ENG102 Elements of Fiction summer class 2025

short story

a brief piece of fiction that usually focuses on a single incident and develops a limited number of characters

epiphany

a moment of illumination in which something hidden or not understood becomes immediately clear

plot

the action that takes place in a literary work

conflict

the struggle between opposing forces that emerges as the action develops

protagonist

a story’s principal character

antagonist

someone or something presented in opposition to the protagonist

climax

the point of greatest tension or importance in a story

resolution

draws the action to a close and accounts for all remaining loose ends

foreshadowing

the introduction early in a story of comments, situations, events, characters, or objects that hint at things to come

character

a fictional representation of a person in a literary work

round character

a character who is well developed and closely involved in and responsive to the action

flat character

a character who is barely developed or is a stereotypical representation of a person

foil character

a supporting character whose role is to highlight a major character by presenting a contrast with him or her

dynamic character

character who grows or changes in the course of a story

static character

character who remains unchanged despite exposure to the events of the story

setting

establishes a fictional work’s historical, geographical, and physical context

point of view

the vantage point from which events in a story are presented

narrator

the person telling the story

first person narrator

a character is telling the story

third person narrator

someone outside of the work is telling the story

omniscient narrator

a third person narrator who is all-knowing (or can move from one character’s mind to another)

dramatic irony –

– occurs when a narrator (or character) sees less than readers do

situational irony

occurs when what happens is at odds with what readers are led to expect

verbal irony

occurs when a narrator says one thing but actually means another

theme

the central or dominant idea in a fictional work