Fiction Terms to Know for Quarter 1

Vocabulary flashcards covering core literary terms and definitions from Quarter 1 fiction notes.

Protagonist

the leading character in a fictional work that often champions a cause/works to solve a problem/overcomes an obstacle

Antagonist

a character who comes into conflict with the protagonist and thwarts the plot in some way (they prevent the problem from being solved or create problems for the main character)

Dynamic Character

a character who changes throughout the story

Static Character

a character who does not undergo a change throughout the story.

1st Person Point of View

Tells the story as the character, using pronouns "I, me, we, us, ours, my, mine"

3rd Person Point of View

tells the story from an onlooker/narrator perspective, not as a character directly in the story, using pronouns "he, she, they" as well as calling the characters their names.

Setting

the surroundings/time in which the events in a story take place. Can include: date, time, place, era, weather, or social conditions.

Conflict

a problem that arises in the plot. Includes: man vs. self, man vs. man, man vs. society, man vs. technology, man vs. the supernatural, man vs. nature

Climax

the most exciting part of a story, where both people and events change.

Theme

the message or universal idea the author wants to get across through their story.

Tone

the author or speaker's attitude

Mood

the feeling or emotional effect a text creates for the reader