's perspective.

second person

narrator using second person is rather rare. The pronoun “you” is used in this type of writing. An example follows: “You feel the salt air on your skin.

You feel alone and isolated on the beach; yet, you feel deep inside of yourself that

you are not alone.”

third person

as in limited to the knowledge of the thought process for that one character. In third person omniscient

point of view

theme

is the underlying focus of a story. Subjects or main ideas of works can often be expressed in one word, e.g., love. But, a theme is underlying; a theme is something the writer wants the reader discover.

mood

Mood happens when authors use descriptive words/adjectives to create a certain

feeling or mood in the reader of the story. (ominous, happy, sad, etc.)

tone

attitude that the author conveys about his/her subject through his/her

choice of words. Examples of tone follow: serious / light-hearted / bitter / angry / ironic /

sarcastic

parable

This is a story with a moral or lesson about life.

irony

This is the difference or gap between what is said and what is actually meant.

verbal irony

This is when a character or narrator says something but means exactly the opposite. An example might be, "Boy, she is really pretty" said about a

muddy puppy with burs in her fur.

Situational irony

This is the difference between what appears to be and what actually is true. It is often demonstrated by an actual result being different than what is

expected. For example, a story's main character could find the bad guy & bring him

to justice, but walk out of the police station and be killed by a train.

dramatic irony

This occurs when the reader/observer knows something that the character in a film or written text does not know. For instance, a woman might think

that her husband has forgotten her birthday, but the reader/audience knows that he has

really bought her a diamond ring that is hidden in her dessert at dinner.

prose

The ordinary form of spoken or written language is prose. It does not contain a

metrical structure like poetry or verse.

symbol

This occurs when something specific is used to represent something abstract.

Example: Moaning wind representing loneliness

Imagery

A set of mental pictures or images. The use of vivid or figurative language to represent objects, actions, or ideas. To make an imaginary world seem real, an author often makes use of words and phrases that appeal to the senses. These words and phrases, called

images, help a reader mentally experience what the characters in the literary selection are

actually experiencing. A well-written description should arouse a particular response or emotion

in the reader's imagination. Sensory imagery is developed using the five senses: sight, sounds,

taste, touch and smell.

figurative language

writing or speech that is not meant to be taken literally

Alliteration

This occurs when words are close together that begin with the same consonant sounds. An example is "slippery sullen shadows."

ONOMATOPOEIA

This occurs when a word actually sounds like its meaning. Examples are: buzz, tick, splash, meow.

metaphor

A comparison of two things that are not usually compared in order to suggest

the likeness between them. An example is "That girl is a brick house!" or “Her hair was silk.”

simile

This is a comparison of two things using the words “like” or “as.” An example is "Mrs B’s heart is like a cold, black lump of coal when students talk while she is teaching."

Personafication

The writer gives objects or natural forces human feelings & characteristics. For example, “The stuffed bear smiled as the boy held hugged him close.”

hyperlobe

This is an exaggeration. It puts a picture into the "reader" mind. Hyperbole is frequently used in humorous writing. Hyperbole is often used in descriptions. It emphasizes some qualities of a person or thing by exaggerating them, as in this selection:

idiom

idiomatic expression refers to an expression in one language that cannot be matched or directly translated word-for-word in another language.

"She is green with envy." Another example: A piece of cake is an expression that doesn't really

have anything to do with eating, but rather refers to how easy some task might be.