Structural Features:

First person

Narrator is character, uses "I." "I walked down the street, feeling nervous."

Second person

Narrator addresses "you." "You walk into the room. You see a door."

Third person limited

Outside narrator, limited to one character's perspective. "John thought she was lying, but he couldn't be sure."

Third person omniscient

All-knowing narrator. "John thought she was lying. She was, but Sarah knew the truth."

Stream of consciousness

Unfiltered thoughts/flow of mind. "Must buy milk bread where are my keys oh the sun is nice..."

device

Story within story. The Canterbury Tales

Flashback

Interruption to past events. "It reminded him of that summer in 1995..."

Flashforward

Jump to future event. "Three years later, she would regret this decision."

Foreshadowing

Hints of future events. "Little did he know, this would be his last peaceful morning."

Exposition

Background/setup information

Rising action

Building complications/tension

Climax

Turning point, highest tension

Falling action

Events after climax

Resolution/Denouement

Final outcome

Paragraph length variation

Short paragraphs for impact, long for description

White space/silences

Blank space creating pause/reflection

Non-linear narrative

Out of chronological order. Pulp Fiction, Memento

Polyvocality

Multiple narrators/voices. The Poisonwood Bible with five different narrators

Digression

Straying from main topic. Essay on climate change suddenly discussing favorite ice cream

Motif

Recurring element. Light/dark imagery throughout a novel

Leitmotif

Recurring associated with character/theme (musical origin). The mockingjay whistle in Hunger Games