Categories and Elements of Fiction

This set of flashcards covers essential vocabulary and concepts related to categories of fiction, character development, and creative nonfiction.

Fairytale

A narrative featuring magical creatures or enchantments, often imparting a moral lesson.

Mythology

Traditional tales that explain natural or social phenomena, often involving gods or supernatural beings.

Legend

Stories based on historical events but often exaggerated, focusing on heroic characters.

Novel

A long fictional narrative with a complex plot and developed characters.

Novelette

A narrative longer than a short story but shorter than a novella, focusing on a single incident or character.

Short Story

A brief fictional work that centers on a single plot, few characters, and one central theme.

Plot

The arrangement of events where causality is prioritized over chronology.

Opening

Introduces the setting, characters, and initial situation.

Activating Incident

The event that propels the main story forward.

Development

Events that build tension and deepen the conflict.

Climax

The story’s most intense point.

Denouement

The resolution or conclusion of the story providing closure.

Conflict

The clash of opposing forces that drives the story, essential for character development.

Internal Conflict

A struggle within the character.

External Conflict

A struggle against outside forces.

Character

Individuals who participate in the story’s action.

Protagonist

The main character driving the story.

Antagonist

The character or force opposing the protagonist.

Dynamic Character

A character who undergoes significant change.

Round Character

A complex character with depth.

Creative Nonfiction

A subgenre that employs literary styles while remaining factually accurate.

Memory

Serves as a foundation for storytelling, blending fact and feeling.

Myth

A narrative that conveys deeper truths, often used to illustrate universal themes.

Moments of Being

Intense moments of awareness or realization, a concept introduced by Virginia Woolf.