ENG102 English Composition II Elements of Fiction

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 notunderstood 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 theprotagonist

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 closelyinvolved in and responsive to the action

flat character

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

foil character

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

dynamic character

character who grows or changes in the course of astory

static character

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

setting

establishes a fictional work's historical, geographical, andphysical 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

verbal irony

occurs when a narrator says one thing but actually means another

theme

the central or dominant idea in a fictional work